If you weren't a huge fan of the name "Las Vegas Raiders" now seems about the perfect time to hop on board with it. The Oakland Raider (or former Oakland Raiders) went through the process of getting votes in their attempt to move to Las Vegas, and the final tally was done on Monday afternoon.It seemed likely that the Raiders were going to get enough votes to be able to relocate from Oakland to Las Vegas, and after a bit of a long wait, the final answer is officially here. Good news for those who love going out to Las Vegas? You'll now get to choose to potentially enjoy a live NFL game after placing all of your sports bets.According to ESPN's Adam Schefter the vote for the Raiders to make the move was nearly unanimous, with the lone team voting against it being the Miami Dolphins.
So, did the Dolphins just want to make sure that the beautiful Miami beaches and awesome weather there remained as one of the most attractive free-agent destinations? But in all seriousness, no one will probably ever know exactly why the Dolphins decided to vote against the Raiders moving, especially when the rest of the league was for it. Even still a 31-1 vote will get the job done and send the Raiders on to Sin City.
Almost immediately after the voting, Raiders owner Mark Davis posted a statement on the team's official website about the move, which read as follows.
“My father always said, ‘the greatness of the Raiders is in its future,’ and the opportunity to build a world-class stadium in the entertainment capital of the world is a significant step toward achieving that greatness. I would like to thank Commissioner Goodell, the National Football League and my 31 partners. I would also like to thank Governor Brian Sandoval and the Nevada Legislature for their commitment. Finally, I would like to thank Sheldon Adelson for his vision and leadership, without which this project never would have become a reality.
“The Raiders were born in Oakland and Oakland will always be part of our DNA. We know that some fans will be disappointed and even angry, but we hope that they do not direct that frustration to the players, coaches and staff. We plan to play at the Coliseum in 2017 and 2018, and hope to stay there as the Oakland Raiders until the new stadium opens. We would love nothing more than to bring a championship back to the Bay Area.”
It's interesting that the Raiders will remain in Oakland at the Coliseum for the next two seasons, especially since fans probably won't exactly be fond with how this all played out. No fan wants to see their team leave town, but you could probably make a safe assumption that there's going to be a slight (or massive) drop-off in attendance over the next two seasons in Oakland.
Regardless of whether fans hate it or love it, this is happening, so Las Vegas better get ready for an NFL team.