Mark Davis’ Raiders have made a new home in Las Vegas, and the team owner is not excited about the A’s likely joining them in Sin City.
Davis spoke with the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s John Katsilometes regarding the A’s likely move to Las Vegas. The A’s have entered a purchase agreement to build a stadium in Las Vegas, which is a big step in the direction toward a move away from Oakland.
Davis made clear that he will not be welcoming the A’s to town so long as their current ownership group remains in place. Davis believes that the way the A’s conducted business over the last ten years forced the Raiders out of town.
“I won’t forget what they did to us in Oakland. They squatted on a lease for 10 years and made it impossible for us to build on that stadium,” Davis told the Review-Journal.
“They were looking for a stadium. We were looking for a stadium. They didn’t want to build a stadium, and then went ahead and signed a 10-year lease with the city of Oakland and said, ‘We’re the base team.’”
The Raiders were unable to make improvements to the Oakland Coliseum due to the A’s agreement with the city. Davis says that forced the Raiders to start looking elsewhere for a better stadium situation.
Davis also felt insulted that the A’s used a “Rooted in Oakland” slogan as if they were more tied to Oakland than the Raiders. The A’s used that slogan — an apparent shot at the Raiders — only to end up likely moving themselves.
Davis said he wouldn’t be eager to work with the A’s in Las Vegas until new management takes over.
“I just have, again, a lot of personal animosity toward the front office. But with a new management group? Absolutely,” Davis said.
Though Davis makes plenty of valid points that contribute to his anger towards the A’s ownership group, it’s not as if the Raiders have been ideal for the A’s.
The late Al Davis moved the Raiders from Oakland to Los Angeles in 1982 and then back to Oakland in 1995. Moving around wasn’t in the interest of the fans in Oakland. Additionally, moving back and forcing the A’s to continue sharing the field with a football team wasn’t in the best interest of either team.
The Raiders are entering their fourth season in Las Vegas and happy there. The A’s will likely be joining them in the coming years. And while the East Bay will be without an NBA, NFL or MLB team after having all three, Las Vegas is getting closer to having all three, plus an NHL team.
