Oakland Raiders set to move to Las Vegas with NFL owners expected to vote in favour of landmark switch

The vote, due to be taken at the annual spring meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, is the final hurdle of a lengthy process which will now see the Raiders move from California to Nevada

Ben Burrows
Monday 27 March 2017 14:10 BST
Comments
Many Oakland fans have been vocal in their opposition to the move to Las Vegas
Many Oakland fans have been vocal in their opposition to the move to Las Vegas (Getty)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The Oakland Raiders are set to move to Las Vegas with NFL owners expected to vote in favour of the switch on Monday.

The vote, due to be taken at the annual spring meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, is the final hurdle of a lengthy process which will now see the Raiders move from California to Nevada for the 2019 season.

Owner Mark Davis needs a minimum of 24 “yes” votes from the league’s 32 owners on the proposal with Vegas ready to bankroll a brand new stadium in the area with up to $750million of public money.

Quarterback Derek Carr and his team are on the move
Quarterback Derek Carr and his team are on the move (Getty)

The switch has become something of an open secret in league circles with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones saying that Monday will be "an exciting day for Vegas" upon his arrival in Phoenix.

Despite the fact the Raiders have left Oakland before - for Los Angeles in 1982 before returning in 1995 - the move remains deeply unpopular within a fanbase widely regarded as one of the most passionate in the league.

On Sunday commissioner Roger Goodell appeared to pour cold water on a last-ditch attempt by Oakland to keep hold of their team.

The city submitted a reworked plan to finance a new $1.3billion stadium in the city on Friday.

But replying in a letter to mayor Libby Schaaf, Goodell confirmed that the proposal still did not represent a “viable solution” for the league.

“Despite all of these efforts, ours and yours, we have not yet identified a viable solution,” he wrote. “It is disappointing to me and our clubs to have come to that conclusion.”

Goodell also suggested that the ongoing relationship with the Oakland A’s, with whom the Raiders currently share the Coliseum, and the role of hedge fund Fortess Management Group within the proposal remained issues as well as a number of other outstanding problems.

“We have been prepared for nearly two years to work on finding a solution based on access to land at a certain cost, without constraints on the location of the stadium or timing of construction, and clarity on the overall development,” he wrote.

The Raiders are leaving Oakland in favour of a new home in Las Vegas
The Raiders are leaving Oakland in favour of a new home in Las Vegas (Getty)

“However, at this date, there remains no certainty regarding how the site will be fully developed, or the specific and contractually-defined nature of the participation by Fortress or other parties.

“In addition, the long-term nature of the commitment to the A’s remains a significant complication and the resolution of that issue remains unknown.”

After a lengthy period without any relocation the NFL has seen a number of teams move in recent years with the Rams returning to Los Angeles from St Louis last year and the Chargers leaving San Diego, also for LA, ahead of the 2017 season.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in