Here is a letter sent to Senator Barbara Boxer from the OAFC:

Oakland Athletics Fan Coalition
1714 Franklin Street, Suite 100-224
Oakland, California 94612
415-420.9252
September 21, 1999

Richard Fitzsimmons
Field Representative for
Senator Barbara Boxer
1700 Montgomery Street Suite 240
San Francisco, CA 949111

Dear Sir:

We the members of the Oakland Athletics Fan Coalition, a grass-roots fan organization, formed over concerns for the state of the Franchise and MLB, come to you for help and assistance.

Recent developments over the blocked sale of the team to a local and well known group of successful and good civic leaders have prompted our further review of the situation, bringing us to the conclusion that dark clouds are looming over the Oakland A’s.

Bud Selig, the Commissioner of MLB has sent a clear message that he considers the Bay Area a one market team and has also labeled the Oakland A’s as one of the teams he considers "under-performing" according his standards. We have strong reasons to believe that some owners have suggested the "shrinking of baseball" as a solution to their problems and again the Oakland A’s has been named as one of the possible teams facing relocation or elimination.

Faced with this threat, we as fans feel that the time has come to request your intervention in support of our cause. We are therefore formally requesting that you re-introduce the bill to review and repeal major league baseball’s antitrust exemption.

The OAFC has organized a popular website: http://www.oaklandfans.com. Our website receives thousands of visitors a day from our members and non-members and we have an active discussion forum and chat room. We invite you to visit us there in order to feel the pulse of our movement. We would be pleased to answer any questions you may have regarding our request to you.

Thank you,

Oakland A's Fan Coalition

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