Even though it makes fiscal and logical sense, the Oakland Raiders continue to be stubborn regarding a potential move into a shared stadium with the San Francisco 49ers. And in what is more than likely a tactical bluff with local government, owner Mark Davis has met with officials from the city of San Antonio regarding a potential relocation, according to MySanAntonio.com.
John Breech of CBS Sports notes that the Raiders currently play in the sixth-largest market in the country, while San Antonio is only the 37th largest, but there’s more to it than that.
First, the Raiders split that market with the much more popular 49ers. In Oakland, they had the worst attendance figures in the league last season. And O.co Coliseum is nearly half a century old, while the Alamodome is only 20 years old and holds nearly 12,000 more fans for American football.
Plus, while the Bay Area has plenty of options, the Raiders would have a chance to be kings in football-obsessed Texas. San Antonio only has the Spurs right now, while Bay Area sports fans have the Warriors, the 49ers, the Sharks, the Giants and the Athletics to keep them distracted.
The Athletics recently signed a new lease at O.co Coliseum and the city hasn’t been willing to budge on financing for a new venue for the Raiders, which would likely cost in excess of $800 million, based on recent builds elsewhere.
That’s why this San Antonio buzz is real.
