A's give fans shorter pregame time in parking lot

The A’s will open the Oakland Coliseum parking lot “just two hours before Thursday night’s opener” against the Guardians, “rather than four hours early, as was the case last year.” The leaders of two fan groups see this as the A’s “attempt to shorten and limit the parking-lot festivities” planned by the two groups as part of an Opening Night boycott of the game. The A’s “don’t expect a big crowd for the opener.” A team spokesperson said that the two-hour window is “consistent with the schedule for normal non-weekend games.” However, for last year’s opener that was also on a Thursday, the parking lot “opened four hours before the first pitch” as the game drew 26,805 fans (S.F. CHRONICLE, 3/22).