Raiders fans started lining up to enter the Oakland Coliseum parking lot before the sun was even up early Sunday morning. Some called the final Raiders tailgate in Oakland, before the team’s move to Las Vegas, “Black Sunday,” reports CBS San Francisco.
“Today is definitely Black Sunday. We’re in mourning,” said Raiders fan James Jones.
Despite excitement early on, emotions trended downward as the day went on. The Raiders squandered a 16-3 first half lead and ended up losing 20-16 to the Jacksonville Jaguars. After the final whistle, fans were booing and throwing items on the field.
Despite that scene and the upsetting result, players still spent time with fans after the game, gifting the jerseys off their backs and taking pictures, writes CBSSports.com’s Jordan Dajani. Head coach Jon Gruden thanked the fans and city for their support over the years.
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But before then, fans reminisced about brighter times in Oakland. One man who was tailgating with his friends held back tears as he talked about the last home game.
“I love the experience, love the people. Been coming here for years. It’s definitely an emotional time. I’m trying to hold back as much as I can. I’m going to miss this place a lot,” said lifelong fan John Henry.
The Raiders played their first game in Oakland in 1960, as a member of the old American Football League. They moved to Los Angeles in 1982 but returned to Oakland in 1995.
“I’m crying in the inside. But I’m loving that we’ve got everybody together for the last game,” said another man who was dressed up in a costume. He went by “Jest The Raider.”
Many fans said the tailgating experience will suffer in Las Vegas. They said for one, it’s hard to tailgate in triple digit temperatures in September. They said the characters, the people and atmosphere won’t be the same.
“The environment of the Oakland Raiders is something you can’t replicate anywhere,” said Richard Snyder, who’s been a fan for more than four decades.
But fans didn’t want this to be a funeral. They wanted to celebrate the Oakland Raiders one last time.
“It should be a celebration. We should embrace everything that’s happened on that field,” said Synder.
“So this is the last tailgate. We kind of did it really big. We’ve got shrimp, steak, and chicken,” said Jones.
Another fan proudly showed off his barbecue grill and his menu consisting of prime rib and baby back ribs.
Many fans said they’ll follow the team to Vegas while others said they’re done with the team.
“What happened in Vegas started in Oakland,” said a fan dressed up as Darth Vader.
“Will I go to Vegas? No. Will I wear a Las Vegas jersey? Never. Unfortunately, the NFL is about money. It’s not about the fans,” said Louie Rocha.
