KNOCKDOWNS
The Raiders May Stay in Oakland
Former Raider and all-around feared NFL killer Ronnie Lott was supposed to help save this team. He had the backing of NFL owners, and a group ready to get a new stadium to keep the team in Oakland.
That may still work. I suppose anything is possible, but recent events say otherwise.
After a lot of media talk during the early summer months, the Vegas talk went semi-dormant during July. However, August came in like a bear, with Raiders owner Mark Davis basically saying the Raiders are in Oakland for three more years and then off to Vegas, if he had his druthers. and legendary HOF Raiders radio host JT the Brick reiterating it on his radio show.
The team filed multiple trademarks for the “Las Vegas Raiders” (damn, why didn’t I think of that?!?) earlier this week, which businesses generally don’t do unless they plan to use said trademark at a given time. It’s possible this was a domain-name type squat (again, why didn’t I think of that?!?!?) but not likely. With the all-powerful Sheldon Adelson having a large stake in the potential Vegas Raiders, this feels quite real.
Lott’s group look to be on the outside looking in at this point, and despite the protests of Oakland and Vegas residents alike, the team seems to be preparing for a ride into the desert sunset. That would be the second time they’ve abandoned their home of origin, but unless something drastic changes in Oakland, it’s likely to happen.
In three years though.