Defiant A's fans to hold `Reverse Boycott' tonight

Dawn Pieper will show her love for the Oakland Athletics tonight in the spirit of her late husband, Jay, who is the reason she became such a loyal supporter. Lifelong fan Gabriel Hernandez will cheer his heart out in hopes everyone in attendance can make a meaningful, monumental statement that they are far from done fighting to keep their team in the East Bay.

Fed-up fans in Oakland have hatched an unusual plan to protest the A’s despised ownership group.

They’re buying tickets. Organizers are calling on A’s supporters to stage a “Reverse Boycott” at the Coliseum tonight. They plan to give away T-shirts to the first 7,000 fans and are hoping to make a statement with the biggest, most spirited crowd of the year when the A’s host Tampa Bay. The goal is a sellout for a team with dismal attendance all season that has regularly been topped by most Triple-a franchises.

The bright green T-shirts made by local company Oaklandish read “SELL” — a message for owner John Fisher to give up the team to someone who might keep it here. Nevada lawmakers, meanwhile, are discussing the A’s proposed financing plan to build a new ballpark in Las Vegas.

Among those planning to attend: the drummers in the right-field bleachers that used to echo their support for the franchise that’s been in the Bay Area since 1968 when it relocated from Kansas City.

Hernandez offered this message to fellow fans: “Be Loud, Be Proud, Bring Sign, Speak Your Mind, Go A’s.”

Fans are hoping to show that support still exists for the A’s, if not for Fisher, in a sign that the franchise shouldn’t turn its back on Oakland.