History of the Oakland Invasion Tailgate

Grillin, Partyin, & Rallyin since 2003

It all started in September 2003………  4 guys trekked from San Bernardino to Oakland for Opening Day versus the Cincinnati Bengals with an ice chest of carne asada, an ice chest of beer, a plastic bottle of homemade bootleg tequila, and dreams of another Super Bowl run.

With a visit and tour of Raiders Headquarters, the birth of Rally Time, and SeaBass kicking the winning field goal with 9 seconds left in the the game, we knew we were hooked….  This rag-tag group of kids that grew up tailgating and rooting for the L.A. Raiders knew that Oakland was the real deal and we had to spread the word all throughout Southern California.

The next year we returned with a few more guys, our famous silver painted Rosarito straw hats, a grill, and that spark that can only be felt when you’re surrounded by Silver & Black Love. Tailgating on the North Side introduced us to the concept of overnight tailgating, The Black Hole, the 66 Ave Mob, and so much more.  Every year after that we grew a little bigger, brought more tailgate virgins, and improved the overall experience and menu of the tailgate.

The Oakland Invasion Tailgate was a pioneer in creating our own portable porta-potties, we brought out DJ systems, TV’s & PlayStations, taco carts, and 10ft banners so you could become the Raider face!  We’ve had babies join the tailgate, and maybe even some babies conceived after the tailgate… Our menu has been a constantly evolving array of gourmet street grillin that very few can rival!

In 2010 we moved to South Side of the Stadium to meet a whole new group of die hard tailgating legends in the RV section.  That year we were sandwiched right between the La Familia Tailgaters and the Raider Nation One/Bad Boyz of BBQ.  Being surrounded by such amazing tailgaters only made us realize we had a lot of learning to do.  And ever since that inspiration, the tailgate set-up, the party, the food, and the games have been almost too fun to be real.  

While our tailgate has grown, some years reaching over 100, we have kept one thing consistent….. We are all friends, family, coworkers, and above all, we are Raiders. We have business executives, doctors, lawyers, law enforcement officers, teachers, retirees, and even a couple ‘traditional” looking Raider fans….. Yet each year we drive that 7 hour trek, we set up our tailgate, cook our amazing food, and have a blast. Raider Love Baby!!!! Just Win Baby!