O.co Coliseum & the Oakland Athletics

Official Review by Ryan Norris, Stadium Journey Regional Correspondent

The newly named O.co Coliseum is a multi-purpose facility in Oakland, California and the home of the Oakland Athletics. It first opened its gates to the Oakland Raiders in 1966 and the Athletics in 1968 when they moved west from Kansas City.

Occasionally referred to as The Mausoleum, this gargantuan concrete monster is one of only two stadiums that still operate for both NFL and MLB teams. When the Raiders moved back to Oakland from Los Angeles for the 1996 NFL season an extra set of luxury suites and deck of seats were installed in center field, blocking the previously viewable Oakland Hills. This has prompted the behemoth's nickname, Mount Davis (referencing the infamous Raiders owner) to be uttered in many circles.

The ironically named O.co Coliseum shares a parking lot with Oracle Arena , home of the Golden State Warriors. Like the Warriors, the A's draw about 17,000 spectators consistently. Unlike the Warriors though, they only fill half the available seats. Green tarps cover the third deck at The Coliseum in hopes to offer a more intimate atmosphere for those particularly quiet nights, dropping its capacity to 35,067.

For more than a decade, the A's brass have been looking for a new stadium in the Bay Area. Recently they've commented on how signing potential free agents is difficult because of the outdated ballpark and the amenities provided. Visiting players consistently rank the clubhouses as some of the worst in baseball.

There is no doubt that the A's and their fans would benefit from a new park as the age of the facility and its dual purpose nature are starting to wear on fans and players alike.

Food & Beverage    3

There's a decent lineup of food and drink in the ballpark though nothing too exciting. What can be particularly frustrating are the stands that closed in order to cut labor costs, while the open stands back up with hungry customers. Even more troubling is running out of hot dogs during their "??Free Hot Dog Thursday"?? promotion when they gave away 10,000 vouchers to fans.

Though most of the food is priced at traditional ballpark rates there is one, lone bright spot. The ever elusive five-dollar-beer makes an appearance without much fanfare (no sign notifying passersby of the best deal in the Bay Area)! A cool 16 oz of Coors Light is yours for five big ones behind the seats on the 3rd base side.

I'm not sure if this is a complaint of the ballpark or of the company they use to staff it, but the attendants at the food stands are the worst I've come across in any Northern California venue. It makes the $5.50 for Dibs ice cream even more difficult to part with.

Atmosphere    3

Though many seats go unfilled, it's still a Major League Baseball game with major league fans. The fans that turn out bleed Oakland green and gold and can bring their cheering up to a healthy roar when feeling optimistic. Sitting in the bleachers is an especially entertaining experience as many of these patrons are at The Coliseum day in and day out.

With all that being said, the A's are a long way away from their glory years when they were winning World Series and making consistent playoff appearances, and O.co Coliseum is no different today. Particularly weathered portions of the stadium are eyesores and have no place in a professional building. They use awful screens for replays and outdated and almost comical graphics.

The gray cement structure makes walking around behind the outfield bleachers feel like the halls of a prison with no natural lighting for your path. There are parts of The Coliseum that can be downright eerie for those not used to its "??character"??.

Neighborhood    1

Just like Oracle Arena, The Coliseum suffers from a nearly vacant immediate neighborhood. Old warehouses line the streets surrounding three sides of the complex and a freeway, the other. There is no panoramic view to enjoy and the only energy given is from the colorful characters in the parking lot. In fact, the parking lot prior to the game would be the best place to enjoy the neighborhood as lots of people are in high spirits.

The neighborhood is decimated with crime and most storefronts stand empty. There are no legitimate bars or restaurants in the immediate area, convenient for meeting up, and walking to the game. However, because of the convenient access to the complex and the fact that Oakland is a big city with big city dining choices, eating before arriving to the neighborhood is a reasonable option.

Fans    3

At The Coliseum, it is more likely to find a person writing in a scorebook than texting on their phone. I did a small test to prove that hypothesis by sampling four different sections (it was easy because of the small sample size of spectators) for a few minutes. Of course this isn't an ironclad way to reason passion among one team's fans versus another's but it certainly was a welcomed sight to see.

