It is unfair that Raiders fans are subjected to watching their favorite team play in a rundown coliseum.

For years, Oakland has promised to update the stadium, but nothing has ever came to fruition. It has gotten to the point where the Warriors are moving across the Bay to San Francisco and the A’s looked at a piece of land in Fremont’s Pacific Commons district as a site for a new stadium. The Raiders joined these teams on Monday by officially voting to move the franchise to Las Vegas because of Oakland’s lack of motivation to build a new home field.

Though many fans are angry at the Raider’s for this decision, can you really blame the team? Keep in mind that sewage water occasionally fills the locker rooms at the Oakland Coliseum.

Mark Davis, owner of the now Las Vegas Raiders, said “we know that some fans will be disappointed, and even angry. But we hope that they do not direct that frustration to the player, coaches and staff.”

With time, fans of the Raiders will learn to accept the move to Las Vegas. While many feel betrayed, the Raiders are an important part of not only Oakland’s culture, but the NFL’s as well.

They won their last Super Bowl when they were still in Los Angeles after moving from Oakland two years prior. After the victory, Raiders fans as a whole rejoiced for their team. When the Raiders came back to Oakland, they were greeted with open arms.

It may suck that the Raider’s will no longer be part of the Bay Area’s collection of teams, but they will always be a part of the Bay Area’s history. They brought the area two Super Bowls and three AFC conference championships. Hopefully, if quarterback Derek Carr doesn’t get injured this coming season, that list will grow.

A true fan is a fan regardless of geography. For those who are hating on the Raiders, I would say love the cultural history of the team, not the place of play. This is still the same team  that celebrated Willie Brown’s 75-yard run across the Rose Bowl, securing the team’s first Super Bowl victory. This is also the same team that nearly won another championship in 2002, and has one of the most dedicated fan bases in the NFL.

The move to Las Vegas can guarantee many positives for the team: a new stadium, an even larger fan base and more financial prosperity since Vegas is one of the world’s most visited cities.

Overall, the fault lies with the city of Oakland and its inability to give the Raiders what they needed to succeed. Especially when the team was willing to put down a significant amount of their own money in order to finance a new stadium in Oakland.

Regardless, the Raiders are moving.  If Bay Area fans are still upset about the Raiders move down the line, they always have the 49ers to cheer for.