Green Day banned from Las Vegas radio after Billie Joe Armstrong insults the city
Green Day have been banned by radio stations in Las Vegas following remarks Billie Joe Armstrong made about the city.
On September 20th, Green Day performed at Oracle Park in San Francisco and Armstrong took it upon himself to share his unfiltered feelings towards Sin City. It comes after Oaklands Athletics owner controversially decided to move the Major League Baseball franchise to Las Vegas from California.
Fisher, who is a San Francisco native, has created mass controversy with the relocation. It marks the first time that a Major League Baseball franchise has moved locations since the Montreal Expos became the Washington Nationals in 2005.
During the last game of the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum, chants of “Fuck John Fisher” were sang by the crowd, who let their feelings known on their team moving to another region of the United States.
Notably, the Oakland Athletics were previously based in Philadelphia and Kansas City before moving to Oakland in 1968.
As Armstrong is from Oakland, he is frustrated by the decision made by Fisher, and according to San Francisco Bay Area news station KRON4, the Green Day frontman told the crowd on September 20th: “We don’t take shit from people like fucking John Fisher.”
Armstrong then explained why he believes Fisher and Las Vegas are a match made in heaven, adding, “I hate Las Vegas. It’s the worst shithole in America.”
Oakland Athletics won’t complete the move to Las Vegas until 2028, and will temporarily play their home games in West Sacramento from 2025 until 2027.
In an open letter, Fisher recently apologised to Oakland Athletic fans for moving the Major League Baseball team to Vegas. “There are millions of dedicated and passionate A’s fans, in Oakland and around the world. Countless dedicated staff members and Oakland Coliseum employees have poured their hearts into this team, and their efforts have meant so much to our community,” he wrote.
Fisher then claimed that it was his plan for the team to stay in Oakland, adding, “I know there is great disappointment, even bitterness. Though I wish I could speak to each one of you individually, I can tell you this from the heart: we tried. Staying in Oakland was our goal, it was our mission, and we failed to achieve it. And for that I am genuinely sorry.”
Las Vegas radio stations react to Armstrong’s comments
Naturally, Las Vegas residents feel protective of their city, and didn’t take kindly to Armstrong labelling Sin City as “the worst shithole” in the United States.
Local rock radio station, KOMP 92.3, was the first to take action against the Green Day frontman. Writing on Instagram, they revealed they would no longer play any music courtesy of the punk-rock group. “KOMP 92.3 has pulled any and all Green Day from our playlist. It’s not us, Billie…it’s you. #vegas4ever,” they shared.
Meanwhile, fellow Las Vegas radio station X107.5 took to their website to explain they would also no longer be playing Green Day, writing, “Well, Sin City heard him loud and clear—and X107.5 is not having it. In response to Armstrong’s inflammatory comments, the station is banning all Green Day music, effective immediately.”
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