The Oakland Raiders are rumored to be moving back down the road to Los Angeles, with NFL insiders saying the team’s chances of moving back to its former home are growing greater by the day.
Sources say that Los Angeles is laying the groundwork for one or possibly two NFL teams to return, with the move coming as early as next year. The Oakland Raiders are believed to be one of the most likely targets.
On Wednesday, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that the odds of the Oakland Raiders returning to Los Angeles are greater than most people, himself included, had considered.
The Oakland #Raiders have a much better chance of moving to Los Angeles this year than I realized. That possibility is very legitimate.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 10, 2014
The rumor that the Oakland Raiders could be moving to Los Angeles would appear to have some solid supporting evidence. The Raiders do not have a lease for the upcoming NFL season, and the city’s attempt to secure a deal for a new stadium appears to be going nowhere so far.
The lease situation got so bad that in November, officials from the Raiders traveled to San Antonio to meet with city leaders to discuss the possibility of a move there . Though that was seen mostly as a bargaining tactic to push a stadium deal in Oakland, it still appears as though the Raiders could be leaving.
The Raider Nation Times notes that the team appears to already be gearing up for a move.
“For the Raiders to relocate they have to meet certain requirements and are able to negotiate with other cities about relocating. 1. They have to show they are trying in good faith to stay in their current city. The Raiders have been doing that for a while now and have shown enough effort to stay in Oakland. 2. The team also has to seek help from the league to help out with new stadium in their current city. The league has been involved and watching closely and it appears that the Raiders are not only working to get a stadium secure in Oakland, but they are also looking at other cities more seriously than we thought. Talking to San Antonio and Los Angeles not only puts pressure on the City of Oakland but it helps fill some requirements that the Raiders need to do prior to relocating.”
The Oakland Raiders are not the only team rumored to be moving to Los Angeles. The St. Louis Rams , a team that also once resided in Los Angeles alongside the Raiders, are considered a target as well.
[Image via CBS]
