Faced with some uncertainties, the Oakland Raiders are reportedly exploring alternate home venue options for 2019 if they do not remain in Oakland.
The Raiders are currently playing at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on a lease that expires after the 2018 season. The team’s new stadium in Las Vegas is expected to open in 2020, but it does not have a finalized plan in place for where it will play its 2019 home games. Though the Raiders have had discussions with the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority about renewing their lease, there are some uncertainties surrounding the team’s status in Oakland, including the threat of an antitrust lawsuit by the city against the team and the NFL.
With the team’s post-2018 status at the Coliseum still uncertain, other options for a 2019 Raiders home are reportedly being weighed. In a story on Sunday, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reported that the Raiders “continue to investigate contingencies should they end up leaving Oakland prior to completion of the construction of their new stadium in Las Vegas.” That has reportedly included some discussion with San Diego officials about playing there next season, but that proposition could be a long shot given potential objections from both the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers. More from CBS Sports:
Hence the overtures with San Diego. However, such a move would face significant resistance from the two teams already playing in Southern California and seeking to tap into the San Diego market – the Rams and Chargers – and many in the league office doubt Mark Davis’ team will ever be allowed to play there as those other two franchises are just starting to sell tickets.
However, numerous league sources continue to point to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara as the most obvious potential short-term landing spot for myriad reasons. The 49ers would not be immediately inclined to share their stadium, but it makes the most sense for numerous logistical and geographical reasons and many believe there is a possible one or two-year deal to be struck there, should the Raiders no longer play in the O.Co Coliseum on an interim basis beyond 2018.
San Diego has been without the NFL since the Chargers moved to Los Angeles after the 2016 season. The team’s former San Diego home, the aging SDCCU Stadium, is currently used by San Diego State’s football program.
In the Las Vegas area, the only temporary facility option for the Raiders is UNLV’s Sam Boyd Stadium. The aging facility would likely require significant updates to host the NFL, even if only on an interim basis.
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