Despite Opening Day Drubbing, A's Fans Thrilled to Return to Coliseum
OAKLAND (KPIX) -- Baseball is back in the Bay Area and so are the fans for the first time in over a year. A's fans were back in the stands at the Coliseum for Opening Day at roughly 30 percent capacity.
It was pure excitement when the gates opened Thursday evening. Fans rushed into the ballpark for the first time since the wild card loss to the Astros in 2019.
Maria Newman was the first in line to get into the Coliseum parking lot.
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"I feel like life really got put on hold and we've all been through a lot of things," Newman said.
The lot only opened an hour and a half before game time. For the first time in 38 years, Dana Morgan had to change her game day routine.
"I would (normally) be out here at 8:30 in the morning. We would just be having a good time getting ready," Morgan said.
"My buddies, we've been together for all these years. It just wasn't the same," A's fan Phil Roberts said.
"It's a big difference having a crowd behind you -- having other fans that help support," Anden Ajluonn added.
While the crowd didn't disappoint, Opening Day came with some glitches. The mobile app, which was the only way to order food and drinks, crashed.
But there were no complaints from David Canha, who was just happy to see his son Mark play again in person. Mark Canha grew up in San Jose, played at Cal and is now in the green and gold. "We didn't see him since March of spring training and here we are a full year later, it's awesome," proud dad David said.
The A's announced their attendance as 10,436, which is a sellout given current capacity limits.
