San Antonio billionaire open to helping Raiders relocate to Texas
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FILE - This is a Nov. 22, 2015, file photo showing Oakland Raiders team owner Mark Davis walking on the field before an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, in Detroit. (AP)
The NFL approved the relocation of the St. Louis Rams to Los Angeles on Tuesday night, leaving both the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers in limbo in their respective stadiums.
Neither the Raiders or Chargers came close to making a major change Tuesday, but the Chargers were given one year to decide whether to make the leap to Los Angeles and share a stadium complex with the Rams in Inglewood, Calif. Should San Diego decline, the Raiders would be given the option to move. However, Oakland might be looking to move out of the Bay Area sooner than later.
Red McCombs, an 88-year-old San Antonio billionaire and former owner the Minnesota Vikings, said in a radio interview with ESPN San Antonio Wednesday that he talked with Raiders owner Mark Davis about moving the team to San Antonio immediately after the team withdrew its application to move to Los Angeles.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to Bleacher Report, Davis already owns land in San Antonio and McCombs insisted in the radio interview there are “several locations that would work” to build a stadium in the San Antonio area. McCombs also said he has 12 corporate sponsors ready to welcome the Raiders. The billionaire also said he would be open in buying the Raiders from Davis if need be.
"We would be happy to be investors if that what he wants," he said. "We have investors lined up if that what he wants. If he wants to keep it all to himself, that's OK too."
Davis traveled to San Antonio in 2014 to scout the area around San Antonio.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In a bid to entice the Raiders to stay long term, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said Wednesday should would be open to leasing the land at O.Co Coliseum at a “favorable price,” according to the San Jose Mercury News. However, Schaaf still refuses to help for a new stadium or give Davis complete control over the stadium which is mainly used to host Oakland Athletics baseball games.
“We're asking the Raiders to give us the time and attention to show that this can be done," she said. "We never were able to get to the level of detail where they could see how we can leave room for development and still have the parking and tailgating they want."
Oakland is still in debt from a renovation 20 years ago when the Raiders moved back from Los Angeles. City officials have said they won't seek help from taxpayers with a new stadium, and asked the NFL for more time to develop a project in a response to the Raiders' relocation plan. The NFL gave it to them.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We'll see where the Raider nation ends up here," Davis said Tuesday, who was equally noncommittal in comments to reporters outside the news conference. "We'll be working really hard to find us a home. So for our fans and everything else, don't feel bad. We'll get it right."
Davis said anywhere in the world is a possibility for the Raiders to relocate since they don’t have a lease with the Coliseum in Oakland.
The Raiders franchise has been under the Davis family’s control since Mark’s father Al became the coach and general manager in 1963.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Associated Press contributed to this report.