Roger Goodell OK with Raiders-Las Vegas talks

[dieterbrock]

Greater risk of corruption?

Yeah of course. That's always been the concern with Vegas and professional sports teams.

 

[JUMAVA68]

I live in Vegas and work in and out of the area into Cali. What some don't realize is for LA types going to Vegas for the weekend is a very common excursion. It's a 4 hour drive.

If the Raiders moved to Vegas they would fill that stadium every weekend with 50% or more LA folks. The stadium is also to be located nearer the strip which opens it to foot traffic for both UNLV and Raiders games, which would be outstanding. IMO it would be a huge win for the Raiders and the NFL. Raiders would fit there bigtime.

From what I've heard this is going to happen, the stadium that is, as it is being built for UNLV. If the Raiders and NFL horn in on it early they can ensure the project has the stuff they want in it, which would be more owner boxes they can fill with whales and their entourages before they fly out on those weekends.

Hope this gets done, so I can on some years catch the Rams in my home city. Would be pretty cool.

Agree I live here in Las Vegas myself and I think the Raiders would work out just fine.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Yeah of course. That's always been the concern with Vegas and professional sports teams.

I brought that up a few months ago and some (not you) said that was ridiculous and that Vegas is no more likely for corruption than any other city. I disagree. It is too close the heart of gambling. Sure other teams/players could be corrupted and throw games but what about a player addicted to gambling and the casinos that gets to personally know the owners. He has a huge debt and is offered a way to get out of it. Especially if he is threatened bodily harm. I don't think it is the best city for a sports team that is so heavily bet on.

 

[Merlin]

I brought that up a few months ago and some (not you) said that was ridiculous and that Vegas is no more likely for corruption than any other city. I disagree. It is too close the heart of gambling. Sure other teams/players could be corrupted and throw games but what about a player addicted to gambling and the casinos that gets to personally know the owners. He has a huge debt and is offered a way to get out of it. Especially if he is threatened bodily harm. I don't think it is the best city for a sports team that is so heavily bet on.

I get where you're coming from Elm, but I am hoping the league as a whole has moved past that type of take. Way I see it these are grown men and the truth is they could gamble anywhere nowadays, laying bets online on just about anything. Being close doesn't really mean much, other than the Raiders would need to put out a lot of information to their players about the insane nightlife. Outside of that they could buy a lot of house for their money and benefit from no state tax while still being right off the SoCal border.

If I were the coach it's the nightlife I'd be worried about, because this city doesn't sleep. ALTHOUGH gotta say playing in Vegas would be a huge home advantage for them. Their opponents would inevitably be comped and wined and dined and hung over as F come Sunday.

 

[drasconis]

I brought that up a few months ago and some (not you) said that was ridiculous and that Vegas is no more likely for corruption than any other city. I disagree. It is too close the heart of gambling. Sure other teams/players could be corrupted and throw games but what about a player addicted to gambling and the casinos that gets to personally know the owners. He has a huge debt and is offered a way to get out of it. Especially if he is threatened bodily harm. I don't think it is the best city for a sports team that is so heavily bet on.

I actually think this would be less likely in LV. The casino's are legitimate legal businesses, they live and thrive on being a "fair" game. They are far more likely to prevent a player from getting into trouble and far more likely to avoid any possibility of rigging. They aren't going to risk their multi-billion dollar business or their client bases with a hint of corruption on that level. While I am certain there is a seedy underbelly to the city (there is for every city), I think the big dog casino owners would keep them in check in that regard. It would be too public of scandal if it EVER got out.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I get where you're coming from Elm, but I am hoping the league as a whole has moved past that type of take. Way I see it these are grown men and the truth is they could gamble anywhere nowadays, laying bets online on just about anything. Being close doesn't really mean much, other than the Raiders would need to put out a lot of information to their players about the insane nightlife. Outside of that they could buy a lot of house for their money and benefit from no state tax while still being right off the SoCal border.

If I were the coach it's the nightlife I'd be worried about, because this city doesn't sleep. ALTHOUGH gotta say playing in Vegas would be a huge home advantage for them. Their opponents would inevitably be comped and wined and dined and hung over as F come Sunday.

That is exactly what I am talking about. The night life often includes gambling and the overall atmosphere can even lead someone who is not a gambler to do so. They go hand in hand. But even then as you pointed out, just the night life itself can be too much of a lure. However, one could say that you can find the 'nightlife' in any city.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I actually think this would be less likely in LV. The casino's are legitimate legal businesses, they live and thrive on being a "fair" game. They are far more likely to prevent a player from getting into trouble and far more likely to avoid any possibility of rigging. They aren't going to risk their multi-billion dollar business or their client bases with a hint of corruption on that level. While I am certain there is a seedy underbelly to the city (there is for every city), I think the big dog casino owners would keep them in check in that regard. It would be too public of scandal if it EVER got out.

