Dear Oakland,
As a journalist covering the Arizona Coyotes for the last four seasons and working at lower levels of the hockey community in Arizona, I had begun to be influenced by the effects the team had on the community and growth of hockey as a whole.
I may never TRULY understand the pain that Oakland fans have sustained now losing each major sports organization they had in their city, but the cause of the losses all relates to one another – greed.
There’s a scene in the third season of Ted Lasso, which has been brought up quite consistently over the last few days, where Rebecca, the owner of AFC Richmond, is in a meeting with other high ranking owners in the Premiere League where they are discussing joining the “Akufo League”, a league set up by African billionaire Edwin Akufo.
By joining the league, each of the clubs would be substantially increasing their profits due to required price changes to tickets. Rebecca questions each of the owners in the meeting, asking them, “How much more money do any of you really need?” and a reminder to each of the club owners of what “football” really means, that it is simply “more than a game” – pardon the French from Ms. Welton on this one.
Oakland’s owner John Fischer may not have sold the team realistically, but he sold the fanbase to a new market in hopes of making more money and finding a pot of gold.
Being close to the Arizona Coyotes in recent months, the effect of ONE person’s greed and necessity to have as much money as possible causes an EXPONENTIAL divide to a fanbase and causes reactions not like that of the normal in hockey or baseball (Tom Hanks’ words… not mine).
The love of sport is rooted deep within cities, states, towns, and even countries, but the pain felt when greed gets the best of that love is wherein the problem lies.
There is no silver lining in this case – John Fisher kept the Oakland A’s from an owner committed to keeping the team in Oakland, saw a chance to make money and took it and ran – similar to that of Alex Meruelo.
A’s fans, I urge you as I urge(d) Coyotes fans after all was said and done, let your voices be heard and your opinions be shared.
If the reverb is loud enough, it will begin to shake the very grounds of which the team stands on and will make an impact – that I promise you.
It’s not just the fans ALWAYS – this has an impact on the media and the teams as well.
Mark Kotsay, I tip my hat to you – if you no longer have a job after this season – screw John Fisher.
The entirety of the media surrounding pro baseball and the Oakland Athletics felt this pain Thursday.
And the same held true for the Coyotes media.
For what it’s worth – the loss of a team often brings a community closer, but the total loss of pro sports in a city, definitely should have the same effect.
To Oakland A’s, Raiders, Warriors, and Arizona Coyotes fans,
The pain may feel permanent, but the memories will last forever.
To steal a page from the “Todd Walsh Playbook” – “We Walk Together Forever” Coyotes, A’s, Raiders, and Warriors fans.
-James Mackey-
P.S. – it doesn’t have to be gorgeous to be sustainable
