Die-hard Oakland Raiders fans say they're geared up for a fight, even as their team continues to eye a move to Las Vegas.
Fans representing Fruitvale to 106th Avenue, the heart of Raider Nation, say they're ready to take off the gloves to keep the team in Oakland.
"The one thing we know how to do really well is fight," said Ray Bobbitt, of the Oakland Coliseum Economic Impact and Legal Action Committee. "If you grew up in East Oakland you learned how to fight. ... Raiders fans do not plan on burning jerseys in front of the Coliseum and wiping each other's tears. We plan on fighting for our team."
Among their possible tactics are lawsuits and boycotts. They say Raider Nation is Oakland. Even the team's name comes from Oakland fans.
"This community came up with this name in 1960, and it was based on sailors coming off the estuary of the east side of the San Francisco Bay," Bobbitt said.
Longtime fans remember when the Raiders left Oakland once before - they moved to Los Angeles in 1982.
"It makes you upset as a fan and a resident," Raiders fan Claude Allen said. "They left us before, and now they might leave us again. It leaves us empty."
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Only this time, fans say they won't watch it happen. They say a move to Las Vegas will have a lasting impact on families, businesses and the community as a whole.
"This could devastate the community for years," fan Ronald Muhammad said. "We don't know how long it could take to get out of it. It could do some real damage."
The Raiders' relocation effort still needs approval from 24 of the NFL's 32 owners. The vote is expected to take place during owners meetings in either March or May.
