Oakland Raiders: Returning to Los Angeles Would Alienate Diehard Fanbase

Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis said the team is exploring all possibilities when it comes to building a new stadium. That includes Los Angeles, according to Vittorio Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. It's a move that would help attract more players, but the team would risk alienating its legendary fans.

"Yeah, Los Angeles is a possibility," owner Mark Davis said Tuesday. "Wherever's a possibility. We need a stadium."

The Raiders have had discussions with groups in Los Angeles, as well as with the 49ers about the possibility of sharing a Santa Clara stadium. The Raiders played in Los Angeles from 1982 to '94. Davis hasn't liked any of the offers to return. Yet.

There is no NFL fanbase more iconic than Raider Nation. It wouldn't be the same watching a Raiders game on television without frequent cutaway shots of the “Black Hole” and its rowdy fans with their faces painted and spiked shoulder pads.

A move to Los Angeles would be tailored to a different style of fan. It's a phenomena witnessed at Lakers games for many seasons. The prime seating locations would be for high-profile celebrities or white-collar workers with big bucks to spend.

That would be a stark contrast to the blue-collar attitude the Raiders assumed under Al Davis.

Even in recent seasons when the Raiders were struggling to win games on a consistent basis there was a no-quit attitude that endeared them to fans. Oakland and the surrounding communities continued to support the team through thick and thin.

So picking up the franchise and moving it six hours south would be a tough pill to swallow for those people who have stood by the team. Especially since the two cities are so different in terms of their attitude toward sports.



Raiders fans would love for their team to have a bigger revenue stream in order to help attract more marquee players, there's no doubt about that. But giving...