It’s hard to imagine it, but before they move to Las Vegas in 2020, the Raiders realistically could be Oakland the next three NFL seasons. The city of Oakland is doing their best to push Mark Davis and the Raiders out of the Oakland Coliseum, but the NFL’s powerful grip and checkbook could keep the silver and black right where they are.
There’s been a healthy debate as to whether Oaklanders will continue to support the Raiders. I’ve laid out the reasons why fans should separate their anger toward greedy NFL owners away from the actual football team.
Rightfully so, some won’t be able to compartmentalize the emotional sting of a franchise leaving. After the Warriors’ eighth straight win Tuesday in Houston, Draymond Green suggested his fellow East Bay residents should not to attend Raiders games these next couple of years. Because he won’t be.
“If I was a fan, I wouldn’t attend a game the next few years,” Green said to reporters in Houston. “But that’s just me. That’s ridiculous. No way I’d pay my money to attend a game.
“It’s one thing if you’re moving them from Oakland to Fremont or something. But to Las Vegas? I wouldn’t attend a game. I won’t attend a game. I’m not a die-hard Raiders fan, but I do support the city of Oakland, so it ain’t for me. I feel like all fans should feel that way. That’s ridiculous.”
Green has attended a handful of Raiders games since being drafted by the Warriors in 2012. Other interviews indicate Green is a Steelers fan and follows football pretty closely. It’s unclear if he’s aware the Raiders have moved a couple times before in their history, but he compared Oakland losing the team to the most iconic sports franchises in the country.
“That’s like moving the Dallas Cowboys or moving the (Green Bay) Packers,” Green said. “Moving the Raiders? You can move a lot of teams, but there aren’t many fanbases like the Raiders fanbase. It’s like moving the Boston Celtics from Boston or the Lakers from Los Angeles. You just don’t move certain franchises.”