[Elvis]

If Chargers pick LA, Raiders prepared to pounce on San Diego

By Vincent Bonsignore, Los Angeles Daily News

Day 8 of the San Diego Chargers’ slow walk to Los Angeles came and went with out a decision Wednesday. But while that might be frustrating to football fans anxious to find out whether the Chargers join up with the Los Angeles Rams in L.A. or remain in San Diego for 2016 or beyond, sources express confidence the matter will get wrapped up relatively soon and most likely with the Chargers in place in Los Angeles.

An even bigger question is what happens to the Oakland Raiders, who have second dibs on Los Angeles should the Chargers balk. The Raiders are eying San Diego — if that market opens — and Oakland should something work out there.

Here is a look at the Raiders’ best options, and why San Diego is emerging as a very real possibility should the Chargers move.

LOS ANGELES

According to high-ranking team sources, the Raiders are prepared to join the Rams in Inglewood should the Chargers balk. Raiders owner Mark Davis has long been a fan of the Inglewood site Rams owner Stan Kroenke is building on, and while Davis would prefer an open-air stadium and real grass and more parking for tailgating, those are secondary considerations to securing a long-range home for the Silver and Black.

The problem is, unless the Chargers decide over the next few weeks they can not secure a partnership deal with the Rams — now or forever — the Raiders will have to wait until the 2016 season — or beyond — before being able to make the move on L.A.

OAKLAND

The Raiders have long insisted their first preference is to remain in Oakland, but there are issues.

They face a $350 to $400 million funding gap on the stadium they hope to build, and while they don’t expect, or are they demanding, the city and county to help close it in dollars, they are asking local leaders to either sell or lease them the entire 120 acres on which their current stadium sits and where a new stadium will be built.

If so, the Raiders would then bring on a minority interest owner/developer and use the funds raised from that sale to close the construction funding gap. The developer would make his money back by developing a section of the land.

It all sounds good in theory, but the problem is, the Oakland A’s have a long-term lease on the O.Co Coliseum — the stadium they share with the Raiders — and have been resistant to working with the Raiders.

To try to appease both franchises, Oakland is offering the Raiders 60 acres to build a stadium and enough space for more than 8,000 parking spots.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t adequately address the funding gap, as it wouldn’t leave enough land for the minority-interest owner to develop.

Until that is rectified, Oakland and the Raiders are at a standstill.

SAN DIEGO

According to sources, San Diego is a very real and viable option for the Raiders. It’s a market the NFL absolutely wants to be in, and one the league is comfortable the Raiders would dominate.

In fact, don’t be surprised if the NFL either waived any relocation fee to facilitate a possible Raiders move to San Diego or set one at a price extremely affordable. Also, the additional $100 million the league promised to the Raiders to go toward a deal in Oakland is expected to be available to them in a move to San Diego.

As an NFL source explained, waiving a relocation fee could be possible as the Raiders would be yielding a Bay Area market that is attractive to the NFL long term while filling a San Diego market the league wants to keep in the fold.

In other words, the NFL would have a strong presence in San Diego and be able to leverage the Bay Area to motivate current markets into securing stadium deals for their teams.

As for the Raiders, a move to San Diego is advantageous for a number of reasons.

The Silver and Black have a strong foothold in Southern California, and can count on support from nearby Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and even Ventura counties. In addition to San Diego, of course.

And that isn’t a bad selling point to San Diego leaders who can rely on Raiders fans from those nearby regions making weekend trips to San Diego, buying up hotel rooms and eating and drinking at local restaurants and pubs.

More importantly, it would secure the Raiders’ long-range future, which is what this entire process has been about for the Raiders, Rams and Chargers.

The key is, can the Raiders do what the Chargers could not — agree on a stadium deal with San Diego, and get it approved?

Obviously that remains to be seen. But two things to consider: If San Diego loses the Chargers, the mindset shifts from keeping the NFL to attracting the NFL. So there will be ample motivation.

