The financial trail continues to connect Mark Davis and the Raiders to Las Vegas, with the Southern Nevada Tourism and Infrastructure Committee having approved the $750MM in public money for a stadium. However, the NFL and many of its owners may not be on board with this venture that’s been a key 2016 storyline.
Following Roger Goodell‘s seemingly pro-Oakland comments and NFL executive Eric Grubman’s visit to the city last week to meet with local municipalities, sources informed Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com the sentiment of the league to keep the Raiders in Oakland is “stronger than ever.”
Shifting to the owners’ side, “numerous” ownership sources told La Canfora the view among them is to keep the Raiders where they’ve played for the past 22 seasons, even if Davis can secure funding for the Las Vegas stadium. Nevada governor Brian Sandoval and the state legislature must approve the funds for the SNTIC’s determined amount to be finalized for this project.
The Bay Area market’s advantage over Las Vegas serves as a distinctive factor here, with the former being viewed as superior based on its size, population, location and per capita income. The sources who spoke with La Canfora also have considerable reservations as to whether Davis can secure the additional 23 votes he’d need from the owners to relocate if this reaches that stage. And they doubt he would move without permission and bring about a lengthy legal battle like his father did when he initially uprooted the Raiders to Los Angeles in 1982.
While the NFL apparently is bullish on the Raiders’ prospects of staying in Oakland — despite Davis’ repeated proclamations he will move to Vegas if the money is approved — nothing much has transpired for the long-term Bay Area stadium that many parties now are trying to secure. Mayor Libby Schaaf has remained steadfast on her lack of desire to make much of a public-money commitment for a new Raiders venue.
But Grubman, who serves as the league’s primary stadium point man, will make a return trip to Oakland to continue discussions with a financial adviser who is coordinating Oakland’s end of these stadium talks. La Canfora adds there’s an expectation the “highest reaches” of the league office will remain in close contact with Oakland-area politicians throughout this season.
So, the momentum the Raiders-to-Vegas venture gained this year — with Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft weighing in on the potential intrigue of an expansion into Nevada — appears to have hit a significant stumbling block.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Just win baby and Las Vegas just sounds so good together. Go Raiders.
I am not a Raiders fan far from it but it seems wrong not to have the team in Oakland. With the battles the Hawks and Raiders had over the years it seems wrong not too have them there. Yes I know some of those years where in LA but that was wrong too. I don’t think cities should lose their teams because of greedy owners. Davis and Oakland need to work a deal and keep the team there. At least with the Raiders the NFL isn’t in collusion with a dishonest owner like the NBA was with the Sonics.
Then they need to keep the Chargers in San Diego and make the owners pay some of it. The cities can make it work where it doesn’t cost the residents money Seattle has been able to pay off the old Kingdome then Safeco early and be ahead on the Clink. The money comes from taxes from hotels and rental cars etc. There is a way to do it if both sides want to.
I’m not a raiders fan it that stadium they have now is awful looking. All I read is it’s falling apart. I say let them move wherever they want. Screw the city of Oakland
I don’t disagree on the stadium but the city and team need to work something out. It is not fair to the fans that have been long time fans to lose a team because of greedy owners. I know Davis doesn’t have money besides what is tied up in the team but they still need to do right by the fans that supported them even when they sucked. Like I said earlier at least they don’t have a lying scumbag commissioner helping a lying scumbag owner move a team like they did with the Sonics. Show some loyalty like the fans showed you. You are not screwing the city you are screwing the fans. As much as I dislike San Francisco fans they got kind of the same when the team moved to Santa Clara and the seat lic and all. Priced many out of tickets they had for years. It is too bad owners are ago greedy. Seattle is lucky Paul Allen is a great hands off owner who wants the best for the team and city.
Political posturing. There is zero chance the NFL is going to make the team stay in Oakland or San Diego with the local government steadfastly refusing to do much as put up a dime. The league previously sought to leverage the Raiders into going to Santa Clara as a 2nd tenant but that ship has long since sailed.
Right now everyone is keeping their powder dry waiting for the stadium ballot referendum in SD to go down to defeat, which it most assuredly will.
From there, things will happen fast once the season ends. One possibility that can’t be discounted is Spanos swooping into Vegas and stealing the Raiders deal from them with the other owners backing the move and the Raiders going to LA to be a 2nd tenant.
However, the one thing that isn’t going to happen is the league is going to leave close to $1 Billion on the table, or however much it is, to reward the intransigence of politicians in either Oakland or San Diego.
The last thing my city needs is to spend $750,000 of public money and have to deal with Raider fans on top of that. Please, stay in Oakland.
I live in the North Bay and with the Niners way down south now it makes Raiders games more appealing. The League should force the Raiders to stay.
Go raiders !!!