The best place by far to engage with these knowledgeable and passionate fans is in the parking lot before the games as their jovial parties are scattered everywhere. The parking lot can become a neighborhood in and of itself and is the perfect place to prepare for the game.

These fans truly are passionate and knowledgeable and are deserving of a better fate. More butts in the seats would prompt a higher score, but the inconsistency of quantifiable support is too overwhelming.

The fans have become increasingly disenchanted with A's ownership over the years as they continue to try to move the team south to San Jose. The owners aren't investing in the team or the stadium and now, neither are the fans.

Access    5

The most convenient way to get to the stadium is by taking BART which stretches over much of the Bay Area. The Coliseum/Airport Station is right on the other side of San Leandro Street accessible by the pedestrian overpass. Other public transportation options are AC Transit buses and Amtrak trains, both with stops for The Coliseum.

If you're taking your car (convenient for tailgating) you can get off of I-880 at either Hegenberger or 66th and fork over your $17 (with one exception below) to park in the parking lot. Getting into the stadium is a breeze due in part to the lack of competition to do so.

Return on Investment    4

Though the overall experience isn't that of a top-notch MLB franchise, you can't beat the deal to get in the door. Tickets start at just $9 and those seats are only $2 on Wednesdays! The view isn't the best but couple that with the aforementioned $5 beer and you're golden. Maybe even more shocking is the free parking available on Tuesdays. Bring your grill and make a whole day out of it with a $13 bleacher ticket or sit behind 1st base for $30.

Extras    1

There's certainly some history here, both baseball and football. Championship banners (1972, 1973, 1974 and 1989) fly alongside the flags of the United States and California. A few retired numbers (9-Reggie Jackson, 24-Rickey Henderson, 34-Rollie Fingers, 43-Dennis Eckersley) allow fans to reminisce about the good ol' days. They steer away from most cheesy gimmicks because if they were to rely any more on their mascot Stomper, it would just be depressing.

Do They Know the Way to San Jose?

Will the A's move to San Jose, or are there other options that would keep them in Oakland, but deliver them the new park that they need?

by paul | Jun 07, 2011 12:47 PM

O.Co Coliseum

As ridiculous as Overstock.com Coliseum sounds, the company just released news that they're going to now call it "O.Co Coliseum". I feel bad for these fans, especially since there seems to be diehards out there.

by shamus170 | Jun 08, 2011 01:47 PM

RE: Do They Know the Way to San Jose?

The truth is Oakland is probably the more viable option since they've put together several plans and the Giants own the rights to San Jose. The city of Oakland has tried to convince the owners to simply listen to them and they refuse, stating there are no viable options in the East Bay. They want to move to San Jose and won't put a legitimate team on the field until they do so. Lew Wolff who also owns the Earthquakes is from there and will do anything to bring the A's to the Silicon Valley. As a fan it's particularly brutal since they alienate the fans as much as possible and then blame them for having to move. The A's have never drawn a ton of fans but attendance has dropped steadily since the Fisher-Wolff regime took over. At the end of the day a move to San Jose, though I don't believe it's necessary, would at least keep the A's in the Bay Area and that's what's important.

by ryannorris | Jun 08, 2011 04:32 PM

100% Baseball

Although the stadium itself is not much to write home about, the baseball experience - really baseball - matches few other MLB stadiums I've attended.

It was all about the game, which I found refreshing.

by megminard | Jun 10, 2011 09:24 PM

Enough is Enough

I wish they would stop re-naming this hunk of junk, and just tear it down already. There are really very few MLB teams left that truly NEED a new stadium, but this is definitely one of them.

by paul | Jul 25, 2011 06:26 PM

Naming Rights

I just read that overstock is paying only $7 million over the course of 6 years for the naming rights to the coliseum! Aren't these sponsorship deals multi-million-dollar transactions? This is for just over $1 million a year! Why bother even changing the name for the price of a 35-year-old shortstop? It just sounds bush league.

by ryannorris | Aug 04, 2011 11:26 PM

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