The A’s have tried almost everything. They offer $2 tickets on Wednesdays (along with $1 hot dogs, although they are not regular-sized hot dogs; I also believe there is a limit of 10 per person per transaction). They have an all-you-can-eat section (a true-blue value of $35). But still their seats remain empty, thousands of them. You’d be hard-pressed to find a game more than half-filled, unless the Red Sox or Yankees were in town. And when you throw in the fact that the upper deck is permanently closed, the A’s are clearly struggling to bring the fans in through the gate, and that is an understatement. (It also doesn’t help that the organization has made it clear they are leaving the city, and quite possibly, the region altogether.) So what is there left to do?

First come, first served. That is my idea. (It is now trademarked.) All tickets $20. An hour before the game, $10. Once the game begins, $5. (Feel free to increase or decrease these values as you wish, depending on the stadium, team, opponent, day of the week, etc.) Any seat that is available is free to you. What would happen? Well, a lot of people would show up early to get good seats, right behind home plate, the dugout, etc. They may show up so early, grab that seat (no savesies however), then need to get a few hot dogs, nachos and sodas to hold them over until the game starts. That is revenue for the team (on the items with the biggest profit margin).

These first come, first served games shouldn’t be when the Yankees are in town, of course, but when the Royals or Twins or Orioles are. On the television, every pitch would show a full stadium behind home plate. That isn’t a bad thing. The real fans (those that stay with struggling franchises, those that come to the non-must-see games, those that fight the colder evenings) will be closer to the game and the players. That isn’t a bad thing either. Those fans are the team’s base.

When you are the A’s — and you are struggling — how could this not work? One Wednesday a month: first come, first served.