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As we enter February, two of the three NFL franchises that faced major uncertainty last month have some sort of resolution for at least the short term. The Rams are heading to Los Angeles immediately and will play at the Coliseum until their brand-new Inglewood stadium is ready in a few years. The Chargers will play the 2016 season in San Diego before making a final decision on their long-term future.
The only team without any short-term certainty is the Raiders, who appear likely to return to Oakland for at least one more year, but don’t have an agreement in place to play at O.co Coliseum at this point. The stadium, which the Raiders share with MLB’s Oakland Athletics, isn’t exactly the NFL’s most impressive venue, but it’s fine as an interim home, and I expect the Raiders to play there in 2016 while the franchise considers its long-term options.
Owner Mark Davis is in the process of considering those options as we speak — Davis paid a visit to Las Vegas last Friday to meet with a group of investors proposing to build a $1 billion domed stadium near UNLV. Additionally, ideas such as the Raiders building an NFL stadium in San Antonio or sharing Levi’s Stadium with the 49ers have resurfaced in recent weeks as the Raiders mull their next move.
Of course, there are as many cons as pros for most of the Raiders’ potential homes. There’s major skepticism that the NFL would allow a team to relocate to Las Vegas, America’s gambling capital, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Texans owner Bob McNair would likely push hard to keep the Raiders out of Texas. As for sharing a stadium with the Niners, Davis has shown no interest in such a partnership.
Los Angeles is a possibility for the Raiders, but only if the Chargers ultimately decide to pass on a partnership with the Rams, and Davis would still have to reach his own agreement with Stan Kroenke in that scenario. If the Chargers head to L.A. in 2017, San Diego could be in play for the Raiders, though there’s some uncertainty about how the NFL and Chargers owner Dean Spanos would feel about that possibility.
London and Toronto have frequently been cited as potential homes for NFL franchises as well, though there’s no indication that Davis has explored international options yet. St. Louis, having just lost the Rams, would appear on the surface to be a logical match, but Davis has said he’s not considering St. Louis, and mayor Francis Slay doesn’t appear interested in pursing another team.
Oakland may be the best home for the Raiders in both the short- and long-term — Mayor Libby Schaaf expressed optimism for that outcome during an appearance on KTVU on Sunday night, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk details.
According to Florio, Schaaf hopes to secure a renewal of the Raiders’ lease at O.co Coliseum and then move on to negotiations on a “permanent, beautiful home for those Raiders.” That’s easier said than done though, and so far none of the discussions between the Raiders and the city of Oakland have resulted in any sort of viable stadium plan. It’s not clear whether the NFL committing an extra $100MM to the project will change that.
What do you think? Should the Raiders do everything they can to make it work in Oakland, or is there another city that makes more sense for them? Where do you think the Raiders will ultimately end up, and where do you think they should end up?
I’d be inclined to think that the Raiders move back to LA to share the Inglewood stadium with the Rams and that the Chargers stay put. It just seems as though Spanos and the city of San Diego are more likely to get something accomplished than Davis and the city of Oakland, and Jones/McNair certainly have enough clout to keep the Raiders out of Texas. I like Vegas as an option for the Raiders and wouldn’t rule it out, but I see see that as the second most likely alternative behind a Raiders’ relocation to LA.
They should try and stay in Oakland of course. I love the NFL but I am so sick of sports trying to hold cities hostage. It should not be the taxpayers problem to build a stadium for a billionaire and then charge ticket prices so high the average family can’t afford to go.
In my opinion, Las Vegas makes the most sense. I have confidence that the #RaiderNation would grow to love the location and that Raider fans would fly in from everywhere for game day. There would be no better, easier, safer place to enjoy the NFL experience. Las Vegas would move mountains to ensure an influx of NFL fans who would partake in hotel stays, etc. It is also Mark Davis’ best opportunity currently to have access to capital which he is in desperate need of.
If the Raiders can’t work out a deal with Oakland, I wouldn’t mind seeing them go to Las Vegas.
Oakland. Only Oakland.
I agree with having owners pay for new stadiums, not taxpayers. The league should allow at this point since they refused Mark Davis Los Angeles, for the Raiders to easily relocate where iT makes $ense since they all share revenue anyway. Yes it would be Awesome if my Raiders move back to LA i’d buy season tix but San Antonio, Las Vegas and San Diego Raiders don’t have a nice ring to it! Either In the East Bay or L.A. once again, baby!
I live in the Bay Area and I can’t stand Mark Davis, I hope they leave the Bay Area. the Warriors are going to SF and I would like to see the A’s stay in Oakland. The Raiders left once and I wish they never came back.
Las Vegas is a certain no-go and I’m sure Texas would be difficult at best. I’m thinking the Raiders should remain in Oakland, but my question is: Why would elected officials go further for the Raiders than they have s for the Athletics? The A’s have been trying for a long time to get a new facility and have seemingly received little to no assistance from the city. I doubt we’d see two new facilities in Oakland and how feasible is it in this day and age to have football and baseball share a facility?
If the Raiders end up with a stadium deal, it seems the door would be wide open for the A’s to leave town. That may be easier in MLB to do as opposed to the NFL. It’ll be quite interesting to say the least.
One thing to me is certain: If Al Davis were running the show the Silver and Black would’ve been in LA BEFORE the Rams.
Even though the Oakland mayor is paying lip service to keeping the Raiders in Oakland, there isn’t much evidence to support progress. If the Raiders stay in Oakland, they may have to reconsider sharing Levi’s Stadium with the 49ers. But if the Chargers balk on Inglewood and stay in San Diego, where there seems to be more common ground especially with the leverage the Chargers have secured, the Raiders will move back to Los Angeles. Which will be somewhat counterproductive. LA just doesn’t seem interested in two teams, from an interest standpoint. Of the three teams that could’ve relocated this year, the Raiders have by far the best fanbase and connection with their city.
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Vegas Baby! Vegas!!!