San Diego Among Emergency Options for Raiders if Allegiant Stadium Isn't Ready in Time for 2020 NFL Season
By Scott Rogust
The coronavirus pandemic has slowed down all non-essential businesses across the world. That includes construction companies responsible for finishing the Las Vegas Raiders' new home, Allegiant Stadium. This could put the stadium's status for the start of the 2020 season at serious risk. But the Raiders have contingency plans.
According to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Raiders are looking to San Diego, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City as temporary homes for the Raiders in case Allegiant Stadium is still under construction this fall.
The @Raiders have a backup plan if the coronavirus delays the completion of @AllegiantStadm #RaiderNationhttps://t.co/LVuHAdZA7n
— Vegas Nation (@VegasNation) April 13, 2020
"Before signing their final lease with the Oakland Coliseum last offseason, the Raiders investigated options that included playing games in Salt Lake City, Phoenix and San Diego, and it is realistic to think that all of those options could be resurrected," writes Bonsignore. "A person close to the situation, however, indicated that scenario remains the most unlikely and would only be triggered in an absolute worst-case scenario."
It's important to note that these are last ditch efforts, and are at the very best unfeasible.
San Diego is an intriguing option for the Raiders. The football fanbase was spurned by the Chargers organization back in 2017 when owner Dean Spanos opted to move the organization to Los Angeles. But would they welcome their hated rival in the Raiders?
The #Raiders reportedly have a contingency plan in case stadium is not completed, with three cities at the top of the list.
— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) April 13, 2020
Oakland is NOT one of them >>https://t.co/VbbBstlRsQ
The Phoenix option obviously means that the Raiders would share State Farm Stadium with the Arizona Cardinals. As for Salt Lake City, the NFL franchise would share Rice-Eccles Stadium with the Utah Utes college football program.
Allegiant Stadium is expected to open on schedule, but if there are any setbacks, the NFL could help solve the issue by scheduling their first month of the regular season on the road. After all, if they're playing in other locations, they won't have a true home game anyway. There's also the chance that the start of the 2020 NFL campaign is delayed due to COVID-19.
Either way, the Raiders appear to be prepared for the worst.