By moving to Las Vegas, the Raiders traded a torn up field with baseball infield dirt on it for a brand new venue and fan market of their own.
The Oakland Coliseum had been perhaps NFL’s worst stadium; Allegiant Stadium, where the Raiders now play, figures to be one of the best.
The Raiders debut their new home on Monday night against the Saints in front of a national TV audience, officially welcoming pro football to Las Vegas after decades of the NFL toying with the idea of expanding to Sin City. That’s two major sports teams for Las Vegas in quick succession — it also recently got the NHL’s Golden Knights — and two new venues.
While the Raiders aren’t expected to make the playoffs in their first year in Las Vegas, they do appear to be respectable. Quarterback Derek Carr, playing for his starting job after a couple of mediocre years, is surrounded by a rising cast of skill players who could help him shine. In Week 1, the team put up 34 points in a win over the Panthers.
For much of the past 20 years, national audiences have known the Raiders only for mishaps on and off the field. Monday night, then, is an opportunity for the franchise to score a rare win in the public eye.
Below is an in-depth guide to Allegiant Stadium and the Raiders’ move from Oakland to Las Vegas:
How much did Allegiant Stadium cost to build?
Allegiant Stadium required nearly $2 billion to put together, significantly less than the $5 billion it took to finish recently opened SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Unlike SoFi Stadium, which was privately financed, the Raiders received financial help from the city of Las Vegas to get their new home done. About 40 percent of the cost of the Allegiant Stadium project ($750 million) reportedly came from public funds.
How long did construction take?
Construction of Allegiant Stadium began in November 2017 and finished this summer, meaning it took a little less than three years to build.
Allegiant Stadium is located in Paradise, Nev., which is an unincorporated town within the Las Vegas metropolitan area.
Special features of Raiders’ new stadium
Despite being an inside field, the playing surface is made out of real grass. It has a track deep underneath it, and during breaks between games it can be wheeled outside to receive direct sunlight.
Unlike many other modern football structures, Allegiant Stadium does not have a video board hanging down from its roof. Instead, there are large monitors spread around the perimeter of the stands. The choice to forgo a central screen came from a desire to maintain a full translucent roof.
Al Davis Memorial Torch
Another defining feature of Allegiant Stadium — perhaps the defining feature — is an 85-foot eternal “flame” honoring late Raiders owner Al Davis. It was created via 3D printer and is made of carbon fiber and aluminum.
What does Allegiant Stadium look like?
Allegiant Stadium has a shiny black exterior in recognition of one of the Raiders’ primary colors. Like many new stadiums, it is meant to feel airy and open despite being indoors, and side windows and see-through roof assist in creating that effect.
Below are pictures and videos of Allegiant Stadium:
Jon Gruden on opening up The Death Star (Allegiant Stadium) Monday night: “I don’t give a damn about Star Wars … but it’s a cool name and we just have to play well when we get in there.”
The stadium’s roof is not retractable, though its semi-translucence allows natural light to illuminate the field during day games. There are also four Lanai doors along the sides of the stadium that allow views of a surrounding area that includes the Vegas Strip.
Does UNLV play at Allegiant Stadium?
Yes, UNLV football will play at Allegiant Stadium, giving the Runnin’ Rebels a college venue far nicer than any of their Mountain West rivals. Allegiant Stadium will also host the Pac-12 football championship game as well as the annual Las Vegas Bowl. It will not host baseball games, though, in a boon for a Raiders franchise used to sharing a field with the Oakland A’s.
When did the Raiders move to Las Vegas?
The Raiders moved from Oakland to Las Vegas in 2020. This is their first season outside of California.
Why aren’t the Raiders in Oakland?
The Raiders wanted a new stadium and either the Los Angeles market or a major market of their own. When Oakland refused to chip in the help the Raiders desired for a new stadium, and the NFL denied an LA move, Las Vegas became the franchise’s preferred destination.
The team prides itself on being a brand beyond a specific location, and it hopes the transient nature of Las Vegas can goose its bottom line rather than working against it.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
