Advertisement

NFL-Raiders destination uncertain after NFL nixes LA move

Jan 12 (Reuters) - The Oakland Raiders are uncertain which city they will call home in 2016 after the failure of their bid to move back to Los Angeles, owner Mark Davis said on Tuesday. The franchise's lease at Oakland Coliseum, where they have played since moving north from Los Angeles 1995, has expired and the city has not expressed willingness to contribute public money for a new stadium. "I don't know where we'll be (in 2016)," Davis told reporters. "We're trying to figure that out." He was speaking after NFL owners voted for the St. Louis Rams to move to Los Angeles, and also gave the San Diego Chargers an option to relocate as well, freezing out the Raiders and sending them back to the drawing board. The league says it will contribute $100 million towards the cost of building a new stadium for the three-time Super Bowl champions, a figure that did not impress Davis. "I don't believe that's going to fill the gap that we have right now," he said. "We made a commitment to try to get to Los Angeles. That didn't happen for us. We came in third." Davis ruled out moving the Raiders to St. Louis to fill the void left by the Rams but said all other options would be considered, including a move to San Diego should the Chargers vacate the city. "America, the world, is a possibility for the Raider nation," Davis said. "We're going to find a home." The Oakland Coliseum, which opened in 1966, is not a football-specific stadium. It has been home for Major League Baseball's Oakland Athletics since 1968. (Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina)