Pritchard: Las Vegas ‘quietly celebrating’ Raiders move to Sin City
Mar 27, 2017, 8:54 PM
Among the talking points Monday regarding the Raiders impending move from Oakland to Las Vegas was the club becoming the third team in 15 months to relocate its team
The Chargers bolted from San Diego earlier this year for Los Angeles, joining a Rams franchise fresh off its first season away from St. Louis.
But, perhaps the talking points should have centered on Oakland losing an NFL franchise for the second time in 35 years.
“We feel bad for them a little bit. I will say that. No body’s rubbing it in on social media, that’s for sure,” said Mike Pritchard, a native of the city and host on ESPN1100 in Las Vegas.
“It’s one of those situations where Oakland’s losing a team twice. I don’t know what fan base has been through it like that.”
Raiders owner Mark Davis, in a statement released by the club, said he knew fans would be “disappointed and even angry” in the decision to move to Las Vegas, though the organization “love nothing more than to bring a championship back to the Bay Area.”
“The Raiders were born in Oakland and Oakland will always be part of our DNA,” Davis said.
And with the Raiders staying in Oakland for at least the next two seasons, Pritchard said, “quietly celebrate” while knowing the team will be moving about nine hours southeast in due time.
“Oakland is still the Oakland Raiders, and Vegas will have its time in 2020,” Pritchard said.
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported the vote to approve the relocation was nearly unanimous Monday, with the Miami Dolphins the only team among the 32 to vote against the move.
“My position today was that we as owners and as a league owe it to the fans to do everything we can to stay in the communities that have supported us until all options have been exhausted,” Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said in a statement.
“I want to wish Mark Davis and the Raiders organization the best in Las Vegas.”
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.