The Raiders’ relocation plan stands to affect many – most from the Bay Area, but not all from the Bay Area.
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John, a Raiders season ticket holder since 1995, has flown from Ohio to Raider home games for the past 21 years. Here’s an open letter he shared with the website a few weeks ago. A very unique perspective on the team’s potential – now very likely – move to the desert…
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“It was terribly difficult being a season ticket holder during the most depressing era of this storied franchise. The only thing that made these past 14 yrs bearable is that I am old enough (58) to have witnessed firsthand, the decades of dominance that the Raiders enjoyed from the 60’s-80’s (along with the strong teams of the 90’s and early 2000’s). Also, the people of Raider Nation at the games in the coliseum are some of the most down to earth and genuine persons I have ever known. I have made close friendships during these losing years. We formed a “community” and helped each other get through the bad seasons together..I have been following the possible relocation very closely. I can vividly remember the first time the team left the Bay Area. It didn’t seem right back then and it seems even worse now. It seems as if mark Davis wants OUT of Oakland come hell or high water. (and I love him to death for bringing this franchise back from the dead by hiring competent people – Reggie and JDR – and stepping out of the way to let them do their jobs) But I just don’t see why Mark won’t seriously and honestly give the city of Oakland and the county of Alameda an honest chance. Mayor Libby doesn’t help. She reminds me of my grandmother, God bless her, who had two famous quotes. First one was “all balls should be thrown in the pits of hell”. She didn’t care for sports and neither does mayor Libby and that really hurts the Bay Area. The second quote from my grandmother, and this one is my favorite, she said to me at least 100 times, “Johnny, I hope I die on a day the raiders lose a game because you will look so sad that everyone will say look at Johnny, he’s devastated, he must have loved his grandmother more than anything.”.Anyway, the Raiders are blue collar, inside and out. They belong in Oakland. I was born and raised in the Midwest. I know what it is like to have to work for what one has. The Raiders don’t belong in Vegas, or San Diego, or LA. Those places are too soft for the Raiders’ DNA..I live in Ohio and attend the games in Oakland, but it does matter to me where a stadium is built. I do not want to see the team lose its soul. If they leave Oakland, that is exactly what will happen. I have seen Cleveland and Pittsburgh get new stadiums. The new one was built in exactly the same spot as the old one. Oakland can do the same. I know the economy in Oakland is not the best, but neither was Cleveland an economic powerhouse in any way shape or form, and the NFL stepped in and saw to it the Browns came back as an expansion team and with a shiny new stadium. Face it, the Raiders are the anti-NFL. The stepchild. Always been treated that way. The NFL should have stepped in LONG ago. I mean LONG ago. Like when Al Davis moved them to LA in 1982. But the NFL doesn’t care about Oakland nor the people of Oakland. Almost like we are not good enough. The NFL could get this deal done with mayor Libby and Mark. I know they could. They just don’t want to. Always has been that way and always will be..The message the Raiders have sent me regarding how they are handling relocation is a simple… “we do not value our season ticket holders and fans.” It seems this way because Mark Davis has pursued one avenue after another OUT of Oakland. I understand the city and county have dragged their feet for years, but don’t most deals get done in the midnight hour? At least in my world they do. I firmly believe, at this point in time, after all the courtships and rumors with other cities, that Oakland, Alameda, and Mark Davis should be able to lock themselves in a room and not emerge until they get something hammered out..The team belongs in Oakland. Mark knows it. He knows it can get done. “Coliseum City” would be a beautiful sight to behold. And it would be basically ALL his. Mark and the Oakland Raiders would be the PRIME attraction of such a place. I assure you, the violent crime rate in Oakland would drop a hundredfold if “Coliseum City” became a reality. That to me, if I were Mark Davis, would be immensely more satisfying than some billion dollar + stadium with big time corporate luxury boxes..If the raiders move out of the Bay Area, I will not renew my season tickets that I have held since 1995 when they returned north from LA. Just would not be the same. Black Hole wouldn’t mean as much elsewhere. Besides, at 58 years of age, I don’t feel like paying a $25K per seat PSL. I already paid for PSL in 1995. Why do it again?.Lastly, to have another home game taken away from us…I think that is what ticks me off the most. I was a whisker away from canceling my season tickets because of it. Taking that home game away from Oakland is totally the idea of the NFL. They think Oakland is this horrible place. They don’t want any “big time games” in the Coliseum or “popular teams” having to play in the Coliseum. But what about us season ticket holders and fans. I was thrilled we were hosting the Patriots when the opponents were announced. First thing I did was tell my wife to call our son and daughter and tell them that we were going to that game I bet when the schedule comes out it is a prime time MNF or such type of game. To take that away from us loyal fans and season ticket holders is a slap in the face. Makes us feel USED. And remind you, this is the SECOND straight year this has happened!!!! Also what if some of us fans were down on our luck financially and were circling this game to sell and make a little profit to get us through the week or month? The NFL just doesn’t care about us Raider fans and East Bay residents.The message I would give ownership is “Do the right thing.” Please stay in the Bay Area. A deal can get done. The NFL is putting up money. Mark Davis is putting up money. There has to be some investor with Bay Area ties that will come up with money. We fans have stuck with you through every single bad season. We keep coming back each season. We have never abandoned you. I can remember when you left the first time in ’82, many of us attended the Oakland Invaders games just to go back to the Coliseum to see a football game. We love this area. It’s tough. Blue collar. Earn what one has. It’s us. Finally we have a team and coaching staff with the talent to cause “damage” in the league for the next several years..We want that “damage” to be done in Oakland. Not somewhere else.”
