SANTA CLARA, Calif. Police are investigating a fight involving San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders fans outside Levi's Stadium after video of the confrontation circulated on social media. Authorities confirmed that several incidents of violence between fans occurred during and after Sunday's game, which the 49ers won 38 to 17.
The footage shows a large group fighting in a stadium parking lot on Sunday afternoon, with several people knocked to the ground as the confrontation continued. A graphic video posted on X by an account using the handle Boss unkie shows men punching one another. At least two men appear to be lying flat on the ground, possibly unconscious.
Santa Clara police reported a total of 11 arrests during the game and said 45 fans were ejected from the stadium. Those figures cover the event overall. In its statement, the department said officers responded to multiple fights and that some of those confrontations led to arrests.
Police also said a lack of cooperation from some victims affected their efforts to investigate the incidents. Some people involved as victims in the fights did not want to cooperate with officers, according to the department. Authorities are seeking information and video evidence from anyone who witnessed incidents at Sunday's game.
The violence brought renewed attention to the longstanding hostility between supporters of the two franchises, whose rivalry developed when the Raiders played in Oakland. Thomas Plante, a psychology professor at Santa Clara University, said the former cross-bay rivalry persisted even after the Raiders relocated to Las Vegas.
Plante pointed to differences in the teams' fan identities as part of that dynamic. He described the Raiders as more of a beer team and the 49ers as more of a Chardonnay team, suggesting those distinctions also play a role in the relationship between their supporters.
Fan violence previously disrupted the teams' preseason rivalry. Following a particularly violent game at Candlestick Park in 2011, the NFL ended the 49ers-Raiders preseason matchup. The games resumed after the Raiders moved to Las Vegas. Sunday's contest was the first Battle of the Bay since the franchise left Oakland in 2020.
Anyone with information about incidents at Sunday's game, including video recordings, can contact the Santa Clara Police Department at 408-615-4700. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 408-615-4848.
