We begrudgingly interrupt the opening of the free agent tampering period with an update on the Raiders attempts to take all their toys and skip town. What has been discussed as a potential delay in the owners vote this month is now widely being reported will happen on March 26th as originally scheduled.
The thinking with regard to a delay was to allow the Raiders time to get their funding in order. Sheldon Adelson backed out of his initial $650 million commitment (or was forced out due to league pressure), and Goldman Sachs followed him out the door.
It took about a month for the Raiders to secure another financier, but they have one in Band of America, which NFL VP Eric Grubman says pass muster.
2. More Eric Grubman: "I will simply say the project as presented appears to pass the financial tests" https://t.co/SP3ImTeTLc
— Vincent Bonsignore (@DailyNewsVinny) March 7, 2017
An NFL subcommittee convened in Florida today to gauge the readiness for a vote this month. All signs are a go for an on-schedule vote.
Raiders still meeting with finance committee. All signs pointing toward a relocation vote in Arizona at the end of the month.
— Sam Farmer (@LATimesfarmer) March 7, 2017
Bank of America presentation stood in stark contrast to one by Oakland mayor in which important financing questions went unanswered.
— Sam Farmer (@LATimesfarmer) March 7, 2017
The result of the meeting is the joint committee is expected to result in a recommendation for relocation. Though, it seems Ian Rapoport thinks it’s the city of Oakland itself that will be relocating, not the Raiders franchise.
Source: @NFL joint committee slated to recommend Oakland’s relocation proposal to the full ownership at the annual meeting later this month
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 7, 2017
We will just have to assume he’s talking about he Raiders and doesn’t think the city with uproot itself or secede from the union.
Keep in mind, a committee recommendation doesn’t make this a sure thing by any stretch. You may recall, the LA relocation committee last year recommended the Raiders/Chargers joint stadium proposal in Carson. Then the rest of the owners disregarded that recommendation in favor of the new third option of a shared Rams/Chargers stadium in Inglewood.
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