By Alexis De La Cruz |Staff Writer|
The Oakland Raiders have officially announced their move from Oakland to Las Vegas and the fans have some mixed feelings.
If you ask people why they are fans of their favorite sports team, many would answer because their parents were also fans of the team. Die-hard fans don’t just come from teams winning titles but also because they represent where we are from.
The reality is that professional sports are not just about entertainment but also making money. Like athletes, teams don’t stay in the same cities they started in.
Teams decide to relocate for many different reasons, but in the end it always leaves a sour taste in the mouth of the fans that rooted for them since day one.
California has a plethora of sports teams with some of the most passionate fans in the country, many of who are familiar with losing the team they love most.
The Oakland Raiders have moved from the Bay area to Los Angeles a number of times. The Raiders were established in 1960 with San Francisco as their hometown.
In 1982, the Raiders made their move to LA after, then owner Al Davis, tried and failed to secure a new stadium in the Bay area. After 13 years in Los Angeles the franchise picked up again and moved back up to Oakland.
Raiders fans that are old enough may have some whiplash from these decisions but they are still devoted to the Silver and Black.
“It never bothered me when they went back and forth from Oakland and Los Angeles, but leaving for Vegas feels different, but it would definitely be fun to watch a game in Vegas,” said Albert Chavez, a fan since the 70s.
The same cannot be said about Charger fans.
This year it was announced that the San Diego Chargers would be moving to Los Angeles. The Chargers moved from L.A. to San Diego in 1961. Qualcomm Stadium was home to the Chargers for 56 years.
After struggling to find the funding for a new stadium in San Diego, owner Dean Spanos, has agreed to move the team to Los Angeles.
Chargers fans did not take the news easy. Many expressed their disappointment with the franchise by burning their Chargers memorabilia.
“I grew up watching them [Chargers] with my dad, and my two older brothers,” said Tony Santacruz, a life long Chargers fan. “I don’t know if I’ll even watch them anymore.”
Teams take a leap to a new city with hopes to capture the love of the people living there.
A new home can bring the opportunity for the franchise to make more money. It could work out in their favor or it could be a big mistake.
One thing we know for sure is that a team that wins will bring in fans, whether they were there from the beginning or are welcoming a team to their city.
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