A number of A's fans are claiming that security at O.co Coliseum is "taking down signs that implore the team to stay in Oakland," according to Al Saracevic of the S.F. CHRONICLE. The team "denies the charge, saying it bans signs that break stadium rules against commercialization, such as signs that promote websites." The team also "has rules banning signs that are too big." Saracevic wrote it is "clear" that the fans are "at odds with ownership, and the object of everyone's ire" is A's co-Owner Lew Wolff. Oakland resident Brian Hofer, who runs a Facebook group called "Trade Lew," said that there have been "multiple instances in recent weeks in which security forced fans to take down signs deemed offensive to management." Fellow A's fan Maurice Greer, a "front-row regular in the left-field bleachers for 15 years," at each game he attended last season "hung his 'Respect Oakland Baseball' sign." This season, Greer was "asked to take it down." One sign the A's "outlawed read, 'Keep Our A's in Oakland'" and was brought by Oakland Fan Pledge, a "grassroots group that encourages locals to buy season tickets in order to show ownership that there is a viable fan base in the East Bay." The A's "told the group the sign was commercial in nature and had to come down." The group "appealed to the team's lawyers, who are trying to work out a compromise." Hofer: "Wolff is definitely antagonizing his fan base. People should be in a super-excited mode. Instead, we're just angry at the owner" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 7/13).
