Having endured John Fisher’s ownership for 20 years, some fans are left to imagine what the A’s would be like under good management. There’s no need to imagine. From 1981 through 1995 the Haas family operated the A’s franchise with utter class, something younger A’s fans have never had the fortune to experience from an A’s ownership. At the outset, Roy Eisenhardt, the son-in-law of owner Walter A. Haas Jr., emphasized the family’s commitment to the Oakland community. “We are dedicated to what a sports organization should be in a community, the type of organization people are entitled to.”[1] The Haas family demonstrated their commitment to Oakland through deeds that went beyond gimmicky slogans. They didn’t need to say they were rooted in Oakland, as no one questioned their commitment to the community.
It should come as no surprise that the A’s enjoyed on-field success and strong attendance during the Haas tenure. It’s a phenomenon called return on investment. During the six winning seasons of the Haas ownership, the A’s averaged 30,758 fans per game.[2] They were in the top half of the league in home attendance each of those years, including two years in which they had the second highest home attendance. Not only did the A’s make three straight World Series appearances from 1988 to 1990, they were the rock stars of baseball. The A’s, who drew 2.9 million fans to the Coliseum in 1990, were equally popular on the road, where fans turned out to see the Bash Brothers—Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire—and Rickey Henderson, who combined speed, power, and style unlike any player in the game.
Some have characterized the Haas family as the exception to the rule—an outlier ownership insofar as it drew well in Oakland. That’s a super low-energy interpretation of events. Actually, the Haas family proved an important rule—if you invest in the A’s franchise and the community, an appreciative and large turnout awaits you.
Rob Manfred would have us believe that John Fisher is a good owner. Wouldn’t we know if Fisher were a good owner? We’re sentient beings, for crying out loud. Fisher scored no brownie points with fans for trying to build a real estate empire instead of a ballpark—no matter how much money he wasted on the folly. This is a simple concept, but one the commissioner is miffed by.
As MLB continues to digest the fact that it posted its smallest World Series TV ratings ever in 2023, the owners should think twice about destroying the Oakland A’s product. The Oakland A’s—that quirky team out west—are a brand with national appeal. In 1990 and 1991, the A’s led the majors in road attendance.[3] Simply put, the Oakland A’s were the most popular team in the country at the pinnacle of the Haas ownership. When the Oakland A’s do Oakland things, they draw well—both at home and on the road. The stalwarts at the helm right now are a San Francisco billionaire and his Silicon Valley task master. Nobody with an Oakland mindset is fooled by these johnny-come-latelies. It’s a pity Manfred can’t spot the difference between imposters and the genuine article.
[1] Roy Eisenhardt, as quoted in Kit Stier, “Color A’s ledger red, as in deficit,” Oakland Tribune, 1 February 1984, F-6.
[2] baseball-reference.com, Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums, and Park Factors | Baseball-Reference.com.
[3] Rickey Henderson with John Shea. Off Base: Confessions of a Thief (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1992), 11.