The Official 2013 Oakland Raiders Season Thread
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Raider Kev? That u?
Rick Roller 10
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Fsho. One of the biggest Raider fans I know lives in NC
Raiders eye NFL's smallest stadium in Oakland
OAKLAND -- The Oakland Raiders want to build the NFL's smallest stadium at their current home, but the team might not be able to cover even half the costs, city and Alameda County officials learned Monday.
A team-commissioned study found enough demand in Oakland for a 56,500-seat football stadium, including 6,000 club seats, that would cost roughly $800 million, said David Stone, whose firm, AECOM, is advising Oakland and Alameda County officials on stadium construction.
Stone said the Raiders have proposed contributing about $300 million toward the project. If the NFL agreed to provide $200 million from its stadium loan program, that would leave an estimated $300 million shortfall, Stone said Monday during a meeting of the joint Oakland and Alameda County board that governs the Oakland Coliseum complex.
Team officials were not at the Monday meeting. Mike Taylor, the team's director of public affairs, said in a statement that "Both sides are conducting studies to determine the demand and financial viability of the project." City leaders had been adamant about not subsidizing a new football stadium after losing tens of millions of dollars to bring the Raiders back from Los Angeles, but their tone softened Monday.
Councilman Larry Reid acknowledged that public money would be needed to help cover stadium construction costs and wouldn't rule out supporting it.
"My primary concern is this is a city that always had three major league teams and that now there is the possibility that we will have none," he said.
The NBA's Golden State Warriors are planning to leave Oakland for San Francisco, and the Oakland A's still want to move to San Jose.
AECOM is working its own stadium feasibility study for the city and county that will consider options for bridging the funding gap, such as increased hotel and rental car taxes.
There is a growing urgency in Oakland to strike a deal with the Raiders to keep the team from returning to Los Angeles, where a 75,000-seat stadium has been proposed in the nearby City of Industry.
With the Raiders lease expiring after the upcoming season, team owner Mark Davis has said he wants to stay in Oakland but doesn't want to sign another short-term lease at the Coliseum without an agreement in place for a new stadium.
"There is no set deadline ... but we know time is not on our side, even if there isn't a deadline," Assistant City Administrator Fred Blackwell said.
The Raiders' struggle to privately finance a stadium stems from poor corporate support, Stone said. NFL teams depend on major companies and wealthy individuals to buy an ownership stake in expensive suites and club seating, which are used to help finance stadium construction.
The 49ers have generated more than $400 million from the purchase of seat licenses for their $1.3 billion, 68,500-seat stadium in Santa Clara.
The Raiders are projecting to take in about $100 million from the sales of seat licenses. But the team has a poor track record in that department. When the Raiders failed to sell sufficient seat licenses to finance stadium renovation in Oakland upon
Fans enter the Oakland Coliseum before the Oakland Athletics versus Boston Red Sox game at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif. on Monday, July 19, 2010. (Nhat V. Meyer/Mercury News) ( Nhat V. Meyer )
the return from Los Angeles two decades ago, the city and Alameda County were forced to cover those costs.
Both entities still pay nearly $10 million a year to operate the Coliseum and are on the hook for about $100 million in outstanding debt from Coliseum renovations.
The Raiders are the only Oakland team interested in the city's ambitious vision for transforming 750 acres around the Coliseum into a sports and entertainment center with an adjacent biotech campus.
A football team, however, makes a less-than-ideal anchor tenant because it only plays 10 home games a year. Stone said the football stadium could only be expected to generate up to 60,000 square feet of retail, which is the size of a large supermarket, and up to 70,000 square feet of office space.
Asked if a football stadium alone could foster development of a large-scale sports and entertainment center, Smith College sports economist Andrew Zimbalist said "probably not."
Oakland sports fan Chris Lopez, who attended Monday's meeting, said he was still hopeful that a stadium could be built without hurting the city's bottom line. "There's a part of me that's really worried, but I don't think that this is impossible," he said.
When Oakland first pitched its vision for a new Coliseum complex, it included all three of its sports teams privately funding new sports facilities and teaming up with developers on other attractions. Now the city is looking at likely having to subsidize a football stadium for which Blackwell acknowledged financing will be difficult, but said the city hasn't given up on the bigger vision of new stadiums for all three of its teams.
"We have not by any means let go of the bigger vision," he said. "We know the bigger vision would have to be cut into bite-size pieces as we went along, and this is one of those chunks."
Contact Matthew Artz at 510-208-6435.
This article reflects the following correction: The seating projection was originally stated at 50,000, but that did not include 6,000 club seats and about 500 loge seats which would raise capacity to 56,500.
OAKLAND -- The Oakland Raiders want to build the NFL's smallest stadium at their current home, but the team might not be able to cover even half the costs, city and Alameda County officials learned Monday.
A team-commissioned study found enough demand in Oakland for a 56,500-seat football stadium, including 6,000 club seats, that would cost roughly $800 million, said David Stone, whose firm, AECOM, is advising Oakland and Alameda County officials on stadium construction.
Stone said the Raiders have proposed contributing about $300 million toward the project. If the NFL agreed to provide $200 million from its stadium loan program, that would leave an estimated $300 million shortfall, Stone said Monday during a meeting of the joint Oakland and Alameda County board that governs the Oakland Coliseum complex.
