The latest NFL rumor about the possibility the Oakland Raiders moving to Las Vegas has grown some legs. Now Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has come out and said that he wants the Raiders in Vegas. That means that not only does this rumor have legs, it appears to be walking upright towards the 702 area code. Only just four months ago before the curtain was pulled down and the St. Louis Rams went back home, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said, “I want to keep our franchises in their current markets.”
First off that was a blatant lie, but I’m sure that wasn’t the only fib that has eased across his lips. Just for example, his stating that all three stadium proposals were not sufficient to keep teams in current markets 48 hours before the decision was announced back in January.
Then he followed that quip with, “If Al Davis was alive today, he would slap the league,” said Goodell. Honestly the NFL hasn’t been slapped enough. This cluster of madness that happened on his watch makes him an easy target for angry fans. But he’s insulated by a handsome salary and greedy lust for money by owners that pay him to basically take all the public abuse and outrage.
Which brings me back to his boss and the real commissioner of the NFL Jerry Jones – he didn’t want the Raiders in Los Angeles, so he surely didn’t want them in San Antonio, Texas. St. Louis was never an option. If we learned anything from this stadium conundrum, it’s that what Jerry wants he gets. It was his power his influence that was the key factor in the Rams going back to Los Angeles.
The St. Louis Task Force didn’t stand a chance in this rigged game. One could also go back when the NFL had realignment over a decade ago. The New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, and Atlanta Falcons were moved to the NFC South. That makes perfect geographical sense, but when it came to the Cowboys they stayed in the NFC East. Why? Cash money!
The Cowboys staying in the NFC East blatantly spits in the eye of geographical realignment. Jones wasn’t having any of that. He got his way. Notice how all the other professional teams that play in Dallas are either in the West or Southwest division.
Now back to this talk about the Raiders playing footsies with Sin City…the one caveat to this is Jones want Raiders owner Mark Davis to sell the team.
Jones wants new ownership in Las Vegas. And he’s not concerned about the gambling and all the other fun that’s available in a city that’s chalked full of tourist and transplants from other parts of the United States.
Davis, who gained control of the franchise after his father passed in 2011, has refused to sell the Raiders.
I recently talked with sports talk show host Melissa Ferris from GirlChatSports.com on a podcast regarding the possible relocation.
“I would go to a game. I would go to many games to watch what teams would come. Having a professional sports team here is like you never hear that,” Ferris said. “It’s sounds more strong to be happening this year than in previous years. Our Mayor Carolyn Goodman she’s behind it 100 percent.”
What about the price tag? The Raiders would put up $500 million, Sands Corporation $150 million, taxpayers would be responsible for $750 million and the NFL would contribute $200 million. Only $750 million in taxpayer dollars? Again we are witnessing the NFL looking to solicit taxpayer dollars from people that are for the most part struggling financially. I saw someone say “the NFL is not going to leave free money on the table,” but they already did it once leaving 400 million on the table in St. Louis.
Who’s to say it won’t happen again? And for those that still wonder why the NFL didn’t just expand – the owners didn’t want to share the revenue.
Something they will never admit, but they don’t have to. The NFL will expand or allow teams to move, when Jerry Jones says so.
