Official: Tarps for original upper deck (West Side) to be removed for ALCS & World Series
Update 9:40 PM – Well, I guess this post is now moot.
10/11/2012 6:02 PM ET
A’s announce plans to remove tarps for ALCS
More than 11,000 tickets placed on sale with opening of third deck at O.co Coliseum
OAKLAND, Calif. – The Oakland Athletics have announced the team will remove the tarps and open up the west side of the third deck of O.co Coliseum for any American League Championship Series home games.
“This has been a sensational year for the Athletics and for our fans,” said Lew Wolff, owner and managing partner of the team. “We are thrilled with the tremendous outpouring of fan support.”
Based on increasing ticket sales after each post-season game and ticket sales projections for the ALCS, the A’s have opened 11,698 new seats for sale, priced at $55 each. American League Championship Series tickets will continue to be priced dynamically so fans are encouraged to buy early and save. Total capacity for the ALCS and World Series will now be 47,505 seats.
The tarps will remain off for the rest of this post season. Tickets can be purchased online at www.oaklandathletics.com/postseason, by calling 877-493-BALL (2255) or visiting the Coliseum box office.
The “West Side” is parlance for the original third deck, which includes the three sections of the Value/View Deck (316-318). Tarps for the extremely tall and sight-obstructed upper deck atop Mt. Davis will not be sold. Capacity for the ALCS and World Series will be 47,505 seats, plus 1-2,000 standing room tickets that can be sold per game. Tickets are showing up in the system now, starting at $55.
Tarps on Sections 300-315 plus Value Deck sections
Tarps on Sections 319-334 plus Value Deck sections
Well, it’s up to us fans to sell out the Coli. But first, there’s the matter of a Game 5.
Update 4:02 PM – The LA Times’ Bill Shaikin has a comment from Bud Selig regarding the tarp removal:
Selig said he was not troubled by the A’s decision to keep the tarps on for the ALDS, even as fans wondered why the team might artificially restrict ticket sales and television showed an entire deck covered up.
“I don’t think it’s embarrassing,” Selig said. “You saw it all year. They made, I think, the right decision all year.
@Stanley Stanson – No, but that hasn’t stopped the City from progressing as if negotiating with MLB is the primary option. That is what it negotiated for with its PR push, and that’s what it’s getting. It’s presenting sites to MLB. It’s exchanging information. It’s communicating with the commissioner. They’ve done an endaround ownership, and this is what an endaround gets you.
Can’t wait for this shit to be over…
Really sad that the bickering had to start that quickly after such a great season.