Although the Las Vegas Raiders are preparing to make the move to their new home at Allegiant Stadium this offseason, the Strip is also set to serve as the hosts of the 2020 NFL Draft.
As a result, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has had to do his due diligence on how the relocation has panned out thus far. It is safe to say that he is pleased with all the progress surrounding their arrival after praising team owner Mark Davis for his decision.
The Raiders’ move and this year’s draft will help ring in a new era of football for Las Vegas. It seems he could be encouraged to have them host other future events as well.
According to Arash Markazi of the L.A. Times, Goodell feels it even has all the qualities of potentially hosting a Super Bowl in the near future:
“This city knows how to put on big events, there’s no question about that,” Goodell said. “You have the infrastructure and it’s Super Bowl ready. You have Allegiant Stadium, which is going to be a world-class stadium that will be our stage ultimately. You have everything here.”
Goodell’s comments make it clear that he is happy with how well the Raiders are transitioning into their new home and he appears to be adamant on taking advantage of everything the NFL’s newest city has to offer.
The league still has yet to vote on a location for Super Bowl LIX in 2025 and it seems Goodell has now found a potential frontrunner. After all, Las Vegas is no stranger to hosting major events on a consistent basis.
Goodell also addressed the prospect of the Pro Bowl being moved to Las Vegas:
“I think it would be great to have the Pro Bowl right here in Vegas,” Goodell said. “I think it’s a perfect spot.”
While the prospect of a Super Bowl coming to town may take some time, there is a chance that the Pro Bowl comes to Allegiant Stadium as soon as next year. The league is in the final year of its contract with Orlando as the host of their annual festivities and could opt to take the event westward.
Of course, Las Vegas may face some stiff competition from SoFi Stadium, which is also set to open its doors in the 2020 campaign in Inglewood, Calif. The $5-billion venue will serve as the home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers and will undoubtedly be putting in a bid to host any and all future events.
