Quan says each sports team generates about $40 million for Oakland annually, not including jobs in the secondary market the team create. it's money the city cannot afford to lose.
"This is our way of showing the National Football League the East Bay is the center of the Bay Area's population," she said.
Quan handed out signs to fans at Monday's Raiders game.
"If the Raiders picked up and left it would rip my heart out because I already went through this once in the 80s," Kirk Bronsord sai said.
The mayor's rally kicks off a week of events saluting the A's and the Raiders. But the Golden State Warriors basketball team isn't included.
"The reality of it all is the warriors are for sure leaving," ESPN radio announcer Ryan Leong said.
Leong says A's owner Lew Wolf also wants out of Oakland but Major League Baseball won't authorize a move to San Jose. Meanwhile, Los Angeles is gunning for a NFL team and it's already proposing the construction of a new stadium.
Can Quan trust Raiders owner Mark Davis not to leave for LA?
"You got to listen to Mark Davis, and Mark Davis says he wants to stay in the Bay Area," she said.
But Quan knows what it really takes. She recently announced a new stadium proposal that includes hotels and retail shopping, all linked to the BART and airport connector. An ideal location, but it all comes down to one thing.
"They want to make more money," Leong said. "That's the bottom line. And they make more money through premium seating, luxury seats, corporate sponsorships."
