fanatic fanbase for the
NFL team based in
Oakland known as the
Raiders;
a.k.a. The
Oakland Raiders. They customarily behave in a loud an boisterous manner, typically seen with a container of some form of alcohol in hand, and they are noted for coming to the games (home
and away) in elaborate costumes (typically black, though not at all
goth, with a definite skew towards
skulls and
pirates; though some
folk tend to lean towards all-black
viking-type wear)
(It must also be noted that all portions of said costumes are made of latex, foam, and light plastics. Security is very tight at Oakland Coliseum and anything potentially dangerous is frowned upon.)
The Raider Nation is somewhat infamous in sports lore as one of the roughest groups of fans in the nation. As far as comparing them to English football hooligans, I doubt there's any comparison.
In truth, even though the typical makeup of the crowd tends to look a little like the nearest prison just opened all the doors and let the inmates run free...
Another interesting note: Outside the main gates of the Coliseum, free schwag is given out to passers-by from a local bail-bonds company
...the
Raider Nation is quite possibly one of the best groups of people to see a
sporting event with. They're loud, they're
obnoxious, and they'll
give you shit for wearing the wrong jersey, but you actually feel pretty safe sitting in the middle of them. They
love the game and are happy to share that feeling - more so if their team is winning.
God Bless 'em, thats what I say.