West Sacramento businesses have mixed feelings on the economic impact brought in by the A’s. However, they remain hopeful for next season.
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — West Sacramento businesses say they’ve felt the impact of the Athletics’ first season in Sacramento, with game-day crowds helping bring in new customers and boosting sales.
The A’s wrapped up their inaugural Sacramento season on Sunday, marking what fans described as a historic milestone. Some, like Doug Sutherland, said the move brought games closer to home. “I like having them close. I miss Oakland, but it’s certainly more convenient to come see games,” Sutherland said.
Others, like Larissa McFarlane, reflected on growing up watching the A’s in the Bay Area and welcomed the chance to keep seeing games nearby. “It’s been kind of cool now living in Midtown to just hop in an Uber and come to a game and enjoy it,” McFarlane said.
That convenience also brought expectations for West Sacramento businesses near Sutter Health Park. At Burgers and Brew on 3rd Street, manager Abigail Gonzales said they adjusted hours early in the season in anticipation of larger weekday crowds. “Initially, I feel like we were expecting a big boom in business … but after a little bit, it wasn’t too busy as we expected during the week,” Gonzales said.
The restaurant eventually returned to regular hours, but Gonzales noted that weekends and days with multiple sporting events brought in significant crowds. “Today has been really busy because we have the A’s game and we have the Forty-Niners game going on … and it’s been crazy in the morning,” she said.
Across the street, Teriyaki Madness also noticed more traffic tied to game days. Employee Jay Livelo said Sacramento sports in general drive sales. “It doesn’t matter if it’s Kings or like the River Cats … now with the A’s, it’s definitely our sales [have] been blooming,” Livelo said.
Both Gonzales and Livelo expressed optimism about what next season could bring. “I think next season would be the same if not better,” Gonzales said.
With the A’s future tied to discussions about a potential move to Las Vegas, fans and business owners said they hope the team stays in Sacramento for seasons to come.
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