Raiders will have an audience from beginning of training camp

Last season, the Raiders tried a new program which allowed thousands of Raiders season ticket holders into training camp. They are back at it again this season but this time they are wasting no time.

The Raiders players will report to training camp just over a week from today - July 24. They then have team meeting the following day and take the field for their first practice Friday, July 26 and immediately have to perform in front of season ticket holders. The first day the fans were offered a limited view experience. The second day was a full camp day experience opportunity.

This leaves no time for warming into things. In OTA's and minicamps, the players struggled the first day back at practice after just a few days off. They have now had a month and a half for rust to build up so they will need to be ready the moment they take the field for practice or they will show a lot of eager Raiders fans the same thing they showed the media in attendance during off-season practices. And that wouldn't be good.

There will be no let up either. The fans will be in attendance for six additional days in the following week. The dates offered to fans were July 26 thru 30 and August 1, 3, and 4 with limited viewing available on July 26 and 29. That means the team will have two total practices without the fans prior to their first preseason game against the Cowboys on August 9.

There is no word yet on any fan giveaway as there was last year.