Davis’ Texas meetings were hush-hush
If Mark Davis planned on using his visit to Texas as a leverage move in a battle to land a new stadium in Oakland, then why would the meetings be kept low-key?
Davis and his associates reportedly spent “two or three days” in the Lone Star state meeting with various officials. If the Raiders were really just engaging in a public stare down, using San Antonio as a bargaining chip, part of that process is actually making the meeting public.
Logically, it would make no sense to keep a bluff like this a secret. The Raiders put out a statement on the matter after the Express-News story came out:
1 of 3 - Raiders Owner Mark Davis, "I was in San Antonio to honor Cliff Branch on his induction into the PVILCA..."
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) July 29, 2014
2 of 3 Mark Davis cont'd, Former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros is a friend, and Henry suggested I take the opportunity to meet with..."
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) July 29, 2014
3 of 3 Mark Davis, "...with some of the city officials while we were in town. I have nothing further to discuss on the topic."
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) July 29, 2014
One can interpret a statement like that in many ways, but it’s at least worth noting that nowhere in the statement did Davis deny that relocation was discussed. In fact, the lack of a denial is kind of conspicuous by its absence, as is the way Davis’ statement seems to dance around the subject.