The idea of Las Vegas as a home for an NFL franchise has long been laughed at. However, with things stalling in the Bay Area and fellow league owners blocking a move back to Los Angeles, perhaps a home in the Nevada desert could be done after all.
At least that is the thinking behind a report from Pro Football Talk, whose sources indicate that a deal to move the iconic franchise is nowhere near as dead as some previously thought.
First things first, it will take a “yes” vote of 24 owners, and while old-school franchises like the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers may be very opposed to the idea, there are plenty of newer owners that may be able to push the deal through.
Of course, the stumbling block appears to be the fact that Las Vegas is a hub of gambling. That image is a hard one for most to get over, but it is also a growing reality for Raiders owner Mark Davis.
The son of long-time owner Al Davis is partnering up with hotel/casino in Las Vegas and even posted a picture while on his most recent trip to the strip:
It appears that any deal being done in Las Vegas is likely to include a new home for UNLV football, as Sam Boyd Stadium continues to outlive its usefulness.
Still, a move to Las Vegas is seen as a “non-starter” by some in the league, especially Giants owner John Mara.
As things appear to get more serious with the Raiders and Vegas, one has to also wonder just how serious Oakland and the Bay Area are about keeping another team around. Clearly, staying in the current home of the Oakland A’s isn’t a viable option anymore.
Will the league owners be scared off by the gambling on its product and block a move to Las Vegas, or will a new generation of owners allow a very historic move to indeed happen? Time and money are likely to talk loudest, and with no formal proposal on the table for a Vegas move, a lot of this is just speculation at this point.