The Las Vegas Raiders are considering moving back to Southern California, but this time, not as their home but as the location of their NFL training camp.
The Silver & Black, who called Los Angeles home from 1982 to 1994, are in negotiations with the ç in Costa Mesa to become their summer training camp location for the 2024 season, as reported by the Los Angeles Times,
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Raiders return to Southern California will be welcomed
The potential move of the Raiders training camp to Orange County signifies the desire of team leadership to take a new approach to camp. Since the Raiders permanently moved to Las Vegas in 2020, the team has held training camp at its Henderson headquarters and training facility.
“Costa Mesa is proud to be one of only two cities in the country to host an NFL team’s summer training camp in a publicly owned facility,” Costa Mesa City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison said in a press release. “Jack Hammett is a treasure and we are excited to potentially have a new NFL team training here.”
The Jack Hammett Sports Complex had been the Los Angeles Chargers’ training camp site since 2017, but the Chargers are set to move into their own new posh headquarters in El Segundo, where they will now host their training camp.
While the Raiders have yet to comment publicly on the move, it makes sense as the Southern California area is still very much a Raiders-rich fan location. Routinely, Raider Nation outdraws Chargers fans when the teams face off at SoFi Stadium and an estimated 20 percent of PSL and season ticket holders in Las Vegas live in Southern California.
As part of the proposed partnership, the Raiders will reportedly pay $165,000 in rent for the facility and invest another $600,000 in facility improvements, according to the city. The Raiders will also establish a training camp for kids aged 16-12, purchase 100 tickets for Southern California kids to attend local NFL games and make a $10,000 donation to youth sports in the area. They will also donate equipment to Costa Mesa High School and provide a new mobile recreation van for underserved communities.
With a strong, loyal fanbase in Southern California, the move makes sense as the area’s members of Raider Nation can attend camp to root for their team. It also continues to feed that base of fans who live just a 4-5 hour drive away from Las Vegas.
“The Raiders and Costa Mesa share a commitment to excellence, and our partnership will greatly benefit the community,” Mayor John Stephens said.
The hub of Raider Nation will once again move to Southern California, albeit just for a few weeks.
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