I Love The Raiders Refusal To Paint The 50 Yard Line Gold

Yardbarker- The league directed teams to have the 50-yard line numbers painted in gold as part of its “On the 50” campaign to celebrate the Super Bowl. Here are some of the aspects of the campaign:

The NFL plans to signify next year’s “golden” Super Bowl by using the color throughout the season in more ways than one. For starters, fans will notice an on-field upgrade, with the 50-yard line numerals and NFL shield logo painted gold in all 31 NFL stadiums. Team logos on sideline apparel also will feature gold accents, while the logos for official league events — including April’s draft, September’s Kickoff game and January’s playoff run — will adopt a golden hue.

The Raiders, being who they are of course, refused to put up the gold numerals for both of its home games. An NFL employee says that is because the team is still sharing the stadium with the A’s and that the marks would be added after the baseball team’s season ends. However, the Coliseum’s GM says otherwise.

“It has nothing to do with baseball,” AEG’s Chris Wright told Sports Business Daily. “The last six home baseball games are through this weekend, and there will be no gold marks for the rest of the Raiders’ regular season.”

There is speculation that the Raiders are refusing orders in protest of the league awarding Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium with a Super Bowl, or because they are unhappy the league isn’t doing more to help their move. Whatever the reason, this is classic Raiders. Al Davis would be proud.



I don't care why the Raiders 50 yard line isn't painted gold. I don't care if it's because baseball is still taking place there. I don't care if the speculation is true, and their refusal has to do with not being granted a Super Bowl. Honestly, all I care is that finally one team is standing up for what is right in the world, and one of the things that is right in the world is not making an aesthetic mockery of your field. 

I knew going into the season that the NFL had plans to paint the 50's gold. I knew well before the first kickoff. Then came week one, and the first time I saw a team moving the ball I said, "why the fuck are the 50's yellow?". That color is so far from gold that I completely forgot that it was supposed to be gold. Those 50's look like I spent a week traveling across the Sahara with no water, came home, pissed in a cup, took it to Home Depot, asked for a color of paint that resembles my urine, and shipped that paint to every NFL stadium, minus the Raiders of course. Come on NFL. You have enough money to pay these marketing teams to come up with these outlandishly silly ideas, but you don't have the the wherewithal to make sure they are executed correctly? There's a big difference between gold paint and whatever eye sore is invading my living room through my Sunday Ticket.

There are a million different ways to pay homage to 50 years of NFL football. Was painting the 50 yard line sunflower yellow really the best you could come up with? For a business that has been insanely successful, despite the transgressions of the people in charge of running it, it amazes me that they try so hard to do things that make no difference whatsoever. It's like they get bored of sitting up in their Ivory tower watching the product that has made them so wealthy. It's just change for change's sake, and I for one am glad that the Raiders realized theres something to be said for not defacing your football/baseball field with piss numbers.