In the past couple of years, the Oakland Raiders have been the subject of rumors possibly relocating in the near future. One of the main cities that they were rumored to move to was Los Angeles, where they were located from 1981 to 1994.
Now, out of the blue, San Antonio has jumped in the running for a football team.
The San Antonio Express-News reported that Raiders’ owner, Mark Davis, and a pair of “top lieutenants” met with San Antonio officials to talk about possibly moving the Raiders.
In an interview with CSN Bay Area’s Scott Bair, Davis acknowledged the possibility of moving the team:
We’re not done in Oakland. We’re trying really hard, and we’ll see how that goes. But Los Angeles is something that I’ve definitely thought about and haven’t pursued. There are other places as well. Until we can find out if Oakland is real, then I’m still staying in Oakland.
The Raiders are on a one-year lease extension at the Oakland Coliseum, which they share with the Oakland Athletics. If the A’s decide to extend their lease ten years, this would complicate things for the Raiders.
Los Angeles has long been considered the frontrunner as the next city to receive a football team in the near future.
In 2012, the Los Angeles City Council approved the project to build a stadium in a 12-0 vote. Due to the contingency on reaching a deal with the NFL and a team agreeing to move to Los Angeles, the building of the stadium has yet to break ground.
Now with San Antonio emerging as a possibility, the Lone Star State could have a trio of football teams, while the nation’s second biggest market will still be waiting.
(H/T Pro Football Talk)
