The Raiders Are Officially Cutting All Ties With California and it's Depressing
The Las Vegas Raiders franchise will begin play in Nevada in 2020, leaving California for the first time since the team debuted in 1960. There were moves from Oakland to Los Angeles and back, of course, but this is the biggest move yet.
And they're pulling out all the stops.
The team had held training camp in Napa, California for over two decades and was expected to continue training in the state. However, the NFL ruled all teams must train at their facilities this year due to COVID-19, and that means a clean split for the Raiders and California.
Raiders officially announce training camp at new facility in Henderson https://t.co/ohLEIZpime
— Raiders Wire (@TheRaidersWire) June 3, 2020
The Raiders will train in Henderson, Nevada and end what was a historic relationship with the state and citizens of California. Moving to Las Vegas was bad enough, but Raiders fans who attended training camp annually may have still been looking forward to taking in that experience.
This whole situation is one big bummer for the diehards who committed their money and emotion to the team for so long.
Raiders officially announce 2020 training camp will be in Henderson: “The Raiders would like to thank + acknowledge the city of Napa + the Napa Valley Marriott, which has been our summer home for 24 years. We will evaluate future (camp) locations at a later date.”
— Scott Bair (@BairNBCS) June 3, 2020
Full statement pic.twitter.com/dp6RzEs2nt
There is still the possibility of heading back to California for training camp in the future. However, the team could easily see that the 2020 system works and just stick with that. Each passing year will lessen the relationship with their former home state. That is just business, but it doesn't make the reality any less depressing.