http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000773952/article/raiders-to-file-relocation-papers-to-move-from-oakland-to-vegas?campaign=tw-nf-sf50947504-sf50947504

Looks like Sunday's on the strip are going to be crazy.

I'd go to a game there if the Texans are playing

E said:

---

I'd go to a game there if the Texans are playing

---

This.

I would love to spend a few days in Vegas and catch an NFL game while there.

E said:

---

I'd go to a game there if the Texans are playing

---

I actually think this is what they are banking on. People aligning trips to vegas to see their team play.

BMX Bandit said:

---

I'm in this minority.

But hoping it makes Las Vegas Bowl a bigger deal and aligned with 4th place SEC West team

---

Dammit.

This cracked me up.

So the Raiders are going to hang around Oakland for another 2 more years and will eventually leave for Las Vegas before 2020? Looks like the Raiders just alienated their Oakland fanbase.

I have no issue with the Raiders moving to Vegas but I think they need to find a better partner than Sheldon Adelson. But if they can't move without bringing in a third party that's a casino magnate then maybe they shouldn't do it. Also do these cost projections include or ignore the NFL relocation fee which is over $500MM?

Based on that article the Raiders are paying $500MM for the stadium only, and they would still have a relocation fee. Why not just take that billion, build what you want, make it dual purpose and then have the A's as your tenant for 81 baseball games a year, or just partner with them? Unless I missed something the A's have no plans for a new stadium and the Oakland Coliseum is still a dump.

There's potentially more money in staying than leaving, but Mark Davis may already be dead set on leaving town.

Good Aggie Hunting said:

---

So the Raiders are going to hang around Oakland for another 2 more years and will eventually leave for Las Vegas before 2020? Looks like the Raiders just alienated their Oakland fanbase.

---

I don't know about that. The Raider fanbase is a little more fluid than just the Oakland community, plus Vegas is just over the state line anyhow. There are a few franchises that are truly unique in their relationship with the fans, and I think the Raiders, along with the Packers and perhaps the Cowboys, are one of them.

E said:

---

I'd go to a game there if the Texans are playing

---

If you were to have the chance to go to one away game for your team, I have a feeling that Vegas is going to be high on most people's list

BMX Bandit said:

---

Deputy Travis Junior said:

---

Do you think people will go? Maybe I'm in the minority, but going to an NFL game while in Vegas doesn't sound interesting at all.

That said, it's a decent sized city, so maybe the natives will show up for them.

---

I'm in this minority.

But hoping it makes Las Vegas Bowl a bigger deal and aligned with 4th place SEC West team

---

I think it'd be a great decision. Sure beats Oakland.

I dont have any interest in seeing a game there, but I guess I could see it being a draw. IMO it makes a lot more sense than San Diego moving to LA.

Little Rock Ag said:

---

Good Aggie Hunting said:

---

So the Raiders are going to hang around Oakland for another 2 more years and will eventually leave for Las Vegas before 2020? Looks like the Raiders just alienated their Oakland fanbase.

---

I don't know about that. The Raider fanbase is a little more fluid than just the Oakland community, plus Vegas is just over the state line anyhow. There are a few franchises that are truly unique in their relationship with the fans, and I think the Raiders, along with the Packers and perhaps the Cowboys, are one of them.

---

Yes, but it is over the state line from LA, not Oakland. Reno is over the line from Oakland.

Good Aggie Hunting said:

---

Looks like the Raiders just alienated their Oakland fanbase.

---

Well since it appears that they are banking on filling the stadium with fans that are traveling to see the visiting team play anyways, I'm not 100% sure that they really care about their fanbase.

I think this move needs to happen. Oakland is consistently near the bottom in average home attendance (they were dead last this year). They are in a 50 year old stadium with sewage problems and can't get a deal done with the county for a new stadium. The Raiders and the A's are the last teams to share a football/baseball stadium and both leagues want them to have a sport specific stadium.

Metro Vegas has a population of 2MM, and attracts 40MM visitors a year. A 65K seat stadium in that market would be one of the smaller stadiums, but still matches up well with the market size and is inline with other NFL markets (Indy - 1.7MM pop, 70K seat stadium; Pittsburgh - 2.3MM pop, 68K seat stadium). Also, 25% of current Raider ticket buyers come from the LA area. Those fans would simply trade the 5 hour drive north to Oakland for a 4 hour drive east to Vegas.

The public portion of the financial package will come from an increase in hotel taxes, so it's not the locals paying for it, it's the 40MM annual visitors. And if Adelson doesn't come through on his financing, Goldman Sachs has already said they will pick up the slack. Seems like a winning deal all around.