NFL owners vote 31-1 to approve Raiders move to Las Vegas

[Ed]

It looks to be official. The NFL will have a team in Las Vegas, but probably not until 2019. I like the idea of a team in Vegas and the Raiders seem like the ideal fit, but I do despise seeing sports franchises relocate.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/19016323/raiders-move-las-vegas-approved-31-1

[OpIv37]

Now that the NHL popped Las Vegas's cherry, suddenly the other sports don't care about the gambling connection.

[Luisito23]

:snicker:...How many times is this team gonna move?...

I'd say I feel sorry for their fans, but I really don't GAF.

[YardRat]

BOOOO !

[Wally The Barber]

Oakland should retain the team name and let Las Vegas name their own team

Oakland may get another team someday

Las Vegas Dessert Rats

Las Vegas Cactus Weeds

Las Vegas Gansters

[Mace]

I feel sorry for their fans but the city government has been dorking around and not doing much to stop it for years. Imho, the Raiders deserved to move the most, and waited a long time to push it, but the city just kept trying to play hardball.

[Goobylal]

Las Vegas Strippers.

[DetDannyWilliams]

Now that the NHL popped Las Vegas's cherry, suddenly the other sports don't care about the gambling connection.

tell that to MLB and put Pete Rose into the MLBHOF

[POTLAND PSILBYLO]

Oakland should retain the team name and let Las Vegas name their own team

Oakland may get another team someday

Las Vegas Dessert Rats

Las Vegas Cactus Weeds

Las Vegas Gansters

Dessert rats. I like that. We're talking old cheesecake in the dumpster behind the bellagio?

[YardRat]

Did they end up getting the trademark for 'Las Vegas Raiders' that they applied for last year?

[Historian]

Very sad.

[Ingtar33]

LV Gamblers

[feldspar]

Now that the NHL popped Las Vegas's cherry, suddenly the other sports don't care about the gambling connection.

The gambling connection is a very big reason why tons and tons of people are interested in sports at all, particularly football. The NFL gets tons of revenue just from gamblers...they are a major demographic of "fans." While they won't admit it publicly, the NFL absolutely loves gambling. It lines their own pockets quite a bit.

All that is just an open secret, if that. It's common knowledge.

But I think moving a franchise to Vegas is a really bad idea. I don't see how that is going to work out well...nothing to do with gambling...

Feel bad for the folks in Oakland, though. We've all contemplated the very real possibility of the Bills moving...

Raiders is a great name, though. Keep it.

[OpIv37]

Vegas is by far the largest city without a team in any of the 4 major North American sports. I think the people will flock to a team.

I thought it was great for the NHL to get there first, to hopefully win some fans in a place that clearly isn't a traditional hockey market. The Raiders will be some competition but the 2 year gap helps.


The gambling thing always drove me crazy. These leagues get on this public soap box against gambling all while knowing it was one of the things driving interest (and hence revenue) in their product.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Time has changed. Hong long has it been that you don't need to be in Vegas physically to gamble in Vegas?

[feldspar]

Vegas is by far the largest city without a team in any of the 4 major North American sports. I think the people will flock to a team.

I thought it was great for the NHL to get there first, to hopefully win some fans in a place that clearly isn't a traditional hockey market. The Raiders will be some competition but the 2 year gap helps.


The gambling thing always drove me crazy. These leagues get on this public soap box against gambling all while knowing it was one of the things driving interest (and hence revenue) in their product.

I don't know, man.

I've spent probably a grand total of three years in Vegas. I'm far from an expert, but I don't see anywhere close to a potential loyal fan-base there. I do not see them flocking to watch the game at whatever the stadium, for one thing. Not like fanatics from other cities. I see them sticking close to the casinos in case they want to hedge their bets. I'm talking about the locals...dunno about the myriad of tourists.

A very interesting thing about this whole scenario is whether or not there will be a sportsbook in the actual stadium. My bet would be that there will be, and there may be long lines at the window. After all, there won't be any laws to forbid that, really, unless the NFL wants to impose that rule...can't see how they could explain such a thing...we are talking about Vegas, after all. That legal gambling at the stadium may draw them in, or at least not be a detriment.

It's a complicated thing, but I just don't see the draw myself.

[MattyNH]

Las Vegas Human Traffickers