Another disappointing Raiders season could mean more road fans at games

NEW YORK — As the Raiders struggle through yet another disappointing season, opposing fans will likely take over Allegiant Stadium more often.

It’s a byproduct of season-ticket holders putting their seats on the secondary market in an attempt to make back some money, or doing so out of frustration with what is shaping up to be another losing campaign.

Bill Townsed has seen it before. The Pittsburg, California, resident has been a Raiders season-ticket holder since 1995. A significant portion of the group that sits around him in the 200 section of Allegiant Stadium sells off about half of its ticket allotment each year.

The Raiders’ performance plays a role in when they start bailing out.

“The first three or four games, they’re all there,” Townsed said. “Then they start selling.”

The Raiders’ 2-5 record, coupled with their embarrassing 31-0 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday, might lead to upset fans unloading their tickets. All the hope and optimism created by first-year coach Pete Carroll’s arrival has faded fast.

“I think this year there was the most enthusiasm I had seen since the Raiders’ first year here in Las Vegas,” Townsed said. “But it’s probably the lowest today.”

Owner Mark Davis is not happy about the team’s record. But he understands it’s on the Raiders to make sure their fans hold onto their tickets.

“What I’ve said all along is, we’ve got to start winning and start earning the fans to come,” Davis said.

Davis, unlike other NFL owners, will not mandate what season-ticket holders do with their seats. The Colts, Buccaneers, Seahawks, Packers and Lions have restricted how many tickets season-ticket holders can sell in a given season.

“If they decide they want to sell them, then that’s what they’re going to do,” Davis said. “I’m not going to put rules and regulations on them to do that, like some teams do. That’s not where it’s at.”

Secondary market

The Raiders’ games at Allegiant Stadium are sold out for the foreseeable future. Season tickets were gobbled up once the venue opened to fans for the 2021 season.

About 55 percent of the team’s season-ticket holders are Nevada residents, according to a person with knowledge of the numbers. The other 45 percent are from out of state, mostly from California.

Townsed paid $1,650 for his season ticket, along with a $7,500 personal seat license. His seat has increased to $1,975 over the last four years. Fellow season-ticket holder Wendy Pierre from Santa Rosa, California, is paying $8,400 for her two seats in the club level.

The travel cost for each to attend a game in Las Vegas is roughly $600 to $700.

“The support from Raider Nation fans from Oakland and new friends from Las Vegas never wavers,” Pierre said. “We make reservations to come see games in the summer and show up for our team. Same in 2025 as in 2021.”

Fans without season tickets have to turn to the secondary market and brokers like StubHub, SeatGeek and Ticketmaster. There is also Las Vegas Raiders Tickets, which works as a conduit for verified Raiders season-ticket holders and buyers.

Vince De La Cruz, who runs Las Vegas Raiders Tickets, said the team is typically a hot ticket whether it’s winning or losing. That’s because the Raiders have a rabid fan base and Las Vegas is a destination opposing fans want to visit.

De La Cruz said visiting teams’ fans drive up prices on the secondary market.

“This is their version of a Super Bowl,” De La Cruz said. “They save up all year, and once the schedule is announced, they book their itinerary. They can’t wait to spend a three-day weekend watching shows, dining at restaurants and gambling, and then go to the games.”

That outside interest means Allegiant Stadium is always packed. The only question is what percentage of fans will be cheering for the Raiders.

Not all opposing teams have the same level of support, so prices on the secondary market will fluctuate depending on the opponent.

The get-in price for the Raiders’ game against the Jaguars on Nov. 2 is $80 for seats in the 400 section, according to De La Cruz. That is near a record low at Allegiant Stadium.

The get-in price for the Raiders’ game against the Cowboys on Nov. 17, however, is $400.

“It depends on the opponent, their record and if they have a following,” De La Cruz said.

Creating a home-field advantage

De La Cruz said many Raiders fans who are not season-ticket holders aren’t ready to spend huge amounts of money on tickets or a long weekend in Las Vegas.

But he’s confident supporters will be all-in once the team starts winning.

“Unfortunately, Raider fans are waiting for us to get better,” De La Cruz said. “They won’t buy travel packages to see a losing product on the field.”

Pierre is confident Allegiant Stadium will one day give the team a true home-field advantage. She estimates her section is typically 75 percent Raiders fans. But she also knows opposing fans won’t stop coming to Las Vegas.

“It would be ridiculous to ignore the simple fact that NFL fans from all over the world make their reservations in the summer and come to Las Vegas when their team is playing here,” Pierre said. “And to be truthful, fans of the Steelers, Eagles, Chiefs and others came en masse to Oakland every year. So, I’m not surprised or worried that there isn’t a true home-field advantage yet in Vegas.”

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.