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The Oakland Raiders have found temporary housing after they were evicted from Oakland before their move to Las Vegas in 2020.
The Raiders are no longer homeless.
With an uncertain future, the Oakland Raiders have reportedly settled on a home for the 2019-2020 season before moving to Las Vegas in 2020. According to Rag Mathai of NBC Bay Area, the Raiders will play their “home” games in Oracle Park in San Francisco, the home of MLB’s San Francisco Giants.
The NFL and the San Francisco 49ers have to approve of the move, which has yet to happen, but providing that is all kosher, the Raiders will have found temporary housing after Oakland gave them the boot.
The franchise did not have a lease to continue playing in Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum and a federal antitrust lawsuit was levied against the team by the city of Oakland.
News of the move came moments after the Patriots beat the Rams in Super Bowl 53, so it was a nice and convenient way for them to shoehorn their way into Super Sunday.
The move to San Francisco will give the players, coaching staff and all Raiders employees and fans some closure heading into the offseason. Now, everyone will know where they will be playing eight games in the upcoming season and they can make accommodations for their travel. It’s certainly not an ideal solution, but it’s pretty close to a drama-free solution.
The Raiders couldn’t just move to Las Vegas a year early, and playing in Levi’s Stadium, the home of the 49ers would have been a logistical nightmare. The stadium could host two NFL teams, but the chances of owner Mark Davis being cool with that arrangement are as likely as you or me winning Super Bowl MVP next year.
Another hurdle to consider with the move to Oracle Park is where the Raiders will practice. Stay tuned as more information is presented in the coming days and weeks.