This week is the Raiders annual trip to Southern California to face the Chargers. And thus it’s the annual home-away-from-home game with the Raiders visiting their old stomping grounds where they still have a large fan contingent.
When it was San Diego, plenty of Raiders fan holdovers from the old LA Raiders days would make the trip a couple hours south to see their team play. And a few seasons ago, the Chargers came to them. In the process alienating much of the Chargers fan base and moving closer to those Raiders fans who used to make up at least half the crowd for Chargers games. Now it’s overwhelmingly Raiders fans.
“In my past, before playing in SoFi last year with no fans, whether it was in Los Angeles at that soccer stadium or in Qualcomm in San Diego, it was another home game,” said Carr of traveling to face the Chargers. “You always looked at it as another home game and that was no disrespect, it’s just a fact. The way you practice, the way you meet, it felt like a home game. And I fully expect Raider Nation to take over the majority of the stadium again, they usually do in my time. Before I was here, that’s what everyone would talk about. CWood (Charles Woodson) would say ‘hey, when we go down there it’s another home game’ and I fully expect that this time.”
If this were a player for any other team, these would be bulletin board words. But there’s simply no way anyone can argue the facts here. As Carr said it’s no disrespect, it’s just a fact.
Chargers fans in San Diego were loyal to their home team. And against most any other team, it wouldn’t have been a major issue. That was more about the SoCal Raiders fans than it was Chargers fans. Now, since the Chargers stupidly moved in with the Rams in LA, it’s equal parts Raider Nation presence and Chargers fan apathy.
Attending the games in LA since the Chargers arrived has been…something. It would be sad if the Chargers hadn’t brought this on themselves. Leaving San Diego to go to a city where they aren’t even the second favorite NFL team.
The game day environment seems like it’s trying so hard to be taken seriously and it just comes off as cute. Like pat-on-the-head cute. While the stands fill up with Black jerseys with a smattering of blue. Making the job of the camera guy looking for Chargers fans to put on the Jumbotron a challenging one.