Election Day may have taken another option off the table for the Raiders.
While Las Vegas and Nevada have the welcome mat out in an effort to get the team to move from Oakland, Calif., there was always the option to become the second team in the Los Angeles market, sharing a facility with the Rams.
But that option was open to the Chargers, too, and the San Diego crew might be more inclined than ever to take it with voters having turned thumbs-down on a proposal that would have helped pay for a San Diego new stadium.
Measure C, written by the Chargers without any input from City Hall or the tourism industry, needed a two-thirds majority to pass. While final vote totals aren't in, less than half of the electorate voted in favor, leaving the Chargers' future in San Diego in doubt. They have made it clear that aging Qualcomm Stadium isn't sufficient for their needs.
The team has a one-year option to join the Rams in a new stadium in Inglewood, Calif., in 2019. Team chairman Dean Spanos has said he wants to see the final voting before deciding whether to enter into negotiations with Mayor Kevin Faulconer on a new San Diego stadium plan.
In an open letter to the fans, Spanos wrote "in terms of what comes next for the Chargers, it's just too early to give you an answer."
"We are going to diligently explore and weigh our options, and do what is needed to maintain our options, but no decision will be announced until after the football season concludes and no decision will be made in haste."
As for the Raiders, their options seem to be down to playing in the Coliseum as per usual, try to come up with a way to build a new stadium in Oakland _ something that has been singularly unsuccessful _ or head to Las Vegas.
