HOUSTON – The Raiders arrived in Texas on Monday night ready for just about anything, but committed to their Carson stadium project. That’s an appropriate stance on the eve of a two-day NFL owners meeting in Houston where one or two teams could be approved for relocation to Los Angeles.
The Raiders, St. Louis Rams and San Diego Chargers applied to move to the second largest media market last week.
The Raiders and Chargers have partnered on a stadium proposal in Carson and the Rams are pushing to be the lone team in a competing Inglewood proposal.
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[BAIR: Raiders players curious about LA relocation prospects]
Dallas owner Jerry Jones formally submitted a third option that puts the Chargers and Rams in the Inglewood site, an idea that has gained significant traction among owners here in Houston.
That doesn’t mean a Rams-Chargers pairing is locked. If, as expected, a vote to approve the Rams’ proposal or the Raiders-Chargers project in Houston doesn’t receive a required three-quarters majority, the Jones plan could make for a welcome compromise. The league could take care of popular Chargers owner Dean Spanos and bring Rams owner Stan Kroenke’s mountain of cash to L.A.
Kroenke’s Inglewood proposal is seen as a flashier option, with greater potential to be a destination for NFL fans.
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Sources close to both teams said Monday that the Raiders and Chargers remain committed to each other and their Carson project. It’s entirely possible that proposal is eventually approved as is, and both sides are pushing to get that job done. Disney CEO and Carson Holdings executive director Bob Iger is in Houston in support of the Carson project.
[BAIR: Raiders' fate in Los Angeles likely decided this week]
Davis, Spanos and team staffers met on that very topic on Monday evening in a private room of the Westin Memorial City’s hotel restaurant.
When asked by reporters earlier in the day about the strength of a Raiders-Chargers partnership, Spanos said he would ultimately abide by the NFL’s decision. Davis was seen at the NFL hotel, but did not speak extensively with the press. His commitment to Carson remains strong.
It is believed that the Carson project has more support than Inglewood at this stage. It could surge to approval, or a stalemate could produce a negotiated outcome.
It should be emphasized here that the situation remains fluid, and could change as meetings formally commence on Tuesday morning.
The NFL’s six-owner committee on L.A. relocation met on Monday evening, and is expected to make a site recommendation to the membership at some point during these meetings. Jones’ Chargers-Rams mash-up remains a discussion topic, one that would leave the Raiders as the odd team out if it were agreed upon and formally executed.
That would come with compensation to help build a new stadium in Oakland or another home market. The Orange County Register reported that the Raiders said Oakland wasn’t a NFL city in their relocation application, which had some harsh words for the Raiders current home. Bleacher Report reported Monday that San Antonio is still an option if the Raiders don’t get approved for an L.A.
The NFL’s L.A. situation and the Raiders’ place in it will gain clarity in coming days, as Oakland waits to see if it remains home to an NFL team.