I also am a 21 year season ticket holder and I couldn’t agree with you more. I will let you know however my last home game with the Raiders if they move I will have a bonfire in the parking lot I will burn all of the Raider gear that I have accumulated over the last 21 years collectible or not and I will start a bonfire and burn it straight to hell as far as renewing my season tickets that’ll be a thing of the past. I’m no longer willing to play this game the NFL’s became it disgusting *** business they don’t care about anybody but themselves and I’m tired of playing their game. I’ve had three season tickets for 21 years and I can’t stomach this crap anymore they’ve already abandoned us once they do it again, it’s the end shame on me once shame on you twice.
Burning your gear will mean nothing to that man (Mark Davis). Whatever money you’ve spent on gear and memorabilia has already lined his pockets. So he could care less what you do with it.
It seems that most of the people commenting on the possible move, have a negative take on the move. Why don’t they have a negative take on the treatment that the Raiders as a team have taken from local politicians ever since they agreed to move back from L.A. The Raiders team is owed tens of millions of dollars that was promised to get them to move back to Oak town. The promised upgrade and modifications to the current stadium. Do you realize that the Raiders are the only fooball team in the NFL, that shares an antiquated stadium with a baseball team? That requires leaving the infield skin in place until the regular baseball season ends, and extends it if the A’s make it to the playoffs. That situation in itself is ridiculous. John would have you believe that the Mayor of Oakland is anti-sports. She isn’t anti-sports, she is anti-Raiders. She waqnted to keep the teams in Oakland in this order. The A’s first, then the Warriors, then as an afterthought the Raiders. Well she lost the Warriors, as time was running out, she offered the land that the warriors Arena stands on to the Raiders, Too little, too late. I hate that the loyal Raider fans in Oakland will lose their team. But as we all know the Raiders travel well. On the road in some stadiums there are as more Raider jerseys in the stands as there are on the field, and almost as many as the hometown teams. I live in So Cal, and travel to Oak. to at least 5 – 6 Raider games per season, and I travel to San Diego when they play there. The trip to Vegas would be easier and simpler then going to Oakland. I would make it a 4 day trip, arrive on Fri. and leave on Mon.
One more point, Mark Davis, just like Al Davis was, is the Managing Partner and not the majority partner. He runs the team and does not get the lion’s share of the profits, if there any. For me this move would be a blessing, and I think it would also be great for the Raiders as a team and organization. The Raiders would not have to put Tarps on any of the seats in a stadium in Vegas, because I feel every week would be a sellout. Not just the fans in Vegas, but fans from all over the West would fill that stadium. I, personally have already put a deposit on 4 (PSL’s) season tickets for the new stadium. If you are a true Raider fan, it makes no difference where the team is playing, you are still a fan. “John” says he grew up in the midwest, an area like the East & Northeast & the south, where generations grow upLoving the local teams and passing season tickets from one generation to the next. Point is when I traveled to these areas I always marveled at the generational fan support. How did you become a Raider fan in the midwest? If you fly to Oakland, you can fly to Vegas. All this BS about blue collar cities and soft cities is nothing but a smoke screen. I doubt seriously if “John” the midwestern fan even exists, he is too up on Oakland politics to be real. And he signs his comment with a generic name. There is enough smoke being blown around, and too much politics in the air. Let’s see how things play out!