Harbaugh: Bay Area pro fans should support all teams

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SANTA CLARA -- Coach Jim Harbaugh made a case Friday for a bipartisan coalition among Bay Area professional sports teams.Harbaugh, in his second season as 49ers coach, expressed his excitement over the Giants and Athletics being in the baseball playoffs. And he said he believes all Bay Area sports fans should root for both teams.And, yes, that includes the 49ers and Raiders.The 49ers and Raiders are teams that play each other once every four years in the regular season. NFC teams play one AFC division every season. The 49ers are next scheduled to play the AFC West in 2014."There should be a great relationship between those two teams and fans," Harbaugh said. "It doesn't have to be like the Republicans and Democrats. It could be like, altogether in this. We're very fortunate to have this many professional sports teams in one area."RELATED: Willie Mays visits Harbaguh, 49ers
The 49ers brought an end to the annual exhibition game after fan violence broke out during and after the 2011 game at Candlestick Park.Harbaugh said the teams should play each other in the exhibition season, but he did not stop there. When asked if they should share the same stadium, Harbaugh answered, "Could."The 49ers are building a 68,500 stadium in Santa Clara that is scheduled to open for the 2014 season. The stadium is being built for two teams, but there is no indication the Raiders have interest in becoming a tenant.Harbaugh said he met Raiders new coach Dennis Allen and general manager Reggie McKenzie over the summer."Class outfit all the way," he said.When told the 49ers and Raiders have not always been willing to work together, Harbaugh said, "It could be different. We could work together. . . (There are) a lot of ways we could help each other. Trade partners, draft partners. It could be something there."

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