Chargers & Rams make weak move to mitigate Raiders' SoCal influence

The Las Vegas Raiders are kicking off training camp in Costa Mesa, California, but you may have forgotten. The team hasn't been marketing training camp at all this year but there's a specific reason for that.

According to ESPN's Paul Gutierrez, since the Raiders are holding training camp within 75 miles of where the Los Angeles Chargers and Rams play, the local teams have a right to block a visiting team from putting out any marketing. Clearly, the Rams and Chargers have taken advantage of this policy as the Raiders aren't making a peep about being in Costa Mesa and practices won't be open to fans.

While the Chargers will be in El Segundo, California, which is about 40 miles from Costa Mesa, the Rams do training camp at UC Irvine, which is only a short drive from where the Raiders will be practicing. It's possible that the Rams are more keen on keeping people away from Raiders practice but the Chargers aren't about to do their rival any favors.

Owner Mark Davis spoke about the lack of marketing.

"That's where we're having camp," Davis told ESPN, "but the Chargers and Rams have the ability to block us from [promoting.] It's fine."

I understand the team not allowing the Raiders to heavily promote their training camp but not allowing fans to attend the practices is such a weak move. According to Davis, the Rams and Chargers are the ones that are keeping that from happening.

"It would be nice if all the fans could be there, but, whatever," Davis said. "Like I said, the Chargers and Rams have that ability."

It doesn't make sense to keep Raiders fans from going to Raiders practice. It's not like those fans are going to show up for the Rams or Chargers. I'm sure it's annoying for the Chargers that their already limited fan base has only gotten smaller since moving to Los Angeles but there are so many Raiders fans in Southern California and they should be able to go watch their team practice.

Despite their best efforts, the Raiders are going to continue to have a way bigger cultural footprint in Los Angeles than the Rams and the Chargers will ever have.