That is where I am in the dark. My vision of Casinos is mostly from the movie "Casino" . At one time they were deeply connected to the mob in some way or another. Plus the experience is engineered so that the Casino gets its money. If you start to win big they comp you a room and feed you so that you stay and they can get their winnings back, maybe even more than that. But, other than that I don't really know how they work. I just know that bookies can get pretty pushy if you owe them.

 

[OldSchool]

That is where I am in the dark. My vision of Casinos is mostly from the movie "Casino" . At one time they were deeply connected to the mob in some way or another. Plus the experience is engineered so that the Casino gets its money. If you start to win big they comp you a room and feed you so that you stay and they can get their winnings back, maybe even more than that. But, other than that I don't really know how they work. I just know that bookies can get pretty pushy if you owe them.

Bookies are in states where there isn't legal betting for the most part. The ones in Vegas and Jersey City don't really work the same as casinos but there aren't many of them. The mob is a bigger issue in Chicago and New York than Vegas.

 

[drasconis]

That is where I am in the dark. My vision of Casinos is mostly from the movie "Casino" . At one time they were deeply connected to the mob in some way or another. Plus the experience is engineered so that the Casino gets its money. If you start to win big they comp you a room and feed you so that you stay and they can get their winnings back, maybe even more than that. But, other than that I don't really know how they work. I just know that bookies can get pretty pushy if you owe them.

I am under the impression that it was that way long ago (the old rat pack days), but now they are serious legit businesses. They are on the stock market for example, and have serious oversight - both state and federal. Yes they are about making money. Comping rooms is a common effort towards this, they know the odds are against you (with no rigging involved), if you have won big they try to get you to stay - because they know statistically the odds should catch up to you. They aren't going to shake you down in the parking lot though. The same way they aren't going to load dice or rig machines. The risk is too large the payoff is to risky. The odds already favor them why risk it.

That is why I think it would be serious no-no to mess with local famous athletes, it would put a stain not just on the individuals involved but on Vegas itself. It could affect every casino there, and thus I tend to think there would be a lot of self-policing over it. I figure if it was a concern it would be already - lots of athletes spend time there - as has been pointed out it is only 4 hrs from LA.

 

[bluecoconuts]

How much does a bus trip cost?

About 20 bucks, 7 hour trip roughly between LA and Vegas.. 4-5 in a car depending on how fast you go.

 

[DaveFan'51]

I really don't care a lot were the Raiders go. Just so they don't come back to L.A.! They never belonged here, in my mind! I would prefer they stay in Oakland!

 

[ScotsRam]

Sports gambling is legal in the UK and we have approximately zero issue with legitimate bookmakers and corruption.

The small number of corruption cases there have been have come from overseas syndicates who tap up players. That could be happening in the NFL now regardless of a team being based in Vegas or not. Gambling is a global, multi-billion dollar industry and I fail to see how, in 2016, the physical location of a sport would make it any more or less susceptible to corruption. It's all done electronically now.

 

[Akrasian]

All that legal sport betting in Cincinnati is what led to Pete Rose's downfall. Dare we risk something like that again?

 

[Rambitious1]

New Raiders stadium in the corner pocket...................

 

[LesBaker]

If you can play a football game in fuckjng China you sure as Hell can play 8 in Vegas

This post wins.

 

[LesBaker]

Sports gambling is legal in the UK and we have approximately zero issue with legitimate bookmakers and corruption.

Approximately zero?

 

[nighttrain]

That's a long day trip oldschool........it's over 500 miles round trip and part of it will be fighting stadium traffic and LA traffic..........but I'd bet there are pretty cheap bus services available.

used to be very affordable to fly to Las Vegas
train

 

[OldSchool]

used to be very affordable to fly to Las Vegas
train

Yeah from Reno I can go one way to Vegas or LA for $100 on Southwest. Just as long as I don't book last minute.

 

[LesBaker]

Yeah from Reno I can go one way to Vegas or LA for $100 on Southwest. Just as long as I don't book last minute.

I used to be free to fly to Vegas and the stewardesses would give out handies if you asked.

 

[OldSchool]

I used to be free to fly to Vegas and the stewardesses would give out handies if you asked.

There was an airline at one time called Reno Air. Yeah we knew a few of the ladies and there were similar "perks" to flying with them.