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The Net?
© 2002
by Darryl Musick
First, let me tell you that this report is woefully out of date and I apologize for that, but I want to get my impressions of the place up here. Hopefully, we can make another visit someday and update our findings. For more information, visit the Oakland A's website, found below. I'll try to point out where things have changed along the way.
My son Tim was telling me that Pac Bell Park in San Francisco was the only baseball stadium on the ocean. Not true, I was reminding him. Candlestick (Pac Bell's predecessor) is on the ocean and so is that other stadium across the bay, Network Associates Coliseum...home of the Oakland Athletics and the Oakland Raiders football team. I can't think of any others off the top of my head.
Let's start with that name. A perfect example of corporate naming rights gone out of control. A sign hangs at the entrance inviting you to call it the Net (let's go to the Net!). Sorry, just aint gonna happen...so from here on our, it will just be the Coliseum. If it's good enough for Rome, it's good enough for us.
Second, as you can see above, the A's share this facility with the Raiders (as an L.A. guy, let me just say, GOOD RIDDANCE!). Right there that tells you this is a multi-use facility where compromises have been made and nothing's perfect.
So, let's get on with it...
The Coliseum is in what some would call a colorful neighborhood. Real estate brokers like to call it a "neighborhood in transition". We prefer to stay across the bay in San Francisco. Luckily, the 100% accessible BART train comes across the bay and has a stop right at the Coliseum. There is a pedestrian bridge connecting the station to the stadium that's only open on event days.
One thing I noticed immediately when visiting here is the lack of shade. No overhangs anywhere to provide it. (Since we've been there, a huge seating deck has been added to the outfield for football, it might provide shade). If you sensitive to sun and heat, keep this in mind. Oakland tends to be quite a bit warmer than San Francisco.
Between innings, they played old clips from the Batman TV series on the Jumbotron. No organist here. Our seats were decent (Tim was not with us so we didn't get accessible seats) and near the left field foul pole. There may be no shade, but that also means unobstructed views.
Accessible seating is scattered throughout the lower two decks. I haven't had a chance to check them out yet.
The game we saw was back in the days of the Bash Brothers when young Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, and Walt Weiss formed an awesome offensive punch for the team. This game was the first game for a newly acquired Ricky Henderson. He had played with the team before, had been traded, and had now come back. Ricky swung on the first pitch and sent it deep into the right field stands. We were also treated to two steals from the all-time steal leader.
It was a very fun game and the A's whomped the Blue Jays. The Jays would later be in the World Series at the end of the season.
When we left, while waiting for our train at the BART station, we heard a rhythmic, metallic drumming. Looking down the street, a homeless man had taken to drumming on one of the trashcans. He wasn't half bad.
What I did like was the great access via public transportation and seeing one of baseball's legendary teams in action. The only thing I didn't like was the sun and the heat (I think those guys in the bleachers nowadays with the drums and trumpets would drive me crazy too).
When we were there, the stadium was visually attractive, not too traditional, hot, and nothing really memorable about the food. I've heard that the additions for the Raiders have ruined much of what was attractive here and that's a shame. It was sad to watch the playoffs last year and half the stadium was still empty. Maybe a nearby city such as San Jose can lure them over with a better, baseball only stadium.
STADIUM FACTS:
Tenants: Oakland Athletics
Year Opened: 1966 (Renovated in 1996)
Capacity: 50,000 +
Surface: Grass
Accessible via Public Transit: Yes
Box Office Phone: (510) 762-BALL
HANDY LINKS:
Oakland Athletics: oakland.athletics.mlb.com
BART: www.bart.gov
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