The Oakland Raiders are soon to be no more. The team's long-running flirtation with the idea of leaving the Bay Area is finally coming to fruition following a vote by the NFL owners on Monday afternoon. Despite some unexpected challenges and last-second modifications, the team will be moving to Las Vegas, though probably not for another two or three years, at the earliest.
The franchise-defining vote
On Monday, the owners in the NFL gathered together to vote and discuss on many topics, including the future of the Raiders. In the preceding days, it seemed increasingly likely that a move to Las Vegas would be voted upon and approved by the owners.
Oakland made a last-second effort to get some funding together to hold on to the team, but commissioner Roger Goodell still saw flaws and desperation in that plan.
Ultimately, the Las Vegas vote would prove victorious by a vote of 31-1; only the Miami Dolphins voted against the measure. It will still be several years before the local stadium is ready to host an NFL team, though. The Raiders have one-year options to play at their current stadium in Oakland for each of the next two seasons. What happens beginning in 2019 until the stadium is ready is an open question right now.
History in the making
The Raiders won't actually be the first professional sports franchise to make their way to Las Vegas - the Golden Knights of the NHL are set to begin their debut season in the city next year.
The NFL is significantly more popular than the NHL, though, and their presence in the so-called "Entertainment Capital of the World" legitimizes the city as a sports destination.
In the past, leagues have shied away from the Las Vegas market due to its ties with gambling. Match fixing scandals have the ability to destroy the credibility of professional sports.
Ironically, the NFL and NHL were the leagues with the biggest concerns about the market's viability. In just a few years time, the Raiders will be putting those concerns to the test when they call the city home.
