(KTXL) – With the Major League Baseball season only two weeks away, the Oakland A’s are hoping to welcome fans back to the ballpark with a first-of-its-kind offer.
The team launched over the weekend a full-season package for a six-person suite at RingCentral Coliseum for the price of a single Bitcoin.
“Yeah, as Bitcoin kept going up in price, up over $60K in U.S. dollars, it got close to our price for a full-season suite which is $64K,” explained Oakland A’s president Dave Kaval. “So, we decided to put suites on the market in Bitcoin, for one Bitcoin. So, you can get the whole suite for the whole season for one Bitcoin.”
Kaval said dozens of people have already responded to the offer.
“We’ve had already 100 inquiries and we have two people who said they are going to definitely buy by Friday. So, we’re going to see what happens,” Kaval said.
The promotions is a bold step into the world of cryptocurrency and what sets the offer apart from any other in the sports world is establishing that the suite costs one Bitcoin, meaning the price in U.S. dollars will change depending on when the transaction is made.
“It’s a really good deal for the customer right now because it went down to $55K so, it’s almost like a $9K discount if you buy via Bitcoin as opposed to paying with cash. So, I think that’s driving some of the interest and probably will drive the volume of those sales,” Kaval explained.
The deal for the suites is available until opening day April 1, although it may be extended.
The team is expecting to welcome 20% or 11,000 fans at first and the promotion is all about extending their fan base.
“In the past, there was a point where we only accepted cash. There was no credit cards and things like that so, I think you have to constantly be thinking of technology, about currency, about different ways and forms of payment to ensure that you’re responsive to your customers in the marketplace,” Kaval said. “At the end of the day we’re here for our fans and our customers and we want to make sure we’re on the cutting edge of new ways to reach them.”
Kaval said the Oakland A’s are also looking into using Bitcoin to purchase full-season and short-term ticket plans.