Just a little over one week has elapsed since the Oakland Raiders and the NFL announced that the franchise will be relocating to Las Vegas.
The move will mark the second time in franchise history that the Raiders will have left Oakland for another city. The Raiders called Oakland home from 1960-1981 before going to Los Angeles from 1982-1994. The franchise returned to Oakland in 1995. The only question now is, which will be the Raiders last season in Oakland, 2018 or 2019? Depending on how they are received by fans, the Raiders could play in San Antonio or potentially at Levi’s Stadium, which is the home of the San Francisco 49ers, in the interim if the reception from fans at home games goes sour in 2017.
In a recent blog entry, I shared both the details of the move as well as what the move means to me:
Suffice it to say, between listening to sports talk radio and reading posts on social media, the responses have been vast -- and passionate. The responses fall into five categories: 1) There is the “Raider until I die/follow them wherever they go” mantra; 2) There is the “the hell with them I’m crossing the Bay to be a 49er fan or I’m picking another team outside the Bay Area” crowd, 3) There is the “I’ll still watch the NFL but not have a team to root for” group;” 4) There is the “I’m done with watching football” crowd and 5) There is the undecided crowd that has yet to make up their mind.
Those who fall into Category 1 blast Category 2 and say words to the effect of “how could you switch teams, that’s plain wrong.” Those who fall into Categories 2, 3, and 4 lambaste those in Category 1, making any number of analogies, none the least of which is likening sticking with the Raiders to staying with a spouse that has divorced you twice.
Professional sports franchises moving, however, is not a new phenomenon. To that end, I decided to pique my own curiosity. I’m going to apologize in advance to my hockey fan friends, I did not include NHL franchise moves, not because I consider them unimportant but because my hockey history knowledge is so limited I feel more comfortable deferring to others who follow the sport more ardently than me. Between the NFL, NBA and MLB, there are 92 franchises, only 56 are still in their immediate region. To give a couple examples, the San Francisco 49ers have played their last three seasons in Santa Clara. I don’t consider that to be a franchise move because San Francisco and Santa Clara are 45 miles apart. The same could be said about the Detroit Lions moving from the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan, to Ford Field in Detroit.
What about the Baltimore Ravens, who moved as the Cleveland Browns in 1996? Cleveland had football return as the Cleveland Browns in 1999. So do you consider the Ravens their own entity or part of the Cleveland Browns Part I? Besides the Raiders aforementioned relocation, where there are also no grays are the Houston Oilers moving to Tennessee in 1997, just to name one example. I could name several more but in the interest of time, I won’t bore you.
As for the Raiders aforementioned move to Las Vegas, I’m not one to make rules for how fans should feel. If you are in the “Raider fan until I die/I’m not switching teams” category, I applaud and admire your loyalty. However, if you are jumping ship, I’m not going to condemn you. Neither approach is any more right or wrong than the other. Everyone is going to emote their feelings differently.
The closest I have ever been through something similar as a fan was 1992. The San Francisco Giants were set to relocate to Tampa, Florida. Thankfully when owner Bob Lurie sold the team, Peter Magowan and a group of investors purchased the team to prevent the move. The franchise then signed Barry Bonds as a free agent and Magowan spearheaded the efforts to get AT&T Park built in 2000. The rest as they say is history.
I grew up a Giants fan and remain one today but had they moved to Tampa, I would have been very tempted to jump ship. Since the move never became a reality, I feel thankful.
People like to throw around words like “bandwagon, diehard and loyal.” I’m as big an offender as anyone with throwing shade at bandwagoners. As a Bay Area resident 38 of the 44 years I have been alive, I constantly say the following: a) In 2010, I discovered San Francisco Giants fans I didn’t know existed and b) In 2015, I discovered Golden State Warrior fans I didn’t know existed. However, I ask one question, if you’re going to beat your chest about staying loyal to your team, how can you expect fans to do that when players are not. Ever hear of free agency?
The notion of fantasy football has also killed the idea of loyal and diehard fan. In this day and age, you can go into a sports bar, see a guy wearing a Pittsburgh Steelers’ Antonio Brown jersey rooting for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green because he is on his fantasy team.
So if you are a Raider fan that is torn between sticking with your team or jumping ship, don’t feel guilty for any decision you make.
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