Trusted author, member of the Raider Nation, and long-time friend of the site, Anthony Santoro, is putting together a book about what it means to be a Raider fan. This is a project already a couple of years in the making. The final pieces of the puzzle are the real stories from the members of the Raider Nation. That is where you come in. Submit your stories of being a diehard fan and even pictures that express your fandom. You could be published and immortalized for your passion for the Raiders.
Short background on the project: Anthony is currently on a post-doctorate degree in American Studies. The working title for the project is “The Congregation of the Damned: Inside the Raider Nation,” and his goal is to see whether it is possible analytically to treat the Raider Nation as a kind of congregation, and if we can, what do we see when we do? This survey is a big part of this.
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Dear Fellow Member of Raider Nation,
First of all, THANK YOU for taking the time to fill out this questionnaire and help me with my research on Raider Fans and what makes us tick.
A couple of quick notes before you begin:
Answers can be as long or short as you wish. I will always appreciate as much detail as you care to provide.
I am especially interested in seeing photographs of anything covered in this questionnaire that you feel comfortable sharing. If you would be willing to send me your Raider-themed pics, please just email me so we can make the appropriate arrangements at [email protected]
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HELP!
I greatly appreciate it.
Sharing your Commitment to Excellence,
Anthony Santoro
Best way to complete the questionnaire is to copy and paste it into an email or word document with your answers and Send your responses to:
[email protected]
1. Your Oakland Raiders
A. When did you first become a Raider fan? Please give a year if possible.
B. Who introduced you to the Raiders? Check all that are applicable.
[ ] Family member [ ] Friends/Peers [ ] School [ ] CommunityPlease specify:
C. Why did you become a Raider fan? What made you start supporting them?
D. What defines the Raiders for you?
E. In your own words, please briefly describe the history of the Raiders. Please include the team’s best and worst moments, in your opinion.
F. Please describe how important the Raiders are to you and for what reasons.
2. Activities
A. How many Raider games have you attended in your life?
B. How many Raider games do you attend per year, on average?
C. How many Raider games per year do you watch without attending? How? National network broadcast, satellite provider, SundayTicket, sports bar, streaming, etc.
D. Please describe your experience watching games at home. Do you prepare for the game? How? Do you eat/drink something particular? Do you wear jerseys or other apparel? How would someone “encroaching” on you watching a game at home know that you are not to be disturbed?
E. Please describe your experiences watching games at sports bars or in other public places, if applicable.
F. Please describe your experiences watching Raider games in person. Please indicate location and any differences between home and road games. Please describe everything you consider relevant, including travel, pre/post-game festivities, etc.
G. How do you celebrate victories? How do you cope with losses?
H. Are there any Raider-related places or activities that are especially important to you? Please describe them and indicate why they are important.
3. Raiders Memorabilia, Paraphernalia, Collections, etc.
A. Do you have any Raider collections, such as autographs, game programs, game tickets, football cards, photo albums, etc.? Please list them.
B. How frequently do you use, wear, or display Raider items? For example, wearing Raider apparel, drinking from Raider coffee or beer mugs, golfing with Raider balls, writing with Raider pens, etc.
[ ] At least once daily [ ] 4-5 times/week [ ] 2-3 times/week [ ] Less than twice/weekC. Including the items mentioned above, how much Raider-themed memorabilia, decorations, clothing, etc., do you own? Please list these items in as much detail as possible—anything with the name or the shield counts, including tattoos, silver or black paint jobs on vehicles, anything you purchases with the name or logo, and anything you added the name or logo to! Include items in home, vehicle, and place of work as appropriate.
D. Do you have any Raider-themed space within your home or place of work? Please describe it. A rumpus room, basement, shelf, mantle, etc.
4. The Raiders, Life, and Death
A. Have you ever hosted or attended a Raider-themed celebration that did not correspond with a game? If so, please describe it. This can include wedding, funeral, baptism, promotion party, graduation party, holiday party, etcIf you could, would you want any of the following:
– To be buried in a Raiders coffin:
– To have a Raiders logo or other Raider theme on your tombstone/grave marker/urn:
– For your ashes to be scattered in a location important to the Raiders, such as the Coliseum:
B. Do the Raiders have a presence in any of your holiday decorations or celebrations? If so, please describe it.
C. Have the Raiders ever “been there” for you? When? Please describe this in as much detail as you are comfortable sharing.
D. How often do you talk about the Raiders in a given week?
[ ] At least once daily [ ] 4-5 times/week [ ] 2-3 times/week [ ] Less than twice a weekE. How often do you check Raiders news?
[ ] At least once daily [ ] 4-5 times/week [ ] 2-3 times/week [ ] Less than twice a weekF. Which Raider-related media do you use most frequently? Any websites, tv/radio programs, print media, etc.
5. The Raider Nation
A. In your words, what is the Raider Nation?
B. Are you a member of any Raider organizations, such as officially recognized Booster Clubs, a fan club not supported by the team, a fan group/fan club on Facebook or other social media sites, etc.? Which?
C. On a scale of 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest), how important is it for you to be a member of the Raider Nation?
Why?
D. Two Raider fans meet in public (walking down the street, at a sports bar, etc.) What happens?
E. Have the Raiders contributed in any way to your personal outlook/worldview/philosophy/etc.? If so, how?
6. Personal Information
A. What city/state do you live in?
B. Gender: [ ] Male [ ] Female
C. Age:
D. Marital/Family Status:
E. Occupation:
F. Household income:
[ ] Less than $17,000 [ ] 17,001-34,500 [ ]34,501-69000 [ ] 69,001-100,000 [ ] 100,001-200,000 [ ] More than 200,000G. Highest level of formal education:
[ ] Less than high school [ ] High school graduate [ ] Some college, trade or vocational school [ ] College degree [ ] Post-graduate work or degree (incl. M.A., J.D., M.D., Ph.D., etc.)H. I have a longer, more detailed follow-up survey ready to go. If you would be willing to take that as well, please email me to let me know.
I would also like to conduct as many interviews as I can—via email, over the phone, or in person, should I ever be able to get to where you are. If you are willing to do this, please let me know in your response!
Anthony Santoro
Again, the email to send responses is:
[email protected]
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If you have any questions or concerns, send Levi Damien an email at [email protected]
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