Oakland sports culture in danger
October 30, 2014
For 50 years, sports fans in Oakland were able to enjoy gladiators performing feats that mesmerized the mortal man. Soon, this will change.
Starting in 1960, professional sports was born in the city of Oakland with the American Football League expansion of the silver and black Raiders. Two more professional sports franchises soon followed in 1968, with the Oakland Athletics, and in 1971, with the Golden State Warriors.
But in April 2014, the Warriors purchased land for a $500 million waterfront arena on piers 30-32 in San Francisco that should be ready for the 2017-2018 season. This move will pry the franchise away from downtown Oakland’s older, cylindrical and drab Oracle Arena, leaving behind four decades of professional basketball.
Michael Wagaman is a freelance sports writer for various publications like USAToday, the Associated Press and Silver and Black Illustrated, a publication dedicated to Oakland Raiders news, who believes the move will have a damaging impact.
This will affect more than just the fans. Workers will lose jobs, businesses will lose income and the city will lose taxes. It would be a significant loss,
said Wagaman. “What’s more concerning is how much ticket prices will rise to see the ‘Dubs.’ The fact is, somebody has to pay the price for the new arena and while the initial cost will be shouldered by the owners, at some point the trickle down will hit the fans.”
According to the Oakland Alameda-Coliseum Authority, who is responsible for the financing of improvements and management of the Coliseum complex, the Warriors are on the hook for $7.4 million of rent.
Disputes have erupted over whether the Warriors are responsible for the remaining money owed through 2027, with litigation pending.
The Raiders’ current owner, Mark Davis, son of the late Al, has been flirting with rumors of another move from Oakland. He has been spotted in San Antonio and Los Angeles with perhaps the thought of a future for his franchise away from Oakland, even though Mayor Jean Quan has tried to tell the public that her administration has discussed stadium renovation and free land to keep the Raiders and Athletics in Oakland.
Wagaman is a Vallejo native and has fond memories of the Raiders and their fans. “It’s as passionate a fan base you’ll find in the country. That traces directly back to the early days of the Raiders when the players were a part of the fabric of the community,” Wagaman explained.
He added however, that if the Raiders move, he believes his readers may seriously consider changing whom they root for.
The Athletics are in the same shape as the Raiders when it comes to the need of a new stadium but with a 162-game season the structural problems are more noticeable. For example, during a March 29 meeting with the San Francisco Giants, the game was rained out due to a sewage backup that flooded the dugout and the locker rooms.
The Athletics signed an extension on their stadium lease in July to stay at the Coliseum until 2024, but not before owner Lew Wolff flirted with a possible move to San Jose. The provisions of staying in Oakland are $10 million worth of stadium upgrades such as a new video board, updated control room and structural work. The deal was bittersweet though, as MLB commissioner Bud Selig had already approved a move if a deal wasn’t struck.
Rick Tittle is a radio host for the home of Oakland Raiders football and Oakland Athletics at 95.7 FM The Game and has been covering Bay Area sports since 2003. He believes what keeps the Oakland sports community together is the blue-collar attitude, multi-cultural community and the sense of being a renegade against all odds.
When asked how these moves, particularly that of the Warriors, would affect his listeners Tittle stated, “it would be devastating to their pride, identity and revenue. It sucks but at least they are eight miles away.”
Unless the ownership groups of the Raiders and Athletics can figure out how to pool their resources with the city of Oakland, the city is in dire danger of losing the biggest things that boost their confidence and pride. They will lose their culture, history and sporting tradition to the other side of the bay, along with four companies that employ full and part-time employees from the community.
