The Oakland Raiders have one of the more eventful histories among professional sports franchises. The team, founded in Oakland in 1960, left for the big city in 1982- Los Angeles. But, 12 years later, they would pack their bags and return home. Now, unhappy with their stadium, the Raiders have plans to move to Las Vegas for the 2019 season. Through all of this, Raiders fans have been tasked with staying with a team that seems to constantly challenge their loyalty.
The problem that not many see is that the Raiders have never had a stadium of their own. While fans may see it as an abandonment, the Raiders might just be looking for a home. Be it anger over relocation or a desire to start winning again, Raiders fans have found a way to remain some of the most rowdy and electric fans in the league. With a history like the Raiders’, it would be impossible to not have masses of out-of-market fans. Raiders fans don’t just sit around and complain. Rather, they have established hubs across the country that unite fans to root for their favorite team together.
Visit FanWide.com to find an Oakland Raiders game watch party or fan club near you.
The Raiders understand that they have put some fans out over the years, and they have taken steps to keep all of their fans informed and engaged. The Raiders have a “Fan Zone” on their website that provides information about how to stay involved. This includes a reward system, newsletter, and other tools like an app and wallpapers to keep fans in the loop.
Additionally, they have their own database of official Raiders booster clubs. These are clubs that the Raiders officially recognize, which are required to pay dues to the team for use of their logo as well as complete charity work. Still, there are numerous local fan clubs that have not registered with the organization. Beyond their website, the Raiders are heavily involved in social media with 1.59 million Twitter followers, 1.3 million Instagram followers, and 3.4 million likes on Facebook, perhaps unsurprisingly some of the more impressive social stats in the league.