NFL Rumors: Robert Kraft Supporting Raiders Decision to Vegas
Oakland Raiders lead owner Mark Davis is mulling on relocating to America's gambling capital, Las Vegas, if he couldn't get a reasonable stadium deal in Oakland. Before he could do that, he would need to secure the majority approval from other NFL franchise owner. Luckily, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft seems to back him on the team's decision to relocate to better pastures.
"I think it would be good for the NFL. I know Mark Davis has tried so hard in Oakland... I want to support him. I came into the league in '94. Back then, any exploration of that market was dismissed out of hand," said Kraft as quoted by USA Today.
"I'm looking where we are today and thinking of the last 10 to 15 years, and the emergence of new media, with Google and Facebook and the like. We're just living in a different world, technology wise. The risks in Vegas are no longer exclusive to Vegas."
The statement from one of NFL's most influential owners is a big boost to Davis' relocation efforts. Kraft doesn't seem to be bothered with putting a franchise in a city with its economic reputation as the center of America's gambling industry despite some conservative reservations by others in the league to about the negative perception of being linked with the casino establishments.
Like Kraft, Dallas Cowboys franchise owner Jerry Jones also raised his hand in support of Davis' planned relocation moves. Jones recently argued that the enormous entertainment value of the Las Vegas market 'overshadows' gambling-related concerns.
"For me, I think that certainly the fact that Las Vegas has a gambling aspect to it is far overshadowed by the entertainment value...So it does not have disfavor with me...relative to being an NFL city," Jones said as per NFL.Com.
Before Davis can officially switch locations for the Raiders, he must get the backing of at least 24 out of NLF's 32 team owners to secure a relocation approval, ESPN reported. Early this year, NFL owners have already given the green light for Raiders to go back to Los Angeles if San Diego fails to relocate to LA in January next year.
