What they are saying Monday about NFL owners approving the Oakland Raiders’ move to Las Vegas:
“As I sit here and see a vote that takes the Raiders to Las Vegas, I am overwhelmed with emotion. I don’t know how we should feel. I feel the pain of our fans in Oakland. I also see the joy on the faces of our new fans in Las Vegas. As players, we will show up and give everything we have. We will compete and we will do our best to bring a championship to the entire Raider Nation. While I am from California and would have loved playing in Oakland my whole career, I understand the business side of the NFL. It affects us all.” – Raiders quarterback Derek Carr .
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“Disappointed for Raider fans but not at all discouraged! Raider fans are passionate, tough, determined and fiercely loyal…and will travel!” – Former Raiders QB Rich Gannon, the 2002 NFL MVP who led team to its last Super Bowl appearance.
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“The Raiders were born in Oakland and Oakland will always be part of our DNA. We know that some fans will be disappointed and even angry, but we hope that they do not direct that frustration to the players, coaches and staff.” – Raiders owner Mark Davis.
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“My position today was that we as owners and as a league owe it to the fans to do everything we can to stay in the communities that have supported us. I want to wish Mark Davis and the Raiders organization the best in Las Vegas.” – Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, the lone dissenter in the 31-1 vote, to the Palm Beach Post.
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“It truly is an exciting time to be from Las Vegas. There is only a select group of cities in North America that are home to both an NHL and an NFL franchise, and Vegas is now one of them. This alone should be a great source of pride for our community and our fans. Las Vegas has always been one of the most popular destination cities in the world and it is now emerging as a premier location for major league professional sports.” – Golden Knights Chairman and CEO Bill Foley, whose expansion team becomes the city’s first major pro franchise next season.
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“You will never ever see me wearing anything that says the Raiders.” – Oakland City Council President Larry Reid, who said he will consult with attorneys to see if they can force the Raiders out of the Coliseum early.
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“We congratulate the Raiders and the National Football League on today’s historic decision to place a team in Las Vegas. The second announcement of a major sports franchise to locate a team in Las Vegas in just the last 12 months demonstrates how far gaming has come, from a niche industry to a $240 billion economic engine that supports 1.7 million jobs in 40 states. The gaming industry currently partners with professional teams around the country and we look forward to soon doing the same in Nevada.” – American Gaming Association President/CEO Geoff Freeman.
