The Raiders are moving to Las Vegas.
OK, if they get 24 owners to support the move, the Raiders are moving to Las Vegas.
OK, when they get 24 owners to support the move, the Raiders are moving to Las Vegas.
“Today, the Oakland Raiders submitted an application to relocate their franchise to Las Vegas, as is provided for under the NFL Policy and Procedures for Proposed Franchise Relocations,” the NFL said in a statement. “The application will be reviewed in the coming weeks by league staff and the Stadium and Finance Committees. The relocation of a franchise requires the affirmative vote of three-quarters of the NFL clubs (24 of 32).”
It’s just a matter of time that owner Mark Davis and at least 23 of his colleagues provide the thumb’s up for the relocation to Sin City. The notion of a move to Las Vegas was laughable when it first emerged, especially since not long ago the NFL laughed off the prospect of even playing an exhibition game there.
But with public money harder and harder to come by and Nevada ready to fork over $750 million toward a new stadium, the league is able to look the other way on its longstanding obligation to gambling, even if there will be gambling every way the Raiders look once they move.
The Raiders are expected to stay in Oakland through at least 2018, since they have a lease that allows them to do so -- and since they don’t have a suitable place to play in Las Vegas.