Team officials were not at the Monday meeting. Mike Taylor, the team's director of public affairs, said in a statement that "Both sides are conducting studies to determine the demand and financial viability of the project." City leaders had been adamant about not subsidizing a new football stadium after losing tens of millions of dollars to bring the Raiders back from Los Angeles, but their tone softened Monday.
Councilman Larry Reid acknowledged that public money would be needed to help cover stadium construction costs and wouldn't rule out supporting it.
"My primary concern is this is a city that always had three major league teams and that now there is the possibility that we will have none," he said.
The NBA's Golden State Warriors are planning to leave Oakland for San Francisco, and the Oakland A's still want to move to San Jose.
AECOM is working its own stadium feasibility study for the city and county that will consider options for bridging the funding gap, such as increased hotel and rental car taxes.
There is a growing urgency in Oakland to strike a deal with the Raiders to keep the team from returning to Los Angeles, where a 75,000-seat stadium has been proposed in the nearby City of Industry.
With the Raiders lease expiring after the upcoming season, team owner Mark Davis has said he wants to stay in Oakland but doesn't want to sign another short-term lease at the Coliseum without an agreement in place for a new stadium.
"There is no set deadline ... but we know time is not on our side, even if there isn't a deadline," Assistant City Administrator Fred Blackwell said.
The Raiders' struggle to privately finance a stadium stems from poor corporate support, Stone said. NFL teams depend on major companies and wealthy individuals to buy an ownership stake in expensive suites and club seating, which are used to help finance stadium construction.
The 49ers have generated more than $400 million from the purchase of seat licenses for their $1.3 billion, 68,500-seat stadium in Santa Clara.
The Raiders are projecting to take in about $100 million from the sales of seat licenses. But the team has a poor track record in that department. When the Raiders failed to sell sufficient seat licenses to finance stadium renovation in Oakland upon
Fans enter the Oakland Coliseum before the Oakland Athletics versus Boston Red Sox game at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif. on Monday, July 19, 2010. (Nhat V. Meyer/Mercury News) ( Nhat V. Meyer )
the return from Los Angeles two decades ago, the city and Alameda County were forced to cover those costs.
Both entities still pay nearly $10 million a year to operate the Coliseum and are on the hook for about $100 million in outstanding debt from Coliseum renovations.
The Raiders are the only Oakland team interested in the city's ambitious vision for transforming 750 acres around the Coliseum into a sports and entertainment center with an adjacent biotech campus.
A football team, however, makes a less-than-ideal anchor tenant because it only plays 10 home games a year. Stone said the football stadium could only be expected to generate up to 60,000 square feet of retail, which is the size of a large supermarket, and up to 70,000 square feet of office space.
Asked if a football stadium alone could foster development of a large-scale sports and entertainment center, Smith College sports economist Andrew Zimbalist said "probably not."
Oakland sports fan Chris Lopez, who attended Monday's meeting, said he was still hopeful that a stadium could be built without hurting the city's bottom line. "There's a part of me that's really worried, but I don't think that this is impossible," he said.
When Oakland first pitched its vision for a new Coliseum complex, it included all three of its sports teams privately funding new sports facilities and teaming up with developers on other attractions. Now the city is looking at likely having to subsidize a football stadium for which Blackwell acknowledged financing will be difficult, but said the city hasn't given up on the bigger vision of new stadiums for all three of its teams.
"We have not by any means let go of the bigger vision," he said. "We know the bigger vision would have to be cut into bite-size pieces as we went along, and this is one of those chunks."
Contact Matthew Artz at 510-208-6435.
This article reflects the following correction: The seating projection was originally stated at 50,000, but that did not include 6,000 club seats and about 500 loge seats which would raise capacity to 56,500.
G.O.A.T Squad Spokesman
Logic Is Absent Wherever Hate Is Present
This franchise is in the dump. shytty stadium, worse ranked starting QB in the league. Horrific offensive line and a depleted defensive line. We can't go no where but up.
Trojan 24
Veteran
Just Bring the Raiders back to LA already. I'm sorry Oakland bruhs, but it's for the good of the franchise.
G.O.A.T Squad Spokesman
Logic Is Absent Wherever Hate Is Present
All the rookies are now signed. Let's get it!
Can't wait for the season too start.-
Veldheer at left-tackle & Menelik Waton at right-tackle-
DMC gonna play a full season this time. 
If not, Latavius Murray gonna take his spot.-
I'm not sold on Flynn, if he sucks 3-4 games in, get him the fukk out and put in T-Pry or Wilson. I still have hope for T-Pry, but don't think he will ever get his chance. 
-
David Bass is looking like a beast. DL is a weakness, but I'm expecting Lamar Houston to have a huge year and get double digit sacks this season.-
I'm really liking the LB and secondary core. A good mix of young talent and good vet's. I'm expecting big things from Sio Moore along with Roach too. And Heyden getting mentored by Woodson 
-WR & TE core will struggle, but I think the power running scheme and system will make them better, as there will be a lot of short route throws, which will also help the slot receivers. I hope Conner Vernon can come up this season. Too bad Jacoby Ford is going to get hurt like always, lets see how much Cribbs has left.
The rookies will face a lot of pressure and will have to make an instant impact, which might not work, but I'm still optimistic as fukk.
We coming up this season.
Lakerman0834
Veteran
tank braughs get clowney