This isn't the first time Mark Davis, the owner of the Raiders, has expressed interest in leaving Oakland. He flirted with San Antonio. He wanted Los Angeles. This time, like the L.A. saga, it feels real.
Las Vegas doesn't feel like a ploy.
Davis sure sounds like he wants to move the franchise to Las Vegas -- even if a viable stadium plan emerges in Oakland. When the Las Vegas Review Journal asked Davis if he'd give up on Vegas if that plan ever surfaced, he said he wouldn't.
"No, I would not, and I've made that clear," Davis said. "The opportunity came up in Las Vegas, and we're giving it full bore. This is not a pawn in a game. We are serious.
"Right now, I'm focused on Las Vegas. We think it could make a great marriage with Las Vegas and the Raiders."
Still, there's an obvious obstacle in the way: money. As CBS Sports' Will Brinson explained a week ago, "the city is going to need to figure out how to get $750 million in public funding in order to get the Raiders to move."
It's an issue that's not lost on Davis. Even though he pledged $500 million to build a stadium, that alone won't be enough.
"The main thing is finding out if the public contribution is going to be there," Davis said. "Whatever private money is needed, we'll come up with that."
Despite the need for money and lots of it, the idea continues to gain momentum. Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft, perhaps the two most influential owners, already backed the move. The Las Vegas mayor even believes it'll happen.
There's no guarantee that any of this actually leads to the Raiders in Las Vegas, but you can't deny how real it feels.
