The Oakland Raiders are no longer in Oakland… They’re going to Vegas!

Three-time Super Bowl champs to relocate after 31-1 vote in favour

Yes, that’s right: Mark Davis and the Oakland Raiders will swap Oakland for the neon lights of Las Vegas – meaning that loyal fans will now need to travel eight hours to see them in action. Yesterday, NFL owners confirmed the move after the 32 NFL teams voted in 31-1 favour of the relocation going ahead. The no vote came from the Miami Dolphins.

With Las Vegas presenting $750 million in public funding for a new stadium, it’s believed that the vote was both unexpected and inevitable. Davis is thought to have been further persuaded after the Bank of America offered him a $650 million loan.

Davis stated: “My father always said, ‘the greatness of the Raiders is in its future’, and the opportunity to build a world-class stadium in the entertainment capital of the world is a significant step toward achieving that greatness”.

When will it happen?

Although the move has been confirmed, the Oakland Raiders won’t physically relocate until 2020, when the new $1.7 billion domed stadium is ready.

Third time lucky for The Oakland Raiders?

Since its formation in 1960, the Oakland Raiders have relocated twice: from Oakland to Los Angeles (1982-94) and then back to Oakland in 1995. Instead of going back to the City of Angels, they are now bound for Sin City in a move that will be the franchise’s third.