Oakland A’s fans came to the Coliseum angry. And BART officials love it

Bay Area Rapid Transit was clearly moved by how many people it moved Tuesday.

“Thank you @SFBART riders, especially @Athletics fans. Yesterday’s ridership was 189,716. 2nd highest ridership since March 2020,” the agency tweeted Wednesday morning.

Those Oakland Athletics fans turned out at the Oakland Coliseum in large numbers as part of a “reverse boycott” intended to make a statement to the Major League Baseball team’s ownership as plans to move to Las Vegas continue apace.

The A’s logged their seventh straight win, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1, and said they would give all ticket revenue to the Alameda County Community Food Bank and the Oakland Public Education Fund.

According to BART ridership watch numbers, Tuesday’s total was 46% of baseline capacity, surpassing the Wednesday, May 17, 2023, total of 183,304 riders. In tweets Wednesday morning, BART Director Rebecca Saltzman noted that the agency’s ridership’s post-pandemic peak remains the day of the Warriors championship parade, with 190,519 riders.

Ridership also likely benefited from pop-music group Twice’s first show of a two-night stand at the Oakland Arena. Fans of the Billboard chart-topping girl group had been encouraged to ride BART to Tuesday night’s concert.