Getty Raiders QB Derek Carr getting sacked by 49ers defense.
With the Raiders headed to Las Vegas this year, it’s safe to say that their rivalry with the San Francisco 49ers will become less contentious as the years go by. However, it will take some time as the 49ers are clearly poking at the Raiders with their new slogan. San Francisco has made its 2020 slogan “Faithful to the Bay.”
Faithful.
It’s not just a slogan, it’s a way of life. #FTTB
As Raiders Beat pointed out, 49ers CMO Alex Chang claims that it’s not meant to refer to the Raiders. That’s obviously very suspicious considering the team could’ve made that their slogan anytime during their almost 80 years in the Bay Area. It’s clearly a dig at the Raiders’ decision to leave even though the team isn’t going to admit it.
Can 49ers Poach Raider Fans?
Now that the Raiders are officially immersed in Las Vegas and have left the Bay Area behind, there could be an opening for San Francisco. Coming off of a near Super Bowl win, it’s a prime opportunity for the 49ers to add to their fan base. Unfortunately for them, Raider fans are as loyal as they come. Sure, they’ll lose some fans but most will likely still follow the team.
Also, Raider fans from the Bay really hate the 49ers quite a bit. Though the teams never played in the same division and rarely face off against each other, there’s clearly animosity between the two fan bases. Bay Area Raider fans are more likely to start rooting for a team outside of the state than start rooting for the 49ers. The rivalry between the two teams probably won’t last forever because they hardly play and don’t play within an hour of each other anymore. It will probably start to fade over the next few years.
Follow the Heavy on Las Vegas Raiders Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content!
Las Vegas Appears to Be a Success for the Raiders
After years of trying to get a new stadium built in Oakland, it became apparent that the Raiders weren’t going to make it happen. It was definitely a little surprising when Las Vegas became an option. There hadn’t been any professional sports team there at the time so the Raiders were definitely taking a risk.
Though they have yet to play a game, it seems like the move to “Sin City” has been a big success. Before the team announced that fans wouldn’t be able to attend games this season, they had sold out every game and were given a ton of primetime games. Regardless, there the Raiders will still garner a lot of interest this year. Allegiant Stadium is a sight to see and the team should field an exciting product.
It really is a shame that there won’t be fans for the inaugural season in Las Vegas but if the Raiders are winners this year, it’s going keep fan interest in the team very high. There’s a strong chance they sell out all of their home games next year, as well.
READ NEXT: Derek Carr Shutting Down Raiders Reporter Inspires Viral Reaction