The Raiders, who are getting what they hope is a permanent home in Las Vegas, will exercise their option to play at the Oakland County Coliseum for the next two seasons, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday.
Their 2019 home, however, remains up in the air.
The Coliseum could be an option. So could Sam Boyd Stadium, the current home for UNLV’s football team, although that 35,000-seat venue would need upgrades before it is ready to host NFL games.
Other options include Cal’s Memorial Stadium and Levi’s Stadium, which was built to accommodate two NFL tenants. The 49ers likely would be amenable to sharing a stadium with the Raiders for a season but the Raiders have been resistant to that idea so far.
“I just don’t think it fits the Raiders,” Davis told CSN Bay Area recently. He said the Raiders have a massive parking lot that allows for a unique pre-game experience.
“I don’t believe they have that in Santa Clara,” he said. “There are other things that create the 49ers game-day experience, but the Raiders have an experience of their own.”
The 49ers might be interested in sharing with the Raiders because it could attract NFL fans who won’t have an option of watching games in Oakland very much longer. That team’s $1.7 billion stadium in Las Vegas is expected to be ready in 2020.
General manager John Lynch said he could empathize with Raiders fans because he grew up in San Diego rooting for the Chargers, who recently moved to Los Angeles. Then again, he also saw Monday’s news an opportunity for the 49ers.
“Raider fans, we’re open for business,” he said on the NFL Network Monday. “Come and jump on our train.”
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