Menu
Franchises

NFL Seems More Comfortable With Las Vegas Market As Raiders Prepare For Relocation Vote

The Raiders have "pushed their chips to the middle of the table" with their application to relocate to Las Vegas, and there are "strong indications that owners have grown far more comfortable with putting a franchise there," according to Farmer & Fenno of the L.A. TIMES. The NFL also is "not encouraged that there is a stadium solution" in Oakland "despite various attempts over the years" (L.A. TIMES, 1/20). In N.Y., Ken Belson writes the Raiders' relocation bid will "test the league, which has stridently opposed sports gambling for decades." Relocation would "require approval from at least 24 of the 32 teams, and the earliest the owners are expected to vote is late March, when they are to meet in Phoenix." It "seems quite likely" that enough owners will "approve the application." Having "reordered its domestic map, the NFL may now set its sights on potentially placing a team in London, though significant logistical hurdles must still be addressed" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/20).

IT'S GOING DOWN: ESPN's Jim Trotter said of the vote for the Raiders in Vegas, "Everything that I understand from owners that I have talked to, it appears that this train is moving down the track and that they will be approved." Trotter said when you have Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones and Patriots Owner Robert Kraft “behind it and other owners, the likelihood is that it will happen" ("NFL Insiders," ESPN, 1/19). CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora said "unless there is a massive movement out of the Bay Area in the next six weeks, then I expect this to come to a vote in late March. I expect it to be approved under that circumstance by the other owners” (“Time to Schein,” CBSSN, 1/19).

BAD LOOK? Trotter said multiple NFL franchises relocating is a “bad optic” for the league, because the Raiders and Chargers were “original AFL members whose histories are tied to the city that they were currently in.” Trotter: "This is where the league has to be more involved and try to ward off these things before we get to this point that they're leaving.” ESPN’s Joe Banner said this is a "very bad outcome and it’s a bad look” for the NFL, but noted the “amount of league involvement in these kinds of things is a bit exaggerated in the public perception.” Banner: “The teams really conduct their own business. The league is there to help, occasionally the league is there a little bit more assertively. But in my mind, the failure is these cities wanted to keep these teams. These teams actually wanted to stay where they were. The league's actions where they added $100 million to what they give each one of these teams to stay in their own city indicated they wanted these teams to stay and they all failed at getting it done.” But ESPN's Adam Schefter said neither Oakland nor San Diego "even came close to getting within the ballpark of keeping those teams in those particular cities" ("NFL Insiders," ESPN, 1/19).

ALL IN FAVOR: CSNBAYAREA.com's Ray Ratto Ratto examined the "matter of votes" for a Vegas move. Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones has "claimed to be in favor" of the Vegas market, and Texans Owner Bob McNair is "happy Davis isn’t again casting a phony eye towards San Antonio." Patriots Owner Robert Kraft has been "pro-Vegas through most of the hunt." Chiefs Chair & CEO Clark Hunt "worried about competitive balance when the Raiders and Chargers were angling toward L.A. but seems less concerned now." 49ers CEO Jed York also will now have the Bay Area’s "disposable income to himself." Meanwhile, Chargers Chair Dean Spanos and Rams Owner Stan Kroenke could be "opponents" of the Raiders' move, though Kroenke is "pleased that the Raiders won’t be his co-tenants." Other "apparent opponents" include Cardinals President Michael Bidwill for "geographical reasons" and Giants President & CEO John Mara "because of old-line gambling and market size jitters." Finally, Seahawks Owner Paul Allen "helped derail the Raiders a year ago and might have liked the way it felt" (CSNBAYAREA.com, 1/19).

REVOLVING DOOR
: In Las Vegas, Ray Brewer notes the Raiders would be the "third franchise in the last two years to relocate" (LAS VEGAS SUN, 1/20). In L.A., Vincent Bonsignore writes mass relocation "isn’t a look the NFL is particularly happy about, but it speaks to the difficulties in securing public financing on stadium partnerships, specifically in California, where the appetite to approve local money for sports stadiums is exceedingly low" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 1/20). In San Antonio, W. Scott Bailey writes the NFL is "not going to survive indefinitely if its leadership continues to act as if this league is above reproach and immune to the challenges affecting other sports." Someone is "going to have to budge." NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "will need to step off of the high horse long enough to take a look in the mirror and absorb reality." The Chargers' move last week "may prove to be the straw that at least created a hairline fracture in the proverbial camel’s back" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 1/20). In Denver, Mark Kiszla writes NFL owners were "truly born without the capacity for shame." Kiszla: "How else to explain how the Raiders could issue season-ticket renewal requests to the good people of Oakland, crassly asking for their financial support until a new stadium in Vegas is ready to open in 2020?" (DENVER POST, 1/20).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2017/01/20/Franchises/Raiders-2.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2017/01/20/Franchises/Raiders-2.aspx

CLOSE