Although there are many reasons as to why the Oakland Raiders might have suffered a painful defeat to Baltimore Ravens, it’s clear that they could have Las Vegas on their mind.
The team’s planned move to the casino city in 2020 is something that’s been in the pipeline for many years now. And whilst Raiders fans in Oakland will undoubtedly be horrified at seeing the team leaving the city again, it’s evident that this could be a good thing for the NFL as a whole.
The move was made after it was decided that the Oakland Coliseum was unable to meet the challenges of hosting NFL games. Not only was the pitch frequently unplayable after hosting games by Oakland Athletics, but the stadium was also ranked one of the worst in the NFL for spectator experiences.
And whilst there were desperate efforts to keep the Raiders in Oakland, it seems that the offers from Las Vegas were too hard to resist with NFL team owners voting 31–1 in favour of this controversial move.
So whilst Raiders fans will have over 400 miles to travel to watch their favourite team play, it’s hoped that the brand new $2 billion stadium on the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip will provide some respite.
Not only will the wide open spaces around the desert city make transport much more easy than in Oakland, but the city’s reputation for hospitality and casino gaming will also make it a much more attractive prospect for NFL fans.
However, there is an element of caution about the move, as the NFL have been remarkably strict about letting its players anywhere near a casino – especially with the Las Vegas arm wrestling incident earlier this year.
But seeing as Raiders players and fans can play something like Royal Vegas online casino games from any location, then it’s hoped that a move to the famous gambling city shouldn’t be too much of a problem for the footballing stars or the NFL.
The team have already successfully moved before, with their period in Los Angeles being just one example of how the Raiders brand can survive a move of hundreds of miles. And there has already been plenty of evidence of how the team is preparing for its trip over the Nevada border with some helmet decals providing a heartwarming tribute to the shooting victims in Las Vegas
So whilst there is plenty of concern about how the team will cope with casino gaming temptations and how the fans will have to clock up some air miles, it seems that the spirit of the Raiders should be able to thrive in Las Vegas.
