Roberto Santiago came to the Colosseum for the first time with his father in 1978.

He then went to the Colosseum with his younger brother. Now he’s bringing his daughters, who accompanied him the previous Thursday for one last lap in the parking lot.

“It’s something we did a lot as a family,” Santiago. “We came to a lot of games together. And especially as they get older, have cell phones and friends, and become more independently mobile, they make their own plans. There’s not always something you can get five people together for, four or five hours, just as a family.”

The Santiagos were among the many A’s fans who were in hot pursuit before 9 a.m. Thursday, enjoying the fun, loud atmosphere one last time.

Fans poured prosecco. They tended the fire and rolled sausages. They played music like Mason Miller’s warm-up song “Burn it to the Ground” by Nickleback and “Stir Fry” by Migos. They raised flags, Raiders and A’s logos hung high above the crowded parking lot. They applied makeup and put on jerseys — Crisp, Canseco, Chapman.

None of this would solve the inevitable, crushing problem that would see the A’s leave Oakland for good on Thursday. But it was a way to lighten the mood and remember better days, when fans of the A’s and Raiders regularly gathered in the Coliseum’s parking lots.

Casey Williams, who was close with relatives Paula and Char Williams, said the scene in the parking lots felt like the “pre-party” of a funeral.

“Everyone agrees: (today is) one last time,” she said.

The fans were of all ages – grown men throwing footballs, children playing catch. Generations sit around in camping chairs and enjoy a beer and grilled food. That family atmosphere attracted many to the A’s fan base and brought them back for the final time on Thursday.

Ricky Rocha of Antioch arrived Thursday with his father, brother and son. He took his son out of school for the day and wanted the whole family to experience the Colosseum one last time.

“He went to Raider games and was probably too young to remember it,” Rocha said. “I wanted him to come to this so he could remember it.”

Tom Oneill, who came to the Coliseum with his family shortly after it opened, patrolled the stands in the 1970s, selling ice cream, beer, donuts and hot dogs. His job on Thursday: buy tickets for 12 family members for the final game at the Coliseum and keep an eye on their tailgate.

The fans have also become family — a camaraderie that Santiago, known to fans as “Rally Lamb,” wanted to embrace on Thursday.

“I don’t really know who all the players are anymore,” Santiago said. “But I’ve made a lot of friends in this fandom and I’m really here to hang out with them, have a good time and celebrate the end of the era.”

The strong bond between fans was evident in the lead-up to Thursday’s game, as Green and Gold fans leaned over the fence and dugout in hopes of interacting with the A’s players one last time. Some fans passed items to each other to autograph to ensure everyone got an autograph.

Rudy Sanchez and Mary Paul enjoyed chips and salsa, California wine and breakfast burritos during their Thursday morning tailgate. They attended the final two games at the Coliseum, which they hoped would show MLB that sports is not about money but about building a culture.

“I don’t know what I’m hoping for – not a degree, of course,” Paul said. “But I hope that baseball, MLB owners and Manfred understand that it’s not about the money. This shouldn’t be the case.”

The message seemed clear. A’s fans began chanting “sell the team” as early as the third inning Thursday and grew louder in the fifth inning. But in the waning days of the Oakland A’s, fans don’t have much say in how this news is received.

There is a lot of sadness associated with the “sales” chant. But Santiago planned to keep that feeling at bay on Thursday.

“My attitude was not to come here with the disappointment and anger that we’ve had the last few years – but just enjoy it since it’s the last time,” Santiago.