are returning to Southern California ...
not that you've heard much, if anything, about it. Triumphant horns and exuberant strings will not emote "The Autumn Wind" to announce their arrival. Nor will silver and black confetti fall from the sky to celebrate their return.
The Raiders, who called Los Angeles home from 1982 through 1994 and maintain their massive popularity in SoCal, are heading to Costa Mesa in neighboring Orange County for 18 days of training camp, with veterans reporting Tuesday and breaking on Aug. 9. Yet because of NFL policy, the Raiders cannot promote their presence.
No billboards. No newspaper ads or radio commercials. Las Vegas media can cover camp, but no invites for L.
A. or Orange County media. Nor will practices be open to fans, though some VIPs, select season-ticket holders, sponsors and invited guests will be allowed into the Jack Hammett Sports Complex, about 40 miles south of SoFi Stadium.
Since permanently relocating from St. Louis and San Diego, respectively, the and share territorial marketing rights to the area. "Every club has an exclusive home territory extending 75 miles in all directions from the exterior corporate borders of the city for which it holds a franchise," per league policy.
"If another club holds its preseason training camp within that exclusive territory then it cannot be marketed locally." But training camp must go on, with or without the public knowing. "That's where we're having camp," Raiders owner Mark Davis told ESPN, "b.