Has there ever been a fan base like what the Raiders are experiencing in Oakland right now?
The owner announced that he’s packing up his toys and leaving. The fans still sell out the gnarliest stadium in baseball football.
The Raiders lose four games in a row. The fans show up and the Coliseum was as loud on Thursday night as we’ve ever seen.
It’s almost inexplicable.
“In the face of the team having announced ‘we’re leaving you’, those fans are still there creating what I believe to be best home field advantage that exists in the NFL,” former Raiders CEO Amy Trask said Sunday morning on the CBS pregame show.
“The irony of this is that the very day of [the Chiefs] game the Las Vegas Review Journal reported that the Raiders are committed to breaking ground in Las Vegas on November 13.”
“Those fans are still there creating what I believe to be the best home-field advantage that exists in the NFL.” –@AmyTrask on #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/kl6H68kEGp
— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) October 22, 2017
Usually in a lame duck year (or years), fans begin to disengage with an organization.
But the opposite is happening in Oakland.
When has a local fan base ever been so forgiving of an organization (or league for that matter) that has shown so little concern for its local fan base?
Trask is right. There isn’t another fan base in football like what the Raiders have in Oakland. Just look across the bay.
No one cares about what’s happening in San Francisco Santa Clara with the 49ers right now. The Chargers only moved a couple hours away, but they can barely attract a busload of fans to their little football nook in Los Angeles.
If it weren’t for visiting fans, the Chargers wouldn’t have any fans.
Is this a Chargers home game? Wow impressive turnout from the Denver faithful! pic.twitter.com/pt265j8WOe
— Rich Gannon (@RichGannon12) October 22, 2017
For all the talk about fans enjoying their final season (or seasons) with the Raiders in Oakland, maybe the narrative going forward should be as much about the organization taking in every moment with the most loyal fans in football.
twitter: @raidersbeat
Way to say it AMY …Al as always picked the right one for the job
Owner did not turn his back on Oakland put the fault where our , at the foot of a Mayor who proved she would do whatever she could to destroy any chance of staying.
I’m tired of this line of commentary. They’re moving, get over it. Oakland Alameda stadium is a toilet, period. The city won’t contribute a penny and still owes the organization millions from way back when Trask was with the team. She knows this. Al Davis battled this same city for years for a new stadium. As the lowest revenue team in the NFL, Mark Davis is taking the organization (with a heavy heart) to a city willing to contribute$750 million dollars. We’re going to Vegas Baby. Get on board or move on already.