The NFL’s 32 teams and their owners are expected to vote on the Oakland Raiders’ relocation to Las Vegas on Monday. The vote is also expected to pass without much drama, ultimately leading to the Raiders moving from their Northern California home.
In the lead up to said vote, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell sent a letter to officials in Oakland. It’s a letter than pretty much closes the door on any hope that the city might be able to keep the Raiders with one last-ditch effort.
“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,” Goodell wrote, via the East Bay Times.
“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.”
That in and of itself sounds pretty damning for the city of Oakland and mayor Libby Schaaf, who was the recipient of the letter itself.
But there’s more.
“Despite all of these efforts, ours and yours, we have not yet identified a viable solution,” Goodell continued. “It is disappointing to me and our clubs to have come to that conclusion.”
Goodell has continually stated that it’s in the best interest of teams to remain in their home markets. Despite this, the Raiders will likely join the Chargers and Rams as one of three teams that have announced relocation plans within the past 14 months.
In terms of when the Raiders might actually uproot from Oakland, it’s not as clear-cut as either the Chargers or Rams. As to where Los Angeles has multiple venues capable of housing an NFL team, Las Vegas is pretty limited.
That’s where Sam Boyd Stadium, the home of the UNLV football team comes into play. A report earlier this week suggested that the Raiders and UNLV are in the midst of discussions about the former player at that venue until their near $2 billion stadium is built (more on that here).
Whether that’s a viable option remains to be seen.
What we do know is that Goodell’s letter to the city of Oakland is yet another clear sign that Monday’s vote will go in favor of the Raiders and their relocation efforts.