Battle of The Bay: One Last Hoorah

For decades the "Battle of The Bay" raged on the field and in the stands. Four teams fought each other as hard for dominance as their fanbases did. The battles were legendary and the fights were fierce. But they are all coming to an unfortunate end thanks to greed and relocation. The weekend of 8/17 will see an end to the Giants-A's "Bay Bridge Series" as the A's are leaving Oakland after this season.

History will show you that this will change the landscape of sports forever. The Raiders-49ers rivalry hasn't been the same since the Raiders left for Las Vegas. Soon the A's will join them in their quest to fill owner John Fisher's ego. How will this series unfold?

Photo byAlexey KomissarovonUnsplash

Both Teams Will Have a Void

Since the famous 1989 World Series, the "Bay Bridge Series" has been filled with some of the most fun games to watch. There have been heroes on both sides who have etched their names in Bay Area lore. A's fans will never forget Eric Byrnes hitting for the cycle in 2003 while Giants fans have enjoyed seeing current Giant Lamonte Wade Jr have some of his best games in Oakland.

With the A's moving to Sacramento and then possibly Las Vegas, the rivalry will go dead. This series will mark the end of an era for fans as the Giants will only be left with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a rival. The Bay Bridge Trophy will start to rust in the trophy case of the final winner.

A Rivalry So Intense, It Was Banned

At one time the "Battle of the Bay" was arguably the most intense fan rivalry ever. Growing up in the 2000s-2010s, wearing one team's gear in the Bay Area was almost a surefire way of having a member of the opposing team's fanbase heckle you. If you were wearing Raiders or Niners gear in the other team's stadium, you were taking your life into your own hands.

The 2011 preseason game between the Raiders and the 49ers had so much violence that it led to the teams agreeing not to play anymore(a series that resumed in 2021). Since then, the rivalry has cooled down. With the Raiders in Las Vegas, both teams don't have a reason to dislike each other outside of the regular dislike you might have for any other team.

Both Teams Are Showing Bright Futures

While the Giants have had a very below-average season, there have been bright spots. While their soon-to-be-former neighbors have been stumbling through relocation, the Giants have been slightly hovering just below the third Wild Card spot. Blake Snell has a no-hitter to his name while Heliot Ramos and Logan Webb were All-Stars.

The A's on the other hand have seen breakout performances by players like Lawrence Butler and All-Star closer Mason Miller. Brent Rooker has been another shining bright spot for the team this season. Both teams are showing that they have bright futures which could have helped the Battle of the Bay stay exciting for years to come.

Giants-A's Will Never Be The Same

If you ask Giants fans, the vast majority do not want the A's to leave the Bay Area. People have seen that while the Raiders are now the ninth-most valuable team in the NFL, they are not as well supported by fans as they were in Oakland. The A's relocation is possibly the most unpopular and ill-planned in the history of professional sports thanks in large part to their owner.

Both the A's and Giants fanbases love the Battle of The Bay and don't want to see it go anywhere. The 49ers "Faithful" and "Raider Nation" miss this rivalry as while they have other rivals, it's rare to run into a member of those fanbases. Nothing was better than going to school or work and arguing about who's team was better between teams who happened to inhabit the same territory.

Sports Is Worse Off Without This Rivalry

With the Raiders and A's inhabiting Las Vegas and leaving the Bay Area to the Giants and 49ers, it takes away from sports as a whole. No other crosstown rivalry was as competitive as the "Battle of the Bay." Since 2000, both teams have been among the leaders in baseball in wins and win percentage.

Other crosstown rivalries just don't hit the same way as A's-Giants and they never will. The "Battle of the Bay" was different because regardless if you were talking about football or baseball, neither team was inferior in stature to the other. All four teams have had moments of triumph and tragedy, and we will miss the memories forever.

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Article originally written by Alex Furtado