NFL stamps out Al Davis torch plans, bumps up stadium money

A major subject at the NFL's May owners meeting was the various stadium situations for the three teams looking to either move to Los Angeles or get a deal done in their current home market. The Raiders are in the thick of that conversation while they look to have a new stadium plan in place by next year either in Oakland or Carson.

In those efforts, they got some good news and some bad news, as Daniel Kaplan of the Sports Journal pointed out.

First, the good news:

NFL owners in a major change to ownership rules, last week voted to allow irrevocable trusts to own teams, will greatly ease estate planning

— daniel kaplan (@dkaplanSBJ) May 26, 2015

As Kaplan points out, this makes it easier for Mark Davis to retain the team. He added:

Owners also voted to drop to 5%, from 10%, the amount a family member of an ownership group must control of the NFL team.

— daniel kaplan (@dkaplanSBJ) May 26, 2015

There was more good news, and it involves the amount of money the league will make available for stadium construction:

And one more owner friendly move at NFL meeting last week, voted to increase amount of debt team can borrow from $200 mil to $250 mil

— daniel kaplan (@dkaplanSBJ) May 26, 2015

The jump to $250 million provided by the league, combined with the $300 Davis has said the Raiders would contribute to the stadium efforts in Oakland, brings the amount they would ask from the city, county, or perhaps an outside investor down to $350 million from the previous $400 million. Every little bit helps.

The bad news involves the teams plans to make honoring Al Davis part of the stadium design plans in Carson. They had a large cauldron planned as a permanent fixture for honoring the team's late owner. It would replace the current one which is smaller and sits on the concourse above the South endzone at O.co.

remember that giant eternal flame 2 Al Davis 2 b central feature 4 planned Carson NFL stadium.Its gone after league not happy w/ Davis honor

— daniel kaplan (@dkaplanSBJ) May 26, 2015

This can easily be seen as a form of disrespect for Al Davis by the NFL which may or may not be the case. Either way, it's gone.

The same cauldron was to have lightning bolts shot from it during Chargers games when the team scored. Here is a rendering of the cauldron with lightning bolts.

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