SF 49ers burn Raiders with signage outside Levi’s Stadium

The SF 49ers may have taken a subtle parting shot at the Raiders with some noticeable signage outside Levi’s Stadium before Week 1.

There likely won’t be anything close to the geographical rivalry between the SF 49ers and Oakland Los Angeles Oakland Las Vegas Raiders that existed with these two longstanding NFL franchises.

Certainly not after Raiders owner Mark Davis elected to move the team from its longtime home in Oakland, not back to L.A. again, but rather to Las Vegas to kick off the franchise’s first-ever year at Allegiant Stadium.

Old news, of course. The Bay Area now belongs solely to the Niners, and there won’t be any more cross-bay rivalries aside from those still hanging onto their allegiances to the silver and black.

Speaking of allegiances, the SF 49ers appear to want Bay Area fans to know who didn’t depart Northern California.

As the San Jose Mercury News‘ Cam Inman tweeted out from Niners training camp outside Levi’s Stadium:

Ouch!

“Faithful to the Bay,” the large red banner draped outside one of Levi’s Stadium’s concourses read. And while there’s no mentioning of Oakland, the Raiders or Las Vegas, it’s pretty clear whoever came up with the slogan had that age-old Bay Area rivalry in mind.

Of course, many a Raiders fan won’t care. Most are choosing to stay loyal to the team no longer playing in California, let alone calling the Bay Area home. And that’s fine.

Still, there’s only one team left in Northern California now, and the 49ers certainly aren’t having any issues letting other fans around the stadium know it. Sure, the Niners technically moved from just outside San Francisco 40 minutes down the road to Santa Clara.

But for those not familiar with the region, it’s all still well defined within Bay Area confines.

So, yes. The Niners did stay loyal to the Bay, and that could have easily allowed for the not-so-subtle parting shot at the Raiders.