Oakland Raiders: Would Winning Season Prevent A Move?

They say winning cures everything in the NFL, but would it be enough to stop the Oakland Raiders from moving out of town?

Mark Davis juggling San Antonio and Los Angeles as new homes

What was once pure speculation has gained steam into a very serious situation for Raider fans in the Oakland area.  Having already seen their team move once before in the early 1980s, the idea that it could happen again must be gut-wrenching.  Yet, that is the reality.  Team owner Mark Davis has already met with representatives in San Antonio regarding a possible move there.  That was quickly followed by strong rumors that Los Angeles is deep in the running to host the Silver and Black for a second time.  Considering the fact that L.A. has emerged as a favorite to host the NFL draft, this isn’t a huge surprise.

Matt Schaub and Dennis Allen need the money winning would bring

Winning of course is the reason fans follow teams in the first place, and it’s clear the Raiders haven’t done much of that for over a decade.  In fact, they haven’t had a winning record since 2002.

More than that though is not so much the actual winning record that Davis and his associates want, but the money behind it.  According to Forbes.com, Oakland was last appraised at a net value of $865 million, good for dead last in the entire NFL.  Teams like Jacksonville, Buffalo and Detroit, teams without a single Super Bowl title rank ahead of them.

That has to stick in the craw of Davis, who has grown tired of the ongoing financial problems his franchise has dealt with.  A move to the media mecca of Los Angeles or the oil-rich revenue of Texas would be a great help.

On the other hand, getting the fans back by actually winning football games might just do it as well.  With help from a new quarterback and head coach Dennis Allen, making the playoffs in 2014 could be a huge break for Oakland fans, at least in terms of keeping the team in place.  It would allow the Raiders to hike their ticket and suite prices as well as lure in sponsorships.  Most importantly it could lead to Davis getting what he’s wanted for awhile now:  a new stadium.  That is the one thing that has really driven the idea of moving the team elsewhere.

It seems Al Davis’ iconic mantra “Just Win Baby” went far beyond the games themselves.  Irony shows that it may be the last hope of keeping the franchise in Oakland.