The Oakland Athletics have rid themselves of the big bad Wolff, and it looks as though they are headed in a whole new direction in terms of outreach to the fans.
Over the last month or so we’ve had a couple of articles come up on the site covering the departure of Lew Wolff from the Oakland Athletics while Dave Kaval, the team’s new President, has been a welcome breath of fresh air to the fan base. Wolff was the face of the ownership group and if the last month has taught us anything, he has been the one solely responsible for not finding a home for the A’s over the past decade (He’s not, the city hasn’t been a big help either, but that is certainly how the optics look at the moment).
Yesterday I received an e-mail from the A’s, and as a Bay Area native and fan of the club, these aren’t uncommon. Typically the e-mails are about new deals in the team store, on MLB Shop, or are asking me to renew season tickets. Not this particular e-mail, however.
First off, it’s from Kaval himself. He begins by talking about what a whirlwind the last month has been for him since he took over, and how his new position is such an honor. It also includes some gentle ribbing of the cross-bay Giants. He then mentions one of the standouts from his office hours, which is a very cool thing that Kaval is getting started. Every Tuesday fans can come in for a couple of hours and just speak their mind, which, if you’re familiar with A’s fans, they will. He then leaves his e-mail address where you can schedule your appointment for a future meeting with him.
He then continues, “One of the best parts of meeting with fans is getting new ideas and putting them into action.” He states that FanFest moving to nearby Jack London Square was actually an idea brought on by one of these fan interactions, so maybe the front office is listening after all.
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He wraps up by stating that they are making some changes to to Coliseum to improve the fan experience for the 2017 season. One major improvement will be to the food options at the Coliseum. While the e-mail doesn’t use the words “major improvement” anything more than jalapeño poppers, hot dogs, pizza and burgers will seem like a vast improvement. Really, the options are that limited. Local food trucks, Garlic Fries (admittedly a delicious Giants knockoff) and “the best Super Nachos you can imagine” are all in the works.
The e-mail itself is a simple gesture. A simple gesture that has been lacking from the Oakland Athletics for a long time. In recent years, the interactions between the fans and the front office have occurred when a fan favorite has been shipped away, and the terms used have not always been friendly.
It’s hard not to be optimistic from a fan standpoint. More food options, a better experience for watching games and the hope of a new ballpark are plenty to get excited about. Plus, Sonny Gray hasn’t been traded yet, so that’s something.
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With this new era underway, the front office is building up some trust. They may one day (the 2017 trade deadline?) decide to move a fan favorite, but with open communication with the fans and a plan that we can get behind, future trades may not sting quite as much. The A’s aren’t going to vault to the top of the list of big spenders, but we could see an increase in spending with Wolff out and a new ballpark on the horizon. TV money has become all the rage around Major League Baseball, but the Oakland Athletics are locked into their deal through 2029, so they won’t be generating any additional money on that front for quite some time. Investing money into the club, and into the fan experience are the next best ways to help boost revenue, and help out both the fans and the owners alike.