East Bay Unwrapped: Oakland Athletics 2011

Did you know that the Athletics have the best pitching in baseball right now? Or that Coco Crisp’s ‘fro is bigger than the Disney World Epcot ball? Or how about that there are some amazing deals and giveaways for the Oakland Athletics 2011 season?

Well, even if you didn’t know any of that stuff, there has never been a better time to check out the lesser known Bay Area team. I often allude to the Athletics in my posts, probably because deep down in my subconscious I know I have a chip on my shoulder about how little attention the public pays to them. They were once a great team; they placed first in the American League West division as recently as 2006. And there’s something special about how the stadium, worn and cold as it is, has stubbornly remained the same after all these years. It’s like a big, cement grandpa giving the middle finger to a teenager. But I think we can all agree that teenagers suck.

Anyway, there are great deals for pretty much every night of the week. On most Tuesday nights, it’s Chevy FREE Parking Tuesdays. For those of you who don’t live near a BART stop, this offer is the shit. And for those of you who do live near a BART stop but hate waiting 20 minutes for your train to arrive after a game, it’s still the shit. Normally parking costs $17, which is totally absurd. Go watch the A’s on May 3rd, and feel free to indulge in a couple extra beers with the money you saved.

“But Mia, what if I don’t have a car?” you might ask. Yeah, no problem; there’s something for you too. You should wait for Wednesday night and take BART to the game. And while you’re on the train, you better say “thank you” for hosting BART $2 Wednesdays. That’s right, for only $2 you can sit in either the Plaza Level, Plaza Outfield, or Plaza Reserved sections, while supplies last. Hopefully it’ll make up for all the times BART made you late for work (hey, at least it’s a start).

If either of those deals aren’t striking your fancy, perhaps what you need is a hot dog. On FREE Hot Dog Thursdays, the first 10,000 fans will receive a voucher for a FREE hot dog, which is ironic, because there usually aren’t even 10,000 fans in the stadium at any given time. Therefore, every fan will receive a FREE hot dog! Yay! Now, I know for a fact that they sell veggie dogs at the Coliseum, but unfortunately I can’t say with certainty if the vouchers are good for them. I can only assume that “FREE hot dog” means “a hot dog FREE of dietary bias.” If not, just raise hell.

Friday’s deal may be the best one of them all. With the XFINITY Family Pack, you’ll get four Plaza Level tickets, four hot dogs, four medium drinks, and four bags of peanuts, all for just $50. Just one ticket to a Friday night game at the Plaza Level costs $24. So basically you’re spending half and getting double, and that’s not even including the snacks. Unreal!

And let’s not forget about all the sweet giveaways that await us. On Thursday, May 5th, FREE Atleticos t-shirts will be distributed to the first 10,000 fans in honor of Cinco de Mayo. Later in the month on May 28th, fans are invited to watch a FREE post-game fireworks display from the outfield grass. And you won’t want to miss ’80s day in July, where you can score a FREE MC Hammer bobblehead. You CAN touch this, and you should.

See you at the Coliseum!