OAKLAND, CA – Today, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf released publicly the letter being hand-delivered to individual NFL team owners reiterating the case for a new, fully-financed Raiders’ stadium in Oakland. The letter specifically addresses the Oakland team’s response to two outstanding issues raised by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in his most recent correspondence: the disposition of the Oakland A’s and the certainty of the land deal.
“Never that we know of has the NFL voted to displace a team from its established market when there is a fully-financed option before them with all the issues addressed,” said Mayor Libby Schaaf. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t do everything in my power to make the case for Oakland up until the very end.”
Mayor Schaaf’s response comes prior to an expected vote on whether to permit Raiders’ owner Mark Davis to move the franchise to Las Vegas.
In the correspondence, Mayor Schaaf made two specific asks of the owners:
1) Instead of an up/down vote, provide a prescribed time for a small group of NFL owners to lead negotiating talks with Raiders’ owner Mark Davis and the Oakland team.
2) If, a vote is to be taken, use a secret ballot as was done in the recent Los Angeles relocation vote.
The letters to the NFL owners were accompanied by earlier correspondence and materials sent to Commissioner Goodell last week.
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Erica Terry Derryck
(510) 238-7072