Tuesday, July 30, 2024 | Home of the San Francisco Giants

“Do you know who the Giants are playing?” I heard a female voice ask.

“I think the A’s?”a male voice answered.

“How often do they play baseball in a week?” I heard another person inquire.

“You should know,” his companion responded. “You go to games all the time.”

Laughter then followed.

These were sample conversations I heard during the long 90-minute Cal Train ride from San Jose to San Franciso. The train was filled with tech and other corporate workers headed to the same destination as me: Oracle Park.

After 22 years, I bit the bullet and willed myself to finally watch a ballgame and cross this ballpark off my chaser list.

My pride as an Oakland A’s fan has kept me away all these years, but because it was the last Battle of the Bay series between the Giants and my OAKLAND A’s at Oracle, I caved.

Although I visited the ballpark in 2001-2002 time period (conducted post-game interviews for a local TV station), I have not watched a ballgame as a fan. I never had interest.

Why? Several petty reasons.

The Giants have always been the more popular team, the richer ball club, and have a nicer stadium. They cockblocked and claimed fan territorial rights when the the A’s made efforts to move to San Jose. The fan atmosphere and engagement are lacking. They felt more corporate and dull, different from when they were at Candlestick. The TV station that I worked at, though based in Oakland, rarely gave the A’s any love. It was all about the Giants.

And now I can add reason #9,102,402: a baseball bounced off my head. Haha.

My consolation was that it wasn’t a foul ball and therefore not televised. It happened between innings when a Giants player (I don’t know exactly who) tossed a ball into the stands. I was watching the jumbotron when the ball hit my head, and I played it off that it didn’t hurt. But it sure did. Haha.  I felt so embarrassed. My worst baseball nightmare came true. And, unfortunately, the ball ended up in someone else’s hands. Boohoo.

But I will try to put my bias aside and objectively give my feedback of my experience at Oracle. (I watched most of the game from my seat and didn’t spend too much time exploring the ballpark.)

Oracle Park is a nice stadium. Actually, it’s a very beautiful stadium. Towards the end of the game, I enjoyed hanging out in the overlook areas and taking in all the beauty around me: the city skyline, the bay, McCoveey Cove, the Bay Bridge. I believe the scenery and views are Oracle’s best attributes. Even though I may not be a fan of the Giants, I do love the city of San Francisco. (Politics aside.)

I loved it when the fog rolled in and got chilly. I would rather bundle up than sweat or burn under the sun.

I love the retired cable car stationed in the centerfield area. It’s the perfect symbol of the city itself. And how about Coca-Cola bottle? It’s not “San Francisco,” but it sure has become an Oracle icon. The kid in me wanted to slide down it.

I inhaled the crab sandwich everyone raves about. It was yummy! It was expensive ($39 for the sandwich and a Coke bottle) but delicious. Would I buy it again? I can’t say if I will or not. The cost is just a big deterrent.

Another aspect I like was how the ushers held signage to control spectators from going back to their seats while batters are in the box. I thought that was fantastic! It makes for a better fan experience while watching the ballgame.

If there is one thing that is lacking at Oracle, it’s Giants fans’ spirit.

The fan atmosphere and engagement seem to have not changed from 22 years ago. In at least three separate occasions, the digital screens told the fans to cheer and make noise. And did they? Nope! Was I surprised? Not really. There was a big number of attendees who were there to socialize and not necessarily to watch a game(refer back to the beginning of my post). I could not have a deep baseball conversation with the Giants “fans” around me. When I talked about former Athletic Matt Chapman, it was a one-way conversation. They didn’t know who he was. One of them even asked me questions. Haha.

The Oakland A’s fans were more into the game than the Giants fans. Chants of “Let’s go, Oakland!” can be heard throughout the game. And as A’s fans chanted, the fan sitting in front of me covered her ears.

But to be fair, I did hear a little bit of enthusiasm and chants among the Giants fans sitting in the bleachers in response to the Oakland chants. That’s probably where the real fans were! And they were probably the same group of fans who supported us A’s fans in our SELL the Team movement. And I’m thankful.

Oracle does not give out physical certificates (only digital) or buttons or wristbands for first-time visitors, which was a bummer.

But do you still want a souvenir baseball without having to kayak in McCoveey Cove? My section FC107, rows H, I, or J, was a magnet for them. The chances of getting a ball are very high. The cost of a seat in the field club sections usually runs $200, but I purchased my ticket on Ticketmaster for $90. And the seats are cushioned! 

Just make sure to pay attention. Heads up! 🙂

Oh! And the A’s won!

Read all the Chasing A’s here…