An offer for the Raiders to play in Oakland in exchange for $7.5MM in rent remains on the table, as Michael Gehlken of the Review-Journal writes. The Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum is willing to honor the agreement, despite the fact that the city of Oakland has filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against the NFL.
“We have always wanted them to come back and play the last season here,” McKibben said Tuesday. “Keep in mind the Coliseum Authority that I work for and represent is not in this lawsuit. The lawsuit has been filed by the city of Oakland. The role that I have taken is I’ve got a lot of jobs to save for a season or two. We would love to see them play here for the fans and the sponsors and the media exposure and all the various constituents that are impacted by this.”
Here’s more out of Oakland:
- The 49ers are still not expected to waive their territorial rights for the Raiders to play in San Francisco, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). On top of that, the mayor of San Francisco has come out against the Raiders playing at Oracle Park, which makes SF even more unlikely. At this point, it’ll be either Oakland or Levi’s Stadium for the Raiders, Rapoport hears.
- Derek Carr’s $19.9MM base salary for 2019 became fully guaranteed on Wednesday, as Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes. The Raiders could explore other QB options this offseason, but a Carr release is not a real possibility anymore.
- Jared Cook is unlikely to return to the Raiders, Vic Tafur of The Athletic opines. Coach Jon Gruden indicated that Cook was in the team’s plans at the Super Bowl, but Tafur believes that he likes tight ends Darren Waller, Lee Smith, Derek Carrier and practice squad TE Paul Butler enough to let Cook go elsewhere in free agency. Talent-wise, the Raiders might like to have Cook back, but he should find a competitive market in March. Cook was named to the Pro Bowl as an alternate after he hauled in a career-high 68 catches for 896 yards and six TDs.
Would it be possible for the Raiders to just share a stadium with someone this year on the East Coast? Or would the league not allow it based on team HQ location, division, and travel?
What would be the benefit for the Raiders?
I’d imagine it’s about practice and other team facilities. Your point is well taken, though. Can they play a few in Seattle and a few in SD? Haven’t heard much real outside the box thinking.
Play in Bakersfield
……or Barstow!
Why don’t they just play in Vegas at UNLV’s stadium?
I’m sure it’s an option but comes down to money. Sam Boyd Stadium only fits about 35,000 people so the Raiders are probably hoping to have a stadium that can at least have the chance of holding more paying customers, especially high priced suites. The suites at Sam Boyd I’m picturing in my head as room with carpet, fluorescent lighting, plastic lawn chairs, and a cooler in the corner.
I don’t know why they just don’t play in North Korea!
Raiders plan to proceed in 2019-2020 season without COOK.
Raiders will get through 2019-2020 season with same old CARR.
raiders should claim london/mexico/china as home field games – clearly they can’t win on american soil
Still not sure how the politicians speaking out against it has any impact? The mayor doesn’t get a say, so who cares what they think? More nonsense from authoritarian left wokg politicians thinking they control all private industries and anything that happens in “their town”. Absurdly laughable.
This McKibben is a real sweetheart…lol. Not suing anyone just simply trying a bit of extortion. Asking for double the usual rent on the Coliseum which is a dump that should be condemned and bulldozed.