Raiders Extend Lease at Coliseum: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

The Oakland Raiders will remain residents of the O.co Coliseum for at least one more season after the Joint Powers Authority reportedly approved a short-term lease renewal Friday.  

Candice Naranjo of KRON reports the agreement must still get clearance from the Oakland City Council and the Alameda County Board of Supervisors before it becomes official. Joint Powers Authority executive director Scott McKibben commented on the deal: "We are confident in the future for professional sports in Alameda County and Oakland. There are numerous paths forward to retain all of our teams and support the local economy. We will use this lease term to continue to work on a long-term solution that works for all parties."

Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle reported back in December that this was the likely outcome amid rumors about the team's future. He noted the Raiders were one of the franchises linked to a possible move to Los Angeles: "But NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has apparently put any possibility of playing in Los Angeles next season on the shelf. According to sources, he told the Raiders, Chargers and Rams last week that no team is moving to Los Angeles until 2016 at the earliest."

Obviously, a one-year agreement doesn't do much to stabilize the organization's future. As McKibben stated, it does give the sides more time to work out a more extended deal to keep the Raiders from moving to LA or another city.

Tafur reported team owner Mark Davis is hopeful of keeping the team in Oakland but wouldn't make any guarantees. San Antonio is another city mentioned in the report as a potential landing spot if the Raiders end up moving.

The situation is now in a holding pattern for at least one more year.

 



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