Raiders reportedly in talks to play 2019 season at San Francisco’s Oracle Park
The Oakland Raiders are headed to Las Vegas in 2020, but before they get there, they must decide where to play during the 2019 season.
The Raiders’ lease at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum expired following the 2018 season. There had been talks to renew the deal, but negotiations fell apart on December 11 when the city of Oakland filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against the NFL and all 32 of its teams in protest of the upcoming Las Vegas move.
So without a home location in place, the Raiders have actively sought other accommodations, including San Francisco’s Oracle Park, which is home of the MLB’s Giants.
ESPN reports the Raiders are actively in talks with the Giants about sharing the stadium in 2019, but the final decision may be that of the San Francisco 49ers. In order for the Raiders and Giants to share Oracle Park, the 49ers would have to waive their territorial NFL rights to the San Francisco market. The NFL would also have to approve any such deal.
Raiders owner Mark Davis was noncommittal on the early reports, telling ESPN, “when we’re ready to make the announcement, we will.”
The Raiders will host the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans and Cincinnati Bengals in 2019, with their eighth home game coming against the Chicago Bears in London.
