Getty Raiders' Mark Davis & Jon Gruden.
It’s official, the Oakland Raiders no longer exist and have been replaced by the Las Vegas Raiders, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced on Wednesday. Many from the organization were involved with the announcement as current and former players were in attendance. This included the like of Derek Carr, Johnathan Abram, Trent Brown and Darren Waller, amongst others.
“I do hereby proclaim January 22, 2020, as the day to celebrate the renaming of the Las Vegas Raiders,” Sisolak said.
Introducing your Las Vegas Raiders. #RaiderNation
This comes a little less than a week after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had revealed that the Raiders had officially changed their name. The players got to “stake their claim” in Las Vegas.
The @Raiders @derekcarrqb helping team stake their claim in Las Vegas. #vegas #raiders #stadium
Mark Davis Speaks
While the move has been a long time coming, it’s still surreal that the team has finally made it official. The Raiders fitted in so well in Oakland and Los Angeles, but Las Vegas is an untested market. Raiders owner Mark Davis was also able to address the move.
“The Raiders were born in Oakland,” Davis said. “And played 13 seasons in LA. Both cities will always be part of our DNA, but today we begin a new chapter in our storied history. For today, January 22, 2020, we are now the Las Vegas Raiders. And, today, Las Vegas officially becomes our nation’s capital.”
Regardless of if the move is a hit or not, the Raiders are clearly excited about the potential that Las Vegas brings.
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NFL Draft in Las Vegas
The world won’t have to wait until August to get an idea of how the NFL is going to resonate in Las Vegas. Come April, the 2020 NFL Draft is going to be held in “Sin City.” Mark Davis said on Wednesday that they expect over 750,000 to attend the event. The NFL is going all-in on the event.
“Embracing Las Vegas’s unique energy and iconic locations as the backdrop for the 2020 NFL Draft will further elevate this growing event,” said Peter O’Reilly, NFL Executive Vice President, Club Business and League Events, per Raiders.com. “We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Raiders, Las Vegas officials and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to create an unforgettable week-long celebration for our fans, the incoming prospects and our partners, as we kick off the NFL’s next 100 years.”
Roger Goodell also had a chance to chime in on the draft at Preview Las Vegas.
“I think what will come out of that is that you all will be done with that and then say, ‘Wow that was special,’ ” Goodell said. “Hopefully [it will] leave a lasting legacy here in the community that people look back and say the draft was a great event here and we would want it back.”
The NFL avoided Las Vegas for a very long time, but they appear to be fully embracing the city these days. It’s considered the entertainment capital of the world, so it only makes sense that a football team would be there. Fortunately, the Raiders are among the most popular teams in the NFL, so it should be a very exciting opportunity for the league and the team.
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