If there is widespread opposition to a potential NFL franchise in Las Vegas, Mark Davis isn’t hearing it.
The Raiders owner has openly been eyeing a move to Vegas, but there has been concern that gambling may be an issue. Apparently, for most owners, that is a fading concern.
“I haven’t heard no,” Davis said of the impression he’s been getting from his fellow owners about an NFL team in Las Vegas, via Darin Gantt of ProFootballTalk.
In fact, concerns about Las Vegas have less to do with gambling and more about other factors. There is concern about the market size, which would be the fifth smallest in the league, and an overreliance on tourism as opposed to year-round residents. Davis understands that that will be a factor.
“We’re not looking to make this something where the fans fly in on weekends for games,” Davis said. “For the first year, it would probably be like that, but we want to have a local fan base. That’s important to us.”
It remains to be seen how Davis intends to address those concerns, but it’s no secret that he wants to move to Las Vegas. He’s already toured UNLV’s stadium as a potential temporary home while simultaneously working to secure the financing for a permanent solution.
