NFL owners have voted to approve the Raiders’ proposed move to Las Vegas, Nevada. With at least 24 votes in favor of the relocation, the road has been paved for the Raiders to leave town and start anew in Sin City. The final tally was 31-1, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link), with the Dolphins as the only nay vote.
For many Bay Area fans, this is a crushing blow. The Oakland Raiders were born in 1960 as a member of the revolutionary American Football League. The city of Oakland lost its team in the early 1980s when it migrated to Los Angeles, but the Raiders returned for the 1995 NFL season. Now, more than 20 years later, the Raiders are leaving all over again and, this time, it’s probably for good.
On Monday morning, Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf asked the NFL to hold off on voting, but that was a low-percentage shot in the dark likely designed to try and salvage Schaaf’s standing with dejected Raiders fans. Owners reportedly still like the Bay Area as an NFL market, but they did not agree with Schaaf’s assertion that Oakland has put forward a viable stadium solution. The Raiders have secured a record $750MM in public money for their new LV digs and that will be a major bargaining chip for the league in its future efforts to get stadiums built with taxpayer funds.
Even with the green light from NFL owners, it remains to be seen where the Raiders will play their games between now and when the $1.9 billion stadium is built. The Raiders will play in Oakland in 2017 and they have pledged to play there in 2018 as well. However, if the local fan reaction is too much for the Raiders to withstand, they may want to blow the popsicle stand early. UNLV’s Sam Boyd Stadium could serve as a temporary host for the team, but it will probably need upgrades to meet league standards. If things go south this year in Oakland, those upgrades will have to be in place sooner rather than later.
What yr do they get to move?
Current plan is for Raiders to stay thru 2018 season. As outlined in last graf of article, however, they might want to bolt sooner.
Sad day in the NFL. NFL is behaving like major college conferences. Chasing the money.
if los Vegas wants a nfl team they should take the Jacksonville Jaguars because they have no fan base.
Each team has a lease with a stadium and everything is done to keep that team in that city through the course of the lease and beyond. But if conditions deteriorate to where the product and brand is effected then any team has the right to submit to relocate. It’s not just about the fan base
What makes you think they don’t have a fan base?
Well it is a business……
Gee…a business chasing the money…what a novel concept.
The Dolphins owner is a jerk.
I’m excited for this move! Not a Raiders fan but Las Vegas is building up fast for Sports. Watch out for the Tampa Bay Rays. They could be next to head that way! Similar situation with Oakland.
Wow, 19080s? Time travel?
It’s bothersome that taxpayers must foot so much of the bill for this. Also, as mentioned above, it gives the league a stance on public money for stadium projects going forward. I’m not sure if this is a sustainable model going forward regardless of the city/franchise.
I doubt Jacksonville will move regardless of fan base; the team has played in London every season to keep it under league consideration as a Super Bowl host site.
Las Vegas is a little unique if my understanding is correct since alot of the public funding is coming through the hotels from tourism. So it may not be a model they can base future negotiations on. but you’re right in that public funding is a bad way to move forward for cities in particular.
Thanks, hash. I agree that Vegas is a unique situation bc of the tourism/hotel/casino operations.
I should’ve included that in my initial post.
Oakland won’t be able to get a 750M from hotel taxes. No one wants to go to Oakland.
They can just play in the vacant stadium in San Diego for 2 years until they move to Vegas. No way they can play in UNLV’s stadium.
Raiders have to pay $375 million to relocate. It’s not just chasing money. It’s sustainable money they are trying to chase. Oakland has had years to try and solve the situation. Ticket prices are one of the lowest in Oakland, and to see the Raiders in Vegas is gonna cost like triple. Feel bad for raiders fans, cuz they are gonna pay a ton more to go to games. When the niners got their new stadium the season tickets were absolutely crazy.
55 dollars to park in santa clara also
Good riddance from the bay! It’s about time the Mexican national team left. The city is broke, the residents are broke, and nobody wants to drive to Oakland for any reason. Reality hurts.
Welcome to NFL 2019:
Los Angeles Chargers vs Las Vegas Raiders
They are killing the golden goose. I’m seriously losing interest in the league.
Exactly, don’t root up a historical Franchise like that. So sad…and I’m a bronco fan. Still know the whole NFL fanbase is with ya Raider Nation