Members from three Raiders fan groups before the team's game against the Broncos last night handed out signs urging the team and Owner Mark Davis "not to move the franchise to Las Vegas," according to Rick Hurd of the EAST BAY TIMES. The groups "planned to hand out 10,000 signs" to fans for two hours prior to the 8:30pm ET kickoff. Members of the groups "organized the fan effort, as well as an airplane flyover in their bid to convince Davis not to move the franchise to Las Vegas." The signs said, "Stay in Oakland, Commitment to the East Bay," and "Las Vegas, If You Build It, We Won't Come." Jim Zelinski, the co-Founder of fan group SaveOaklandSports, said, "The primary goal is to send two key messages. We want to reiterate to the NFL that there's tremendous support for keeping the Raiders in Oakland, and the second is to bring attention to one of the false narratives that's been put out there -- that the Raiders' Northern California fan base is OK with this move and will continue to support the team" (EAST BAY TIMES, 11/7).
BACK IN SILVER & BLACK: In S.F., Ann Killion writes the atmosphere at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum last night's game against the Broncos was as "charged as it used to be back in the glory days." The stadium was "more unchained than it has been for at least 14 years, in the long-ago Super Bowl season" of '02. The Oakland in Oakland Raiders also "was particularly emphasized" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 11/7). NBC's Cris Collinsworth said, "These fans are probably about as good as there are. They have been loyal through some really lean times around here lately. ... They're yelling and screaming and goofing around and having a great time. It's a great place for a football game here” (“SNF,” NBC, 11/6). He also said, "This is one of the last old-school environments -- like the Dawg Pound and all that crazy stuff -- because, let's face it, the tickets are more expensive. It's not always an easy thing to do, to get the ordinary folks that dress up like this and scream and yell and act like crazies. It's a fun place to watch a football game. I wish they could find a way to make it work here” (“FNIA,” NBC, 11/6).
RESERVING JUDGEMENT: Chiefs Chair & CEO Clark Hunt, who was on the NFL's L.A. relocation committee, said he expects the Raiders "will ask for permission to move to Las Vegas." Hunt: "It's something that probably five years ago I would have been skeptical that it could happen. I personally have an open mind about it. The league is doing a lot of research on the move and what kind of fan support they'll have and what sort of issues there might be for the league. I'll reserve judgment until I hear that report" (K.C. STAR, 11/7). NBC’s Al Michaels said the Raiders "can't play in this stadium much longer" even though the team is operating under a year-to-year lease and they "can continue to play for another couple of years." Michaels: "The funding is going to be there, the state's going to contribute $750 million. Mark Davis wants to stay in Oakland, but the chances of that are slim and none, and they would border more on the none side” ("SNF," NBC, 11/6).
PLACE YOUR BETS: NBC's Mike Florio reported Las Vegas Sands Chair & CEO Sheldon Adelson "would like to get a path to control the team" should the Raiders move to Las Vegas, but that would "complicate the effort to get approval to move, because the owners aren't thrilled about the idea of a casino owner controlling one of their teams." Florio: "They have to get it done in six months. They have the approval to build the stadium and they need to match everything up, so when they leave Oakland after two or three years, they can go straight to Las Vegas” ("FNIA," NBC, 11/6).
