The Athletics have found their first buyer for their most Silicon Valley-adjacent promotion yet, and it’s a company that’s already in on the act.
Cryptocurrency broker Voyager Digital Ltd. purchased a suite for all A’s 2021 home games for the price of one Bitcoin, the team announced Wednesday.
The A’s began advertising earlier this month that they’d sell six-person suites for the 2021 season at that price, with sales closing on Opening Day, which is Thursday. Voyager CEO Steve Ehrlich said in the A’s release that the company plans to “share the suite with our customer community in the Bay Area and beyond,” though it’s not clear how Voyager will do so.
Voyager is described as a “publicly-traded, licensed crypto-asset platform” in the A’s release. It’s also now the first owner of MLB tickets purchased with cryptocurrency.
“Cryptocurrency is a viable and tangible currency model, and we know other forward-thinking companies and individuals will join Voyager in using this payment for ticket purchases,” A’s general manager Dave Kaval said in the release.
As of Wednesday afternoon, one Bitcoin is worth $59,143.30. The A’s said suites are available at a single-game price of $594 for select April games.
Ehrlich cited the company’s existing relationship with outfielder Stephen Piscotty as a reason for buying in with the A’s.
A full-season suite is the only option for A’s fans who want to ensure they can attend all 2021 games at the Coliseum, since the A’s won’t be able to accommodate all season-ticket holders at all home games within coronavirus-forced capacity restrictions.
Just Tuesday the team announced it would expand from 20% capacity to 26% as Alameda County moved into the orange tier of California’s COVID reopening system. In the orange tier, 33% capacity is allowed, but the A’s cannot go past 26% while also keeping 6 feet of distance between ticket pods, another public health rule imposed by the state.
