Roger Goodell mentions option of Raiders sharing Santa Clara stadium
By Chase Ruttig
May 8, 2014; New York, NY, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on stage during the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was in the Bay Area to discuss the opening of the San Francisco 49ers stadium in Santa Clara, holding a press conference to discuss the opening of a new venue for the NFC West franchise and to talk about the move from the urban area of San Francisco to outside of the city in Santa Clara.
Calling the Niners “The region’s team” Goodell also discussed the possibility of the Raiders sharing the 49ers new stadium once their lease with the Oakland Coliseum wraps up in light of the recent 10 year lease between the Coliseum, the City of Oakland and the Oakland A’s presenting another roadblock in owner Mark Davis getting a deal done with the city to remain in the city.
Goodell: "Obviously leaving San Francisco is an emotional issue ... This is the region's team. That won't change." pic.twitter.com/y4qE4YLHCQ
— Steve Berman (@BASportsGuy) July 17, 2014
Goodell mentions option of #Raiders sharing/renting at Levi's Stadium. Mark Davis doesn't want that. Maybe the league does.
— Scott Bair (@ScottBairNFL) July 17, 2014
Bay Area Sports Guy had Goodell’s press conference quotes, tweeting that the commish put it out in the open that Davis has to make the decision whether he wants to keep pursuing a deal with the Oakland City Council as well as private investors to get a new stadium built or if sharing with the 49ers is a feasible second option to keep the team in Northern California.
Goodell on Raiders (1/2): "They have to make that determination, whether they're in a new stadium in Oakland or whether they feel that ...
— Steve Berman (@BASportsGuy) July 17, 2014
Goodell on Raiders (2/2): ".., it's best to join this stadium. We're working on that, and that's one of the decisions they'll have to make."
— Steve Berman (@BASportsGuy) July 17, 2014
It has been well documented that Mark Davis has opposed sharing a venue with the 49ers in the past, including when the stadium was being planned which makes the possibility of this happening in the near future unlikely. However, with the Oakland A’s and the City of Oakland already fighting it out and the Raiders being seemingly put on the back shelf there is a chance that Davis may warm to the idea. The biggest roadblock is ensuring that the venue would allow the Raiders to feel as if they had a home instead of simply renting another NFL franchise’s building. If that can be done, there is a chance that the Santa Clara area could be the National Football League’s West Coast hotbed out of nowhere. Just don’t count on it happening until Mark Davis is at the end of his rope.