They Can’t Stem Silver-and-Black Tide

The San Diego Chargers thought they’d found a way to keep hordes of rowdy Oakland Raider fans from invading Qualcomm Stadium.

But Raider Nation apparently won’t be fully denied its biggest trip of the year when Oakland plays the Chargers on Sunday in an AFC West showdown. Both teams are 8-4 and lead the division.

Recent Raider games in San Diego have been marred by violence, attributed to heavy drinking and the large number of Raiders fans.

In July, the Chargers begged season-ticket holders to keep their tickets to this game. Also, people buying fewer than 25 tickets to the game had to buy an equal number of tickets to two other games -- likely a ploy to win back home-field advantage from Raider fans.

But if Raider fans want tickets, plenty are available. Ticket brokers have them. So do scores of sellers on EBay and in the newspaper classifieds.

Season-ticket holders are bailing, either because of fear or free enterprise. “The season ticket holders are the sellers and the Raider fans are the buyers,” said Vince Campise, owner of Atlas Tickets Services in San Diego.