Getty Mark Davis with John Mara.
It’s an exciting day for Las Vegas and the Raiders as the NFL confirmed that Allegiant Stadium will host Super Bowl LVIII in 2024. It’s big news for a city that was largely alienated by the league for decades. Though it’s still a few years away, it will be one of the most highly anticipated sporting events of the decade.
Of course, the Raiders would love to do what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did last year and win a Super Bowl in their home stadium. However, that doesn’t appear to be something that owner Mark Davis expects to happen. It’s no secret that he’s failed to build a winning team since taking over for his father Al. Since taking over the team in 2011, the Raiders have had one winning season.
This season has been among the most tumultuous for Davis as he had to deal with the resignation of head coach Jon Gruden. What started off as a promising season has turned sour as the Raiders have lost five of their last six games. Landing the Super Bowl at Allegiant Stadium is one of the few positives that Davis has had this year. During the press conference to announce the Super Bowl news, the owner expressed his happiness while acknowledging that the Raiders aren’t winning.
“When you’re not winning on the field, it’s nice to win off it,” Davis said, via Vic Tafur of The Athletic.
Davis has every right to be excited about the news but fans didn’t take kindly to the comments.
The biggest game. The brightest stage.
The Super Bowl is coming to @AllegiantStadm and Las Vegas. #SBLVIII
Statement: t.co/4JzTCchZYq
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Fans Go After Davis
Davis likely didn’t mean much by the comments but it’s certainly tone-deaf. While he might be winning off the field, fans of the team don’t get anything from the Raiders hosting the Super Bowl. They care about one thing: Wins. The Raiders made saying like “just win, baby,” and “commitment to excellence” iconic within the franchise. Fans noted that Davis’ comments don’t fall in line with the team’s values.
Other fans took the opportunity to rip into the owner.
Despite being the only heir to Al Davis, some fans would like to see him sell the team.
Raiders May Not Be Able to Afford Another Rebuild
With Gruden gone and the Raiders struggling, many are quick to suggest that the team needs a full rebuild. However, they may not be afforded that luxury. The team is in a new city and trying to win over fans. They’re already having issues with opposing teams’ fans coming to games in droves.
Entering a two to three-year rebuild is a huge risk considering the last several attempts have failed miserably. If Davis hopes to keep Las Vegas’ interest, he needs to build a winner quickly. The easiest way to do that is by nailing the head coaching hire. The Raiders do have talent on the roster. It’s easy to forget that they were 5-2 earlier in the season. Davis needs to hire the right head coach. That could mean that he’ll have to swing for the fences by luring a name like Mike Tomlin or Jim Harbaugh to Las Vegas.
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Mark Davis Gets Ripped Apart Online for Comments: ‘Sell the Team’