Mark Davis Is Paying For A New Stadium By Compromising His Team On The Field

It was all smiles last week when Roger Goodell and Raiders owner Mark Davis stood next to their silver and black shovels at the ceremonial groundbreaking for the Raiders soon-to-be new home in Las Vegas.

For months, Davis has been applauded for uncovering the financial resources to mortgage a new home in Las Vegas. The taxpayers will shoulder much of the financial burden, but make no mistake, the Raiders are paying a price.

For Davis, the players, and the fans, the next payment on the Raiders new home came on Sunday afternoon in Mexico City.

For as much as coaches and fans criticize the NFL for taking a home game from the Raiders every season, this is what the team signed up for. Davis may have saved some coin on his new stadium, but the NFL doesn’t give handouts. By expanding the NFL brand to Mexico, the NFL makes millions of dollars each year. Those millions may not come from the pockets of Davis, but by giving up a home game (in this case the biggest home game of the year), Davis is paying the price with his team on the field.

Sunday’s game against Tom Brady and the Patriots should have been in the Black Hole. The players and fans deserved it. Instead, one of the pivotal games of the season was sacrificed to the commissioner of the league.

Al Davis maybe would have moved the team to Las Vegas, but it’s hard to imagine him smiling ear to ear next to a commissioner who was/is actively compromising his beloved Raiders on the field.

For what it’s worth, the international trend isn’t over yet. Expect another four years of payments to the league in the form of lost home games for the Raiders.

Then again, maybe it’s a sign of things to come. No one knows what kind of home field advantage the Raiders will gain in Las Vegas. It’s possible the tradition of road home games is only getting started.

twitter: @raidersbeat

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6 thoughts on “Mark Davis Is Paying For A New Stadium By Compromising His Team On The Field

  1. hahah what stupidity. If I were to list the issues with the Raiders, missing the home game versus the Pats would be in the teens and absolutely not worth a shitty article being written about it

  2. only a dumb *** would move a pro sports team to Vegas.

    Mark is that dumbass

    Raiders should have slide down to San Diego if Oakland refused to come through with a new stadium
    They are a California team why the hell would you piss off your entire fanbase to go to a city where people move in and out on a daily basis.

    Las Vegas will be a huge bust for the Davis family and they will be forced to sell. Maybe that was the NFL and it’s owners plans all along. Get rid of the Davis family by bankrupting them.

    1. That is the plan, Vegas will fail and the league will finally be rid of a Davis…this may be Jerry Jones best NFL move….

    2. I would have to agree that what the NFL is doing to Mark is giving him enough rope to hang himself. In Mark’s case it won’t take much rope. The idea that Las Vegas can support an NFL team with the wages most people make in Vegas is delusion writ large. The Raiders will face plant in Vegas with the Davis mediocrity syndrome and lack of support from a mixed fan base while the political situation in Nevada will eventually call into question the questionable dealings that caused tax monies to go to a stadium instead of a school system or other more necessary issues that Nevadans face.

    3. I totally disagree! Let me be clear, I think the Raiders should have found a way somehow to remain in Oakland. However, I don’t think Vegas will not be a full success for Mark Davis. He will make money hand over foot there. Now if you are arguing it’s bad for home field advantage, you didn’t make that argument. Fans will come from LA in droves, as well as Arizona and yes even the Bay Area to join the fans handful of fans in Vegas. And yes I expect a bunch of fans from the visiting team every game but that’s still money in Mark’s pocket and far from bankruptcy.

  3. clueless article!!! No message, no insight. Mexico City home game, short term pain—-long term gain!

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