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A's fans will be able to catch many of the club's away games in 2003. (Charles Krupa/AP)

OAKLAND, Calif. -- A's fans will have plenty of opportunities to sit back and watch the green and gold battle it out in 2003. The club is gunning for its fourth straight playoff appearance and will appear on television 116 times this season.

Just as they have for the past five years, the A's will split tube time in 2003 between Fox Sports Net and KICU Action 36 in the Bay Area, along with national networks ESPN, ESPN2 and FOX.

Fox Sports Net will lead off -- broadcasting Oakland's season opener against the Mariners in Japan on March 25 -- and leads the way with 60 telecasts.

KICU Action 36, which will broadcast 50 A's games over the air in 2003, will bring Bay Area fans the A's home opener on April 1 against Seattle. KICU will also broadcast two A's exhibition games -- the A's game against the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks in Japan on March 22 at 7 p.m. PT (March 23rd in Japan), and the March 29 exhibition game against the Giants in San Francisco.

The A's debut on ESPN2 in a Sunday night telecast April 6, a game which wraps up a three-game series against the World Champion Anaheim Angels.

Two weeks later, the A's make their second, and final scheduled appearance on Sunday Night Baseball, taking on Texas on ESPN.

Oakland is also scheduled to be a part of the FOX network's national game-of-the-week package four times, on June 7 at Philadelphia, June 28 at San Francisco, July 19 at Minnesota and July 26 at Anaheim.

"If you look at this schedule, we've done a good job at taking care of a number of games on the road trips, we don't have any gaping holes," said Pries. "There are a couple of midweek day games not televised, but in general, the TV schedule is very good this year."

The schedule, which is subject to change, features at least one telecast from each series the club will play in 2003, including matchups against Interleague foes Florida, Atlanta, Montreal and Philadelphia.

The 2003 season represents the final year of five-year broadcasting deals between the A's and both KICU and FSN. Pries said the club is in negotiations with both parties for new deals.

For fans away from the small screen all A's games will be broadcast on the A's radio network and KFRC-610 AM in the Bay Area.

The A's radio network will have 22 affiliates in three states in 2003, including outlets in Hawaii, Oregon and Nevada.

A's fans outside those areas can tune in to every telecast on MLB.com's Gameday Audio subscription package. Fans can also follow the A's and every MLB team all year long on MLB Radio .

Kent Schacht is an editorial producer for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.