It’s happening.
The Las Vegas Raiders. pic.twitter.com/4wlmo0w35M
— NFL (@NFL) March 27, 2017
After receiving the necessary votes, the Raiders’ plan to relocate from Oakland to Las Vegas has been approved – as expected – by the league’s owners. This move marks the third NFL franchise to relocate since January 2016, as the Raiders join the Rams (who left St. Louis) and the Chargers (who left San Diego). You can read owner Mark Davis’ statement on the approval here. The move received 31 of 32 votes, with the Miami Dolphins being the lone holdout.
However, it’s worth noting the move isn’t immediate. Las Vegas still has to build its stadium, which could come at an estimated cost of $1.7 billion and include $750 million in taxpayer funding. And because the stadium might not be ready until 2020, the Raiders will spend the next few seasons in Oakland. Awkward.
As how this pertains to the Chicago Bears, they aren’t scheduled to play teams from the AFC West until 2019 – and who knows where the Raiders will be playing by then. Further, who knows who will be leading the Bears by that point as head coach John Fox and GM Ryan Pace are under contract through 2018.
There’s also this:
Miami and Chicago were the final holdouts per sources … Bears flip, Fins don't, Raiders are going to Vegas. https://t.co/I5BQl0BXki
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 27, 2017
For fans of 31 teams, plans for a Vegas-fueled road trip to see their favorite team can be drafted. But for Oakland Raiders fans who were just starting to get reacquainted with the taste of success, this is heartbreak. The team had its first non-losing season since 2011 and first winning season since 2002. The Raiders are led by a highly regarded head coach in Jack Del Rio and have a dynamic quarterback in Derek Carr, who is flanked by playmakers such as Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack. Unfortunately, it will soon be gone.