This week the cities of Oakland and Alameda voted in favor of building a new $1.3 billion stadium in Oakland if owner Mark Davis agrees to keep the team there, something that Davis wanted all along.
Because they originally were not willing to build the new stadium, Davis explored other options and possibly found a new home for his team in Las Vegas, who were willing to build him a stadium.
Davis now has a decision to make though since Oakland is back on board, and he may not have that much time to make it.
The Raiders may not be the only NFL team on the move, as the division rival San Diego Chargers may be moving to Los Angeles since San Diego won’t build them a new stadium.
At a recent owners meeting, the dates that the respective franchises have to make their decisions by was agreed upon. According to Michael Smith of NBC Sports, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that the Chargers have to make their decision by Jan. 15 since they are not going to reach the postseason this year, and they gave the Raiders an extra month since they likely will be playing in the playoffs:
“It’s Dean’s option by January 15 to make the determination of whether he thinks he can make it work in San Diego or whether he thinks he can make it work in Los Angeles,” Goodell said. “The Raiders, of course, if they decide they can’t make it work in Oakland, that window is open when their postseason and regular season are over, until February 15.”
While Oakland agreed to build the new stadium, Goodell still thinks they have a lot of work to do if they want to keep the Raiders in Oakland:
“We have not made great progress in Oakland and San Diego,” Goodell said. “There is not a stadium proposal on the table that we think addresses the long-term issues of the clubs and the communities. So we need to continue to work at it. We feel strongly, we want to keep our teams where they are. Relocations are painful and they’re something to avoid at all costs. But we have to continue to work with those communities. We will.”
Along with the city of Oakland, the money for a possible new stadium will also come from Davis himself, the NFL and an investment group led by Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott.
