Athletics leave Oakland, fans split on future attendance

The Oakland Athletics are making history this year by not playing any regular season games at the Oakland Coliseum for the first time since 1967. Instead, the team will temporarily play at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento before moving to Las Vegas. Baseball fans attend spring training games in Arizona for various reasons. For the Berk family, these games are a special reunion. They gather every year during spring training, bringing together 50 or 60 family members from different locations. David Berk, a dedicated A's fan since 1974, leads the effort to organize their get-together. The team’s move to Las Vegas is a difficult change for longtime Oakland fans. Many, like John Berk, who has attended countless games, feel a deep sense of loss. "That is a lot of games," he said. Fans’ opinions are mixed on attending games in Sacramento. While some plan to go, they do not feel pulled to attend games just for the sake of it. Other fans, like James Ibbeson, who used to live in Oakland, are optimistic about the future in Sacramento. He believes the new stadium will attract lots of fans. However, not everyone shares this excitement. Many fans express frustration toward the team's owner, John Fisher, suggesting the move was motivated by money rather than the love of the game. Although they are unhappy, the Berk family still plans to follow the A's this season. David Berk acknowledges that he will have trouble cutting ties with the team he loves, despite being upset by the decision to leave Oakland. The family reflects on the decades of memories tied to the Coliseum, feeling that a big part of their lives has come to an end.