Meanwhile, the stadium needs and visions of Davis and Chargers owner Dean Spanos — or 90 percent of NFL owners for that matter — are different.

Davis isn’t looking to build an extravagant $1.7 billion stadium. He wants a modest, contemporary venue that includes all the bells and whistles and revenue streams of new stadiums around the league. But at a much smaller price tag.

In other words, he can approach San Diego with much more palatable and less expensive needs. For local leaders, that means a more doable stadium plan both economically and politically.

The first domino to fall is the Chargers.

After that, the Raiders can make their move.

And more and more, San Diego is emerging as a viable landing spot.

[Hacksaw]

More leverage.
"The Raiders have long insisted their first preference is to remain in Oakland, but there are issues.
They face a $350 to $400 million funding gap on the stadium they hope to build".

So accept the NFL's generous offer of $100M, take the G4, then get after a minority partner to close the remaining $50 - $100M gap.
No,, instead they have Vinny saying they'd rather spend over $550M to move to LA to be Kroenkes beotch.

Moving the Raiders to San Diego makes as much sense as paring the Chargers and Raiders in Carson. Very little. Remember Oakland/SF is the 3rd largest market and SD is 28th. Why would they move to enemy territory for that? Warmer water?

[SWAdude]

More leverage.
"The Raiders have long insisted their first preference is to remain in Oakland, but there are issues.
They face a $350 to $400 million funding gap on the stadium they hope to build".

So accept the NFL's generous offer of $100M, take the G4, then get after a minority partner to close the remaining $50 - $100M gap.
No,, instead they have Vinny saying they'd rather spend over $550M to move to LA to be Kroenkes beotch.

Moving the Raiders to San Diego makes as much sense as paring the Chargers and Raiders in Carson. Very little. Remember Oakland/SF is the 3rd largest market and SD is 28th. Why would they move to enemy territory for that? Warmer water?

This Vinny dude has consistently been on each side of the fence so he is never a loser.

Having two teams in LA and one is San Diego is really having three teams in SoCal. What he also fails to mention is that this move to San Diego will require another vote by the owners. Another relocation drama within a year of another for SoCal? Please.......

Raiders will stay in Oakland. Chargers will stay in San Diego. The LOS ANGELES RAMS will stay in Los Angeles. That is the new paradigm.

[SoCalRam78]

Vinny is a shill for the Raiders/Chargers and really spews a lot of hypothetical garbage.

[RedAlice]

Carson Mayor is unhappy at Spanos. Does anyone like him?

[TomSlick]

We RAM fans came out solid in this one. Charger and Raider fans are still up in the air as to relocation, that is not a way to run a business.

[Hacksaw]

Good stuff Tom.

If cars could talk...
BMW: "I'm faster."
Porsche: "You're still a dick."

Reminded me of that old joke.
Q: What is the difference between a BMW and a Porcupine?
A: With a BMW, the pricks are on the inside.

Spanos must drive a BM'er

[TomSlick]

Good stuff Tom.

If cars could talk...
BMW: "I'm faster."
Porsche: "You're still a dick."

Reminded me of that old joke.
Q: What is the difference between a BMW and a Porcupine?
A: With a BMW, the pricks are on the inside.

Spanos must drive a BM'er

When driving around, it is always interesting to "keep score" of which people are doing the bonehead plays.
Beamers seem to always draw the high card, though Prius drivers are putting in a solid effort to be the most annoying.

[Hacksaw]

Good stuff Tom.

If cars could talk...
BMW: "I'm faster."
Porsche: "You're still a dick."

Reminded me of that old joke.
Q: What is the difference between a BMW and a Porcupine?
A: With a BMW, the pricks are on the inside.

Spanos must drive a BM'er

When driving around, it is always interesting to "keep score" of which people are doing the bonehead plays.
Beamers seem to always draw the high card, though Prius drivers are putting in a solid effort to be the most annoying.

Then there is any car when operated by,,,,

DISCLAIMER:
No offense to anyone intended.

[TomSlick]

Hilarious, Hack. The cartoon at the end rang the bell for me.