Oakland Raiders Absolutely Want to Stay In City, Says Mark Davis
By Chase Ruttig
There is plenty of speculation this offseason surrounding the Oakland Raiders and their future in their home after signing yet another one year lease to stay at the Oakland Coliseum. Reported interest in a shared stadium with the San Diego Chargers in Los Angeles suburb Carson in addition to the continued uncertainty when it comes to the City of Oakland getting an agreement in place for a new stadium to be built to keep the team keeping one of the biggest stories this offseason on the topic of potential relocation.
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The Raiders are not alone in the relocation drama this offseason as usual suspects in the St. Louis Rams and the San Diego Chargers have had their own share of speculation over their futures in the news wires since season’s end. NFL officials expecting there to be a chance of two teams relocating to Los Angeles and at the very least one team eventually moving to occupy the country’s second biggest market in the upcoming year or two as the league appears ready to return to Hollywood.
That feeling two teams could relocate to Los Angeles has put the Raiders further into the mix of potentially moving back to Southern California for the second time in franchise history, the Carson proposal from before free agency putting more rumors out into the open about the future of the Raiders when it comes to Oakland despite the city keeping conversations open with the owner in Davis.
However while at the NFL’s Owner Meetings, Davis downplayed the whole Los Angeles angle by telling NFL.com’s Marc Sessler that his heart is very much still in trying to stay in Oakland even if the relocation option is still on the table if things cannot get done between the two sides in the Bay Area. Telling Sessler that he “Absolutely, absolutely” wants to stay in Oakland over the long-term by getting a new stadium in the city.
Asked Raiders owner Mark Davis if he'd like the team to stay in Oakland long-term: 'Absolutely, absolutely.' #NFLOwnersMeetings
— Marc Sessler (@MarcSessler) March 23, 2015
Davis has said time and time again that he wants to stay in Oakland as a first option, but with the Carson proposal as well as reports of continued problems between the team and the City of Oakland faith had been shaken amongst fans in the Bay Area when it came to how sincere the owner was being in his claims about wanting to keep the team in its home. Actions speaking louder than words as the team appeared to be willing to make a relocation move if things align when it comes to the Carson proposal with the Chargers.
It looks like Oakland is still option #1 for Mark Davis, who wants to keep his father’s legacy alive in the city the team has called home for much of its history over a second stint in Los Angeles. It is going to take some work from both the Raiders along with the City of Oakland to make sure that Davis’ wishes to stay in the city become a reality, but it still looks like the owner of the team wants to stay if the option is there. That is a good of a sign as any that the team may remain in Oakland, even if the stadium still needs to be built to make sure that relocation stops being a constant talking point surrounding the team each offseason.