The Oakland Raiders have sold out their second straight home game, and will avoid a blackout in local television markets.
The news continues the Oaklnad Raiders upward trend in the sport, and a revitalized excitement by the fans. Terrelle Pryor brings a new dynamic to the offense that fans have not seen since Rich Gannon took them to Super Bowl. They’re showing their excitement the best ways fans can, by going to the games.
Before last season, the Raiders were perennially blacked out in the local television market. A team is blacked out when they fail to sell a certain number of tickets. Some teams regularly buy their own remaining tickets to avoid a blackout, others like Oakland, do not.
The Raiders second sold out home game in a row points to brighter pastures for the once depressed franchise. For the first time in years, fans believe in the product that being put on the field. They want to see Terrelle Pryor succeed and become the face of a franchise that has tried desperately to find one since Tim Brown. The often injured Darren McFadden doesn’t count.
The Washington Redskins travel to Oakland Sunday to play the Raiders, and you can bet the stadium will be loud. The Raiders have one of the best fan bases in all of professional sports. You don’t get the nickname, “the black hole” for nothing.
Of course, the sell out could also be the result of “Mt. Davis,” an area of 11,000 seats in the upper deck the Raiders have tarped off for a more “intimate” fan experience.
Are you excited to see the Oakland Raiders on television? Is the teams future bright with Terrelle Pryor?
[image via Wikimedia Commons ]