Raiders to Las Vegas Falls Apart

[RiverDog]

Boy, this was a shocker. Just weeks before the league was to vote on a Raiders to Las Vegas proposal, the biggest private investor in the Vegas stadium project, Sheldon Aldeson, suddenly backed out of the project. The Raiders announced that the banking firm Goldman Sacks would replace the private funding lost by Alderson's cold feet, but within hours, they announced that they would not participate without Aldeson being a part of it. Additionally, the funding package passed by the Nevada legislature specified that Alderson be a part of the deal.

Meanwhile, San Diego officials stepped forward and offered to host the Raiders, at least temporarily.

http://nesn.com/2017/02/raiders-move-to ... dium-deal/

Apparently Aldeson was outraged at Mark Davis and the Raiders over a number of items in the proposed lease, like paying $1 per year for rent, naming rights, and control over scheduling events like UNLV football games.

[c_hawkbob]

Mark Davis thought he had a more attractive product than he actually had. It's not like Vegas needs the NFL the way another city might, they're going to get their entertainment dollar with or without the NFL.

[RiverDog]

Mark Davis thought he had a more attractive product than he actually had. It's not like Vegas needs the NFL the way another city might, they're going to get their entertainment dollar with or without the NFL.

It wasn't Las Vegas that Davis underestimated, it was one person: Alderson. As a matter of fact, Las Vegas officials are scrambling to try to salvage the project. They want the Raiders as much as any other wannabe.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow ... story.html

[Uppercut]

LOL. The Raiders nixed the LA sharing arrangement, they voted for no new stadium in Oakland, SF won't share Levi, LV falls apart, SD offers an old venue, Oakland stadium a rathole and fans are not coming in 2017.

Wow

Tijuana?

[NorthHawk]

The impression I got was that Sheldon Adelson wanted to become part owner with the opportunity to be the major owner. Basically push Davis out.
It seemed like a power play for control that Davis declined.

I might be wrong, though.

[Oly]

LOL. The Raiders nixed the LA sharing arrangement, they voted for no new stadium in Oakland, SF won't share Levi, LV falls apart, SD offers an old venue, Oakland stadium a rathole and fans are not coming in 2017.

Wow

Tijuana?

Seriously. What a fustercluck.

I'm frankly surprised the Las Vegas proposal ever got as far as it did. That just seems like the wrong city for a franchise. Such large number of the residents are transplants or don't have the disposable income to afford the NFL, and visitors won't be going to cheer on the home team. I saw visions of the Edward Jones Dome when thinking of the Las Vegas stadium experience. I can see why an owner as inept as Davis wanted to move--dude can't see past his own nose (if he could, he'd never rock that bowl cut)--but I was surprised the league didn't do more to squash this behind the scenes.

[NorthHawk]

Maybe he's not liked by all the owners much like his father so they gave him enough rope to make fool of himself.
Las Vegas is like LA in that regard (lots of people from elsewhere) but they don't have the resident population to ensure the sale of season tickets in my opinion.
It would be a great reason to go there, though.

I wonder what Madden's teams would have been like in Las Vegas with all of their free spirits.

[RiverDog]

LOL. The Raiders nixed the LA sharing arrangement, they voted for no new stadium in Oakland, SF won't share Levi, LV falls apart, SD offers an old venue, Oakland stadium a rathole and fans are not coming in 2017.

Wow

Tijuana?

The Raiders didn't nix the LA deal. The owners chose Kroneke's plan over Davis and Alex Spanos's plan. Basically the league didn't want Mark Davis to be in the LA market, which is why they gave the Chargers the first right of refusal.

[Zorn76]

Bay are local radio here in Ca still thinks the move could happen, with a potential backup investor(s). Didn't catch the name but there's two brothers in Vegas (who also own casinos) who could be in the mix. We'll see.

[RiverDog]

Bay are local radio here in Ca still thinks the move could happen, with a potential backup investor(s). Didn't catch the name but there's two brothers in Vegas (who also own casinos) who could be in the mix. We'll see.

Yea, the mayor of LV sounded optimistic that another investor could be found to replace Alderson, but like I said in the OP, the Nevada state legislature specified Alderson as the principal financier, so it's unclear how that will affect the public funding side. If they have to go back for a new vote requiring a two thirds super majority, Davis might have poisoned the well with his arrogant attitude and he could lose the whole thing.

In any event, it looks like they won't be able to get all the 't's crossed and 'i's dotted before the March owners meeting. They weren't going to be able to play in Las Vegas until at least 2020 anyway, so the Raiders might be a wandering lost puppy for the next 4-5 years.

[jshawaii22]

The impression I got was that Sheldon Adelson wanted to become part owner with the opportunity to be the major owner. Basically push Davis out.
It seemed like a power play for control that Davis declined.

I might be wrong, though.

You're not wrong and in his annual "State-of-the-NFL" Mr. Goodell commented that NO casino owner would ever be approved as a NFL owner... that's why Sheldon pulled out and since he has 2 billion in loans backed by Goldman/Sachs, he (I assume) told them that if he wasn't going in, neither were they.
Odd that the NFL waited until they were supposed to be ready to vote, so I'm thinking the NFL old guard got together and decided to have Roger tell the young Raider's owner that you're on your own on this one. You stepped in it, now you work your own way out. More then a few didn't like his Daddy.

js

[RiverDog]

You're not wrong and in his annual "State-of-the-NFL" Mr. Goodell commented that NO casino owner would ever be approved as a NFL owner... that's why Sheldon pulled out and since he has 2 billion in loans backed by Goldman/Sachs, he (I assume) told them that if he wasn't going in, neither were they.
Odd that the NFL waited until they were supposed to be ready to vote, so I'm thinking the NFL old guard got together and decided to have Roger tell the young Raider's owner that you're on your own on this one. You stepped in it, now you work your own way out. More then a few didn't like his Daddy.

js

There is some merit to this argument. It would appear that Alderson did have expectations of at least becoming a minority partner with Davis. As far as Goodell's comments about ownership goes, one has to keep in mind that it would not be his decision, it would be the other 31 teams that would have to band together to keep Alderson out, and the NFL's attitude regarding the gambling industry has softened a lot over the past decade or so.

But it does appear that there was more to the collapse of the agreement than a dispute over naming rights and control of scheduling. Alderson's expectations of becoming at least a part owner of the franchise had to have played into the deal falling apart. Nevertheless, it's really odd why it would go this far before coming to a head. They were within a few weeks of voting on relocation.