Oakland Raiders Closer to Vegas Move
How likely is a relocation move by the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas ?
The San Diego Chargers answered that question by announcing their intention to move to Los Angeles. That decision puts Oakland on the outside looking to move to their optional site, Las Vegas.
The Chargers will be in LA but the Raiders move to Las Vegas will not be decided for a couple of more months in the spring.
Oakland has secured the trademark “Las Vegas Raiders” for their business entity.
The San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders have tried unsuccessfully to secure funding with their home cities to secure new stadiums. Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego and the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland are over 45 years old and they continue to deteriorate. San Diego voters rejected a measure to raise the city hotel tax to help fund a new stadium. This defeat for public funding was the final blow for the Chargers staying in San Diego.
Both teams from California were counting on a move to LA last year but the Saint Louis Rams were granted the relocation prize. However, the Chargers were given the option to join the Rams in LA although the NFL promised to pay them $100 million of funding in an effort to keep the Chargers in San Diego.
The Chargers announced the team would stay in San Diego for the 2016 season, but the Chargers were given until the 2017 off-season to decide about a move to LA and leave the San Diego market. The Chargers just announced they will exercise their option to move to LA. The Raiders now know their option to move to LA is a moot point as the Chargers got the second place prize behind the Rams.
But Las Vegas has quickly emerged as a possibility for the Raiders in the last 12 months and LA was a losing proposition for their future plans. The relocation is a last resort and is not favored by the NFL. The standards for relocation are very high and not easily granted by the NFL.
But if the NFL realizes that no suitable option is available after extensive work to resolve the issue, NFL team owners can approve a move by a 75 percent vote —- basically 24 owners out of 32 to pass the approval process. Most team owners have indicated a positive vote for a Raider move to Las Vegas. The city of Las Vegas officials have already approved and passed a bill signed by the Nevada governor Brian Sandoval to build a new two billion dollar stadium.
The stadium design and location is being planned for the south end of the strip and Las Vegas officials are already displaying the stadium look and feel to showcase how the city is ready to accept the Raiders with open arms. Everything is a go when the Raiders get the green light and notify the city officials to start the relocation plan. Vegas is known for building incredible casinos and structures in a timely manner with excellent results. In Vegas terms, they are now the “odds on favorite ” to win this game.
The NFL owners annual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona is a four day gathering of league brass and owners to decide on Raiders move to Las Vegas and other football issues. Las Vegas just became an NHL (National Hockey League) franchise city destination for hockey fans so why not an NFL franchise ! Welcome Las Vegas Raiders
