Raiders owner Mark Davis blasts Oakland A's proposed move to Las Vegas
The Oakland Athletics are planning to relocate to Las Vegas, much to the chagrin of Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis.
It’s no secret that the A’s and Raiders have a contentious relationship. They shared the same venue in Oakland for many years. Davis, who uprooted the Raiders to Las Vegas in 2020, is not a fan of the A’s ownership group.
In a recent interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Davis shared his thoughts on the A’s proposed relocated efforts.
And he didn’t hold back.
"I won’t forget what they did to us in Oakland. They squatted on a lease for 10 years and made it impossible for us to build on that stadium," Davis said. "They were looking for a stadium. We were looking for a stadium. They didn’t want to build a stadium, and then went ahead and signed a 10-year lease with the city of Oakland and said, ‘We’re the base team.'"
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The A’s had a stronghold on the Oakland Coliseum for many years. The stadium was built in 1966 and served as a dual-purpose venue. The Raiders played there for multiple seasons after transitioning back from Los Angeles in 1995.
Davis wanted to create improvements to the historic venue. However, he said he was met with backlash from the A’s ownership. He later pursued a new stadium in Oakland, but the A’s decided to negotiate a new lease with the city.
As a result, Davis felt the A’s tried to seize the city spotlight. He referred to a controversial "Rooted in Oakland" campaign as a sticking point in the team’s relationship.
"They marketed the team as 'Rooted in Oakland,' that’s been their mantra through the whole thing," Davis said. "The slogans they’ve been using have been a slap to the face of the Raiders, and they were trying to win over that type of mentality in the Bay Area. Well all they did was (expletive) the Bay Area."
Davis admitted that he does like the A’s players. He just has an issue with the ownership group that is deeply rooted in personal animosity.
"I have nothing against the players," Davis said. "I was an A’s fan, way back in the day, Reggie Jackson and all those guys. Reggie’s a good friend. But not this management group, no."
The A's are looking to build a stadium with a retractable roof west of the Las Vegas Strip. It is set to cost $1.5 billion and seat 30,000 fans.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis rips Oakland A's move to his city
