Raiders fans will follow team if it leaves Oakland

It was hard to watch shots of the Black Hole during Sunday's broadcast of the game between the Oakland Raiders and Minnesota Vikings and not think about what those fans are going to do with the face paint and skeleton masks should the Silver & Black leave Oakland and relocate.

But according to a piece by Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group, Raider Nation is likely going to follow its beloved football team no matter where it goes — and no matter how badly they still hope the move won't happen.

"This is the reality of the Raiders' stadium search that few talk about. The Raiders will never admit it. Many fans do so grudgingly, knowing how powerless such a confession sounds.

"But it's the truest of true: Raiders fans aren't going anywhere, no matter if they play in Oakland, Carson or in a crater on the moon."

The battle over the play space of the Oakland Raiders has been dragging on for years now, with current Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf making a genuine push to keep the team from moving back to Los Angeles. Her efforts have been impressive given that there's really no concrete stadium plan in place for keeping the team on the eastern end of the Bay Bridge and that the Raiders are "at least $500 million short for a $900 million stadium in Oakland," Thompson reported.

That push hit a speed bump last week, with the announcement that the "team's ownership had brought on The Walt Disney Co. CEO Robert Iger to lead their efforts to build a stadium with the San Diego Chargers in Carson." Tammerlin Drummond reported last week.  The NFL is going to start taking applications from teams looking to move around Jan. 1, the report said.

Now, Schaaf is reportedly remaining vigilant in efforts to keep the team, CSN Bay Area's Scott Bair revealed after a press conference last week:

“We have a lot of lost time,” Schaaf said Thursday evening in a press conference. "We have had some fumbles, to use a football term. We have lost some valuable time and we recognize why the Raiders have looked at other options, but the Raiders continue to say that their preference is to stay in Oakland. (Owner) Mark Davis talks with passion about that Oakland fan base. 

“We are focused. We remain focused, and we are not going to let the Los Angeles story distract us.”

Not being distracted by the prospect of the team moving is surely hard for Raider Nation. But it does appear that the expansive fan base is going to remain loyal as ever. Thompson spoke to a fan who admitted following the team, who said: "I really want them to stay. But I followed them the last time they moved to L.A. If they move again, I'll go again ..."