Group Of Predominantly Black Business Owners Propose To Bring A Team Back To Oakland, California, Which Would Make Them The League’s First Black Ownership Group

It looks like the #NFL could be getting another team in #OaklandCalifornia.

Previously deemed the #OaklandRaiders, the franchise has since relocated to Las Vegas.

Now according to Yahoo! Sports, a group of black business owners and community leaders is looking to being a new team back to Oakland proposing the idea to the NFL.

Should things come to fruition, the group of predominantly African American leaders would become the first black ownership group in the league’s history, the outlet reports.

According to the outlet, the group is hoping to capitalize on Oakland’s sports fan base who have now lost the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, which is now based in San Fransisco and the NFL’s now Las Vegas Raiders, formerly Oakland Raiders.

As far as finances go, the African American Sports & Entertainment Committee (AASEC) has sent a letter to the NFL, suggesting that the league should support the privately financed expansion team.

The group of leaders came together nearly three months ago to begin the process, however, things have sped up after the recent wrongful deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd.

“It would just be fitting for us to be able to display the rich culture and history of Oakland and the Bay Area from the standpoint of sports and entertainment,” Ray Bobbitt, AASEC member, and Oakland business owner said in a statement to Yahoo Sports. “We feel like Oakland is just a unique opportunity for us to reinvent sports from the standpoint of it not being institutions that serve the community by only entertaining. But we also would like to design a scenario where we can have consciousness of how you can use it as a permanent economic vehicle and really make major change within our community.”

The group has confirmed that the league has, in fact, received the letter.

The proposal also includes plans to create an education partnership at institutions such as UC Berkeley and Stanford University. The group also hopes to include a sports and entertainment museum at the stadium to highlight Oakland’s historic past when it comes to producing stars.

The group went over three ownership models in the proposal. To purchase a team for the league, the principal owner has to put up 30 percent of the purchase price in cash, the outlet adds.

According to Bloomberg estimates, a person currently looking to create a team can expect to spend at least $600 million to start. The NFL also has a $350 million debt limit.

“We didn’t want our proposal to be able to be disqualified immediately,” Bobbitt continued. “We wanted to really force dialogue of what they committed to on TV to the public, which was their participation in economic equality, which is one component of social justice.”

In the letter, the AASEC also thanked NFL Commissioner #RogerGoodell for publicly speaking on recent tragedies and says it’s “encouraged” by Goodell, stating he is listening to the black community.

The letter also highlights why Oakland is the perfect place for a new team stating there is “no better location — symbolically and pragmatically.”

“We feel like, at this moment, based on economic inequality, the African American community probably couldn’t reach some of the requirements the NFL has now,” Bobbitt added. “So this would be an appropriate moment to make some concessions for us.”