FanPost

The SF Warriors, the LA Raiders and the Oakland A's

The Warriors recent signal of intent to move to San Francisco, and the imminence of Los Angeles getting an NFL team scares the crud out of alot of Oakland fans. If the San Jose A's idea falls though however, it might be the key to The A's being successful in Oakland. Coupled with a new downtown stadium in Oakland, being the East Bay's sole Major League sports team could turn the A's into a more profitable and contending ball club.

In the Seattle sports scene you have seen the departure of the Sonics coincide with the emergence of the MLS Seattle Sounders in terms of attendance. Are the departure of the Sonics and the success of the Sounders related? It's tough to say but the general consensus is that there are more corporate dollars to go around for Sounders box seats and more fans to go around as well. In this case the seasons of the two teams do not go head to head but they do cross over, just like the A's season does with both the Raiders and Warriors.

There is also an element of civic pride that the A's would be able to take greater advantage of if they were the only team left in Oakland. Let's face it Oakland is a seriously proud city and you only need to read the posts of the people the in the stAy brigade to figure that out. With the Raiders and Warriors out of the picture Oakland and the East Bay could develop the kind of connection with each other that only a few teams truly enjoy. The Saints in NO, the Blazers in Portland, the Packers in GB, and any NHL team in Canada are examples of this special connection.

The most important piece of this puzzle however, would be that the team needs a new downtown stadium, without that they will play 2nd fiddle to the Giants even among East bay fans.

So what do you think? Is Oakland and the East Bay more attractive or less attractive to the A's if the Raiders and Warriors leave? And is that enough to make the case for Oakland vs. a crowded Santa Clara County? (MLB, NHL, NFL, MLS would all call SJ home)

Lastly before anyone takes this as an argument on pro or con SJ its not, I want the A's to remain in the Bay Area, and wherever they can do that and be successful is fine with me.