Report: Raiders won't relocate to San Antonio despite showing interest
The Oakland Raiders won't move to San Antonio despite showing interest in doing so, reports Jason Cole of Bleacher Report.
According to the report, the Raiders have been discussing the option with San Antonio officials merely to develop leverage for a possible move to Los Angeles or securing a new lease at the Coliseum in Oakland. The team's current lease at the venue expires at the end of the season.
The Raiders met with San Antonio representatives in July and are due to meet again Friday for a sales pitch led by former San Antonio mayor Henry Cisneros, who said he believes the franchise relocating to San Antonio is a "50-50 proposition."
San Antonio reportedly put in extensive preparations for the initial meeting in July, and Raiders owner Mark Davis called the discussions held then a "serious conversation." In the time between the two visits, Raiders officials attended a UTSA game at the Alamodome, the potential home stadium of a San Antonio franchise, and deemed it NFL-ready.
• BURKE: Time to believe in Cleveland?
The Raiders have also been mentioned as a team that could relocate to Los Angeles, and it was reported last month that the city is likely to get one or two NFL teams in the next two years.
It was also reported last month that the St. Louis Rams were the most likely franchise to relocate to Los Angeles, with the San Diego Chargers and Raiders also possible options. All three franchises have been based in Los Angeles in the past. The city hasn't had an NFL team since the Raiders and Rams left after the 1994 season.
The Raiders originally moved from Oakland to Los Angeles in 1982. The team has used the Coliseum as its home stadium while based in Oakland since 1966.
• BEDARD: MMQB: What caused Big Ben's record-breaking surge?
Oakland is 0-8 this season and hosts the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
- Ben Estes
