ATLANTA - The NFL hopes to finalize a 2019 home for the Oakland Raiders in the next few weeks and continues to study multiple possibilities in the Bay Area. The league conducted another site survey of Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, last week, according to league sources, to further determine the feasibility of the Raiders playing seven regular season games there next season.
There continues to be an overwhelming sense in the league office that the Raiders will be playing in one of three sites next year – Oakland Alameda-County Coliseum in Oakland, Levi's Field, home of the 49ers, or Oracle Park, sources said. The NFL will have to invest in security upgrades and also address issues with the playing field in order for Oracle Park to meet league standards and guidelines. It remains to be seen if the NFL will make the necessary commitments to that facility to bring it up to par, and those discussions will continue next week back in New York.
If nothing else, having Oracle Park available will give the Raiders and NFL additional leverage with Oakland. There is still a distinct possibility that the Raiders play there next season, as much as the team has rebuffed that notion in the aftermath of the city suing the franchise. The Raiders could negotiate a one year lease there. Many in the NFL office believe the easiest solution to this problem is for the Raiders to share Levi's Stadium with the 49ers for one season, but Raiders owner Mark Davis has been heavily against that option to this point.
The Raiders will relocate to Las Vegas after next season and the NFL wants to get this settled as soon as possible Meetings to finalize the 2019 NFL regular-season schedule will begin shortly after the Super Bowl.
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