Soccer, Soul and el Jimador Spiked Bebidas: 48 hours of Oakland ballpark eats and treats

Faced with Oakland's imminent sports exodus, I realized I was running out of time. As a completist, I long ago intended to visit every MLB stadium and convene with every sports scene. I was about to lose one; the Oakland A's, stationed in the Coliseum since pre-their dynastic days in the 1970s, made plans to vacate earlier this year, as well as more recent plans to continue to be very weird.

Of course, Oakland fandom comes from one of the country's most passionate cores. They've experienced loss before: the Raiders twice, the Warriors across town, and now the A's, straight out of the movie "Major League" without the romance storyline. But the fans haven't disappeared yet, and have no intention of doing so. They've merely channeled their passion into new outlets, like the USL's Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul, a "purpose-driven women's soccer team" emerging at a transformative moment for women's sports in this country.

With just 48 hours in Oakland, I embarked on a triple-header: the A's and Blue Jays on Friday night, followed by the Roots and Soul in a doubleheader Saturday. I ate. I drank. I cheered (but not from the press box). I observed. I, occasionally, marveled at the sound wall in both spots.

So, who's got the edge in this tale of the tape? The fading icon, or the scrappy upstart? Where was the crowd loudest? Where were the sips crispest? And why were there not one, but two, hot dog tosses at the soccer match?

Beverages

Oakland Roots/Soul: The doubleheader offered a generous array of local beverages, highlighted by the four flavors of el Jimador Spiked Bebidas. These agave-sweet premium malt beverages were available in Orange Sunrise, Grapefruit Paloma, Lime Margarita, and Piña Coconut Margarita. If you've read the first 200 words of this column, you probably already surmised that the Piña Coconut was my favorite. I don't know. I just read as that kind of guy. These carried me through four hours in the beating sun spectacularly.

Oakland A's: The Treehouse, a dedicated bar area in left field meant for cocktails, games where you can race Rickey Henderson, and meeting A's mascot Stomper (Stomper was there when I was there, NBD) is the fanciest option. The rest of the selection throughout the ballpark also seemed solidly local. Notably, the A's conveniently listed every alcoholic beverage available at the ballpark broken down by station on their website, which is incredible if you're the kind of person whose favorite part about a baseball game is "categorized information".

Ballpark Foods

Oakland Roots/Soul: Local purveyor Willie's Kitchen catered my section; I opted for the two steak taco plate with rice and beans. In fact, I opted for tacos at nearly every meal consumed during my 48 hours in California. The meat was well-seasoned and hit the spot.

Oakland A's: If you want to get angry all over again at A's ownership (and I know you do), there is no good reason that chicken tenders and impossible burgers should cost over $17. People hate Yankee Stadium ticket prices, and rightfully so, but at least some of that money gets reinvested. The Yankees aren't being moved to Dubai. Yet.

Instead of partaking in any of the Athletics' stands, I chose a local food truck stationed in the outfield by the Treehouse: Pana, a Venezuelan option. The Reina Pepiada -- an arepa with shredded chicken, avocado and mayo -- was the same price with tip, and was delicious. "Thank you for trying us," the owner said as he handed me my morsel. Would much rather buy from that guy.

Ambiance Ratings

Oakland Roots/Soul: This crowd represented the Oakland we've heard about from afar. The designated supporters' section was relentless for five hours, waving six-foot flags and situated proudly behind gigantic banners, the most notable of which featured the Oakland A's elephant mascot with its mouth covered by a flowing gaiter. The location was somehow bucolic; the noise emanated through the valley, but still felt contained within its walls. Tucked into the hills of Hayward, CA, and offering spectacular panoramic views (particularly as you walked back up the stairs and away from the pitch), the Roots' bubbling enthusiasm still felt a bit like Oakland's little secret. From street level, you may never know.

Special shoutout to WNBA star Ruthie Bolton, who participated in not one, but two editions of the Cream Co. Meats Hot Dog Toss. It's not that the fans didn't love the soccer, but the degree to which they loved the Cream Co. Meats Hot Dog Toss ... wow. Maybe this should be Oakland's next major league sport.

Oakland A's: It shouldn't surprise me that the announced crowd of 16,046 was as enthusiastic as they were, but it did a little bit. After all, wasn't there a reverberating effect of the abandonment that's netted a bump for the Roots, Soul and Pioneer League Oakland Ballers? As it turns out, this was a reverse boycott game, where scorned fans showed up adorned in "SELL" shirts, waving "SELL" flags, and occasionally dressing up in full body stockings as "SELL" green men. Pregame, I honestly couldn't tell if this was coordinated hostility, or just a normal game in 2024.

The building itself is unlike anything else still standing in professional sports, a relic from a 1970s heyday that still felt alive as you roamed the grounds (or sat in the bleachers, where they banged drums and occasionally begged the team to stay).

How Loud Was the Crowd?

Additionally, was there a crowd?

Oakland Roots/Soul: Yes. Of course there was. From 3-4 PM, fans filtered in at the exact pace where you couldn't quite tell how fully they'd arrived until kickoff, when it became plainly obvious that the Roots crowd wasn't going to pass up the chance to absorb the full doubleheader. They were banner-waving and can banging from kickoff, and the enthusiasm hit a fever pitch when the Soul went on a second-half goal-scoring spree to flip a 1-0 deficit into a 6-2 victory, something I thought was illegal in soccer.

Oakland A's: Yes! The reverse boycott undoubtedly helped, but when Mason Miller induced Bo Bichette into an emphatic wave-and-a-miss, the sardonic context of the cheers were wiped away. These fans were, nominally, pumped.

Total Fandom Score

Oakland Roots/Soul: With the A's leaving (something the crowd struggled to admit, but had already accepted), the Roots could likely use a new home, putting them closer to downtown's spotlight. The team would like it to be the famed Coliseum, which would be a perfect fit. With an ownership group highlighted by Bay Area luminaries like Jason Kidd, Gary Payton and Billie Joe Armstrong, it seems obvious to all involved that the Roots and Soul represent a growth opportunity in the years to come. 9.4/10, and you should get in on the ground floor (and grab your el Jimador Piña Coconut -- two, if you wouldn't mind).

Oakland A's: While boycotting purposefully, the fans still made it known every time I spoke with them that they appreciated how hard their doomed players played, and wanted to make sure the love was returned. On Friday night, it very much was -- and it felt like no coincidence that the A's walked off with a victory. 7.4/10 for the uniqueness of the experience, leaving plenty of room for acknowledgement that these fans deserve better, and that they've gotten better with the Roots and Soul.

Adam Weinrib attended the USL doubleheader with the team from el Jimador, and is thankful for the experience.