The Chicago Bears will travel across the Atlantic this weekend to take on the Oakland Raiders instead of traveling out west. The two teams will play in London this weekend in the NFL's yearly international series. For as fun as playing in London is for teams and fans, it's unfortunate that this game is not taking place in Oakland instead.
The Bears and Raiders matchup is one of the league's best interconference rivalries given that the teams play each other every four years. Both teams are similarly known for their passionate fans, historic teams, and hard-hitting defenses. In the seven games between the two since 1993, six of those games have been decided by a touchdown on the last possession of the game.
If the game didn't take place in London, it would be played in Oakland where the Raiders are playing their final season before moving to Las Vegas in 2020. This is unfortunate because Bears fans living in the Oakland area are being robbed of the opportunity to go see their favorite team.
If the game didn't take place in London, it would be played in Oakland where the Raiders are playing their final season before moving to Las Vegas in 2020. This is unfortunate because Bears fans living in the Oakland area are being robbed of the opportunity to go see their favorite team.
It is also unfortunate for Bears fans wanting to travel to watch the Bears on the road also. It is less costly and less time consuming to travel five hours west than eight hours east. Every season, the Bears have a strong contingency of fans that travel to watch them play an AFC opponent. Last season in Miami, Chicago fans showed up in force to watch their beloved Bears play. In prior years, Bears fans have traveled to games in Cincinnati, Houston, Kansas City, and New York.
Playing in London also robs the Bears of being the last team to play a game in a multi-purpose stadium. With the Oakland A's playing in the playoffs, both the Raiders and A's share the same stadium. Back in week two, the Chiefs and Raiders game at the Oakland Coliseum marked the final time an NFL game was played on a field with a baseball diamond visible. Up until the late 200s, teams consistently played on multi-purpose fields with the baseball diamond on the football field. It was odd, yet still visually fun for NFL fans to watch.
Bears All-Pro Linebacker Khalil Mack is also missing out on a proper "homecoming" by not getting to play in Oakland one last time. Mack was key in the Raiders 2015 playoff birth which was the first for Oakland in 13 years.
Ultimately, the group that suffers the most from the London game is the Raiders fans themselves. They have one less game in this final season of football in Oakland. The loyal fans deserved better because the Bears Raiders game would have been one of the more anticipated home games of the season.
The specialness of the London games has worn off over the last few years due to oversaturation. What was just one game a season, now has become four or five games played in multiple countries. The concept has cost fans some games that would be better here than across the ocean, including the one being played this Sunday.
