Jeff Chiu / AP
In this Monday, Dec. 24, 2018, photo, fans are shown at Oakland Alameda County Coliseum during a game between the Raiders and the Broncos.
Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019 | 2 a.m.
Unable to move into their new Las Vegas stadium until 2020, the Raiders reportedly want to sublet the Giants' home for this coming season. Here are a few mysteries that must be cleared up before that deal is done:
1. NFL approval. Don't expect things to get as contentious as back in the 1980s, when Al Davis battled the NFL in court so his franchise could move to Los Angeles, a layover that lasted from 1982 to 1994.
An NFL spokesman referred all home-field questions to the Raiders, who have thus far had no comment. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said last week that Raiders owner Mark Davis' hope is to call the Bay Area home through this year, adding that San Diego is not in play. The NFL needs a solution sooner than later, as it typically unveils its schedule in April.
2. Territorial rights. The San Francisco 49ers, as their nameplate suggests, have a say in this, even if they're not publicly commenting on the Raiders' desires. The 49ers have not waived their territorial rights. That should sound familiar to Bay Area sports fans in that the Giants have long refused to relinquish their South Bay rights to the A's.
The 49ers, of course, have a 5-year-old stadium in which they could rent room to host the Raiders for 2019. How difficult do the 49ers want to make the Raiders' 2019 plans, less than a year after the Raiders made life more difficult on the 49ers by not trading them All-Pro pass rusher Khalil Mack?
Al Guido, the 49ers president, said last month on 95.7 The Game: "It is true that it does fall within our territorial rights. So, I guess we could say no to that."
3. Giants' impact. The Giants, who own their stadium, said Sunday night no deal has been finalized with the Raiders, contradicting NBC Bay Area's Raj Mathai's report that a deal has been reached and an announcement was imminent this week.
The Giants are scheduled to return home for a Sept. 9 game Monday against Pittsburgh, which would create a tight window for getting the baseball field ready following a Sept. 8 game on the opening weekend of the NFL season. The Giants are at home against Miami during the NFL's second week, but are in Colorado for Week 3. The Giants are at home against the Dodgers on Sept. 29, the fourth week of the NFL season.
Shortstop Brandon Crawford tweeted out sad-face emojis when told to "get ready for some interesting hops in September," as tweeted by former Mercury News reporter Andrew Baggarly.
The Giants have had to deal with sharing its grass in the past, including in 2011 when Cal football played there. College bowl games, concerts and other events also have tested groundskeepers.
4. City folks. What does the city of San Francisco think about all this, and will its supervisors fight the Raiders Airbnb-like ambitions? From parking issues to congested streets to security concerns, those first-world problems won't get overlooked. The 49ers left Candlestick Park five years ago after repeatedly clashing with the city, so perhaps another NFL team won't be so welcome.
5. Warriors effect. The Raiders are not the only Oakland team looking to cross the Bay Bridge. Chase Center, just down the street from the Giants' ballpark, is set to open next season, which begins in late October, which is also when the Raiders will be midway through their season. More teams, more traffic, more problems.
