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Mark Davis clearly is serious about Sin City Raiders

Uploaded: Sep 20, 2016
When Oakland Raiders’ owner Mark Davis trademarked the Las Vegas Raiders name, it became even more obvious how serious he is about moving the franchise to Sin City.
The move cleared a key hurdle in Las Vegas last week when a committee overseeing stadium construction approved $750 million in public financing—a little more than half of the estimated $1.4 billion cost of a new stadium.
The issue now heads to the state capitol in Carson City where it will be up to Gov. Brian Sandoval and the Legislature to decide whether the project should move forward. Sandoval has been willing to open the state’s checkbook by providing incentives for companies such as Tesla to locate its battery manufacturing facility in the Reno area.
There’s plenty of private clout behind it, notably billionaire casino owner Sheldon Adelman.
The key question, even if the state comes on board, will be whether two-thirds of the NFL owners will approve the move. Traditionally, the league has shied away from anything to do with legal gambling. That said, there’s been an explosion of online fantasy football such as Fan Duel and Draft Kings to say nothing of the non-money games offered by a variety of web sites.
Whether owners will stick to their time-honored view or grant Davis his request to move from Oakland for a second time is the open question.
It was ironic Sunday to watch the Raider-Atlanta game in the Coliseum and see “Mt. Davis,” the expansion of the eastside of the stadium to accommodate suites and more seating with the top deck covered in tarps.
And then hear the talking heads on CBS whine about the Raiders playing in a stadium with a baseball infield. Mt. Davis destroyed what was a fine baseball stadium and now is significantly under-utilized.
The reality that neither the A’s or the Raiders are happy speaks to the politicians in Oakland and the county and their inability to make a suitable deal with either one. That’s particularly true for the A’s who have been boxed out of the South Bay by the Giants’ territorial rights.
I am writing this while looking out on the early morning, mountain sunlight starts to play over the dry grasses bordering the Grizzly Ranch golf course. We played Monday in Truckee in temperatures that were in the low 80s, cooled by a vigorous breeze much of the afternoon.
I could not help reflecting that if we had scheduled this one week earlier, there was snow on the mountains the freezing rain below. One forecast I caught indicated that might happen again on Thursday—fortunately we will be back down the hill.



When Oakland Raiders’ owner Mark Davis trademarked the Las Vegas Raiders name, it became even more obvious how serious he is about moving the franchise to Sin City.
The move cleared a key hurdle in Las Vegas last week when a committee overseeing stadium construction approved $750 million in public financing—a little more than half of the estimated $1.4 billion cost of a new stadium.
The issue now heads to the state capitol in Carson City where it will be up to Gov. Brian Sandoval and the Legislature to decide whether the project should move forward. Sandoval has been willing to open the state’s checkbook by providing incentives for companies such as Tesla to locate its battery manufacturing facility in the Reno area.
There’s plenty of private clout behind it, notably billionaire casino owner Sheldon Adelman.
The key question, even if the state comes on board, will be whether two-thirds of the NFL owners will approve the move. Traditionally, the league has shied away from anything to do with legal gambling. That said, there’s been an explosion of online fantasy football such as Fan Duel and Draft Kings to say nothing of the non-money games offered by a variety of web sites.
Whether owners will stick to their time-honored view or grant Davis his request to move from Oakland for a second time is the open question.
Commissioner Roger Godell questioned whether the team had done enough to work things out in Oakland over the weekend.
It was ironic Sunday to watch the Raider-Atlanta game in the Coliseum and see “Mt. Davis,” the expansion of the eastside of the stadium to accommodate suites and more seating with the top deck covered in tarps.
And then hear the talking heads on CBS whine about the Raiders playing in a stadium with a baseball infield. Mt. Davis destroyed what was a fine baseball stadium and now is significantly under-utilized.
The reality that neither the A’s or the Raiders are happy speaks to the politicians in Oakland and the county and their inability to make a suitable deal with either one. That’s particularly true for the A’s who have been boxed out of the South Bay by the Giants’ territorial rights.

I am writing this while looking out on the early morning, mountain sunlight starts to play over the dry grasses bordering the Grizzly Ranch golf course. We played Monday in Truckee in temperatures that were in the low 80s, cooled by a vigorous breeze much of the afternoon.
I could not help reflecting that if we had scheduled this one week earlier, there was snow on the mountains the freezing rain below. One forecast I caught indicated that might happen again on Thursday—fortunately we will be back down the hill.



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Comments

Posted by American, a resident of Danville,
on Sep 20, 2016 at 12:55 pm

I think it is unfortunately pretty clear that the Raiders will end up in Las Vegas, perhaps as early as the 2017-2018 season. Although most sports were reluctant to allow a team to move to Las Vegas due to gambling concerns, fantasy football and other "legitimate" forms of gambling have eroded most concerns, and with a pro hockey team now coming to Vegas, football will be next. Even colleges that were more concerned about gambling now have their conference basketball championships in Vegas, and the profits waiting in Vegas now trump concerns most have over gambling.

The sad thing is that the Raiders the last few seasons have drawn very well at the Oakland Coliseum, and ticket prices are as high as most venues that have a newer stadium. The Raiders, unlike the A's, also are willing to spend money on expensive free agents and resign top players, which is helping the attendance and local fan base. The A's ownership is a joke, as witnessed by them essentially giving away fan favorites Cespedes, Donaldson, Reddick, & Crisp, and fielding a team that now resembles a AAA club. No wonder only 10,000 fans showed up at the A's game yesterday. Even us long time loyal fans are so upset at the A's ownership that there is very little motivation to attend a game.

I also expect the NFL owners to quickly approve the Raiders move to Las Vegas, as the other owners would love to attend games in Las Vegas, rather than in Oakland, where they can not even stay in a local hotel in Oakland, and end up in San Francisco. The new stadium would be state of the art, greatly increase revenue and excitement for the league, unlike the Oakland Coliseum where their players routinely risk injuries and diminished stats playing on a largely dirt infield playing surface.

Although I wish both the A's and Raiders stayed in Oakland, the Raiders are clearly leaving for Vegas, and as long as the current ownership destroys the A's our attendance and performance will be in the bottom of the league.


Posted by les mahler, a resident of Livermore,
on Sep 22, 2016 at 1:20 pm

former Raider fan during the early years. it seems that we've heard this talk about moving once before; and we've had to deal with a move and a return once before. i say let the Raiders leave for Alaska, hopefully never to be heard from again. Mark Davis and his father, Al Davis used the city of Oakland, as well as the county of Alameda, and the fans once before. Enough already.
after the Raiders moved the first time, i was hurt and angry but that was enough. It's like a divorce, and your former mate marries someone else. you don't take them back; and you don't wait by the window, waiting and watching, unless you're perverted.
Get over it. move on.
please, let the raiders leave, and never return; and i hope they find a cool place in Alaska, that's where they belong, and any fans missing them, go move with them. you deserve each other.


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