New Raiders owner Mark Davis, the son of the late Al Davis, told reporters on Jan. 10 that the team needs a new stadium — whether it be in Oakland, Los Angeles or elsewhere.
It was the younger Davis' first public comments since his father passed Oct. 8 reportedly because of heart failure.
“The timetable is yesterday. So that’s where it is. We’ve got to get a stadium. We’ve got to get that done,” Davis said at a news conference to introduce new Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie. “It’s such a competitive business. It really is competitive. We can’t compete for a lot of the players that other teams can, at times.”
Davis told reporters that Raiders CEO Amy Trask has talked with officials in Oakland about a new stadium and with the San Francisco 49ers about possibly sharing a stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
Davis, 48, also said he has talked to groups in Los Angeles but hasn’t received an offer he likes. The Raiders played in Los Angeles from 1982-94.
The team's lease with O.co Coliseum and Alameda County reportedly runs through the 2013 season.
“Yeah, Los Angeles is a possibility,” Davis said. “Wherever’s a possibility. We need a stadium.
“We’re trying to get something done up here but if we can’t, we’ve got to get something done somewhere because we need to be able to compete. And that’s where it’s at.”
For the first time since the team returned from Los Angeles in 1995, the Raiders had sellouts for all eight home games during the 2011 season.
Davis also told reporters Jan. 10 that he has no intention of selling the team. He reportedly took over as managing general partner when his father died and owns the majority of the team with his mother, Carole.
“This is my life,” he said. “I’ve been with the Raiders for 48 years. And my whole thing is to continue the legacy that my father built here and I’ve got one of the largest extended families in the world. And that’s what all these former players and everybody else that’s been in this organization and they mean a lot to me and this organization represents them as well as they represent us and that’s where it’s going to stay.”
