Mark Davis is edging toward, “OK, I’ll live with it,” in dealing with the Athletics’ move to Las Vegas
The Raiders’ owner is showing measured praise of Athletics owner John Fisher after hiring former Raiders exec Marc Badain.
“This is a good hire for Fisher, probably one of the best decisions he’s made yet,” Davis said in a phone chat Friday afternoon, referring to the Athletics’ owner. “I think Marc will do a great job. He did a good job of running the show when they were building for us here. I think it’s a step in the right direction.”
Know that Davis’ concerns with the Athletics’ plans to move to Las Vegas with the Raiders has nothing to do with the players or fans. He’s been sharply critical of the team’s ownership group. Until Friday.
“I think they’ve got somebody very competent,” Davis said. “They’ve got somebody the Raiders can work with.”
A’s-Raiders summit
During Friday afternoon’s announcement of the Athletics’ sponsorship partnership with the LVCVA, Badain said he spoke with Davis on Wednesday, a day before taking the post.
“We just had a laugh about it, the irony of all this,” Badain said after a ceremony at Las Vegas Convention Center’s West Hall Terrace. “I wanted Mark to hear it from me. He’s been wonderful, very supportive. He’s been like a big brother to me, and he’s like me in that he sees this as something that’s good for the town.”
Badain worked for the Raiders for 30 years, from his days as an intern in 1991 through his six years as president ending in2021. Badain helped steer the team’s relocation to Las Vegas, and was a leader in finalizing the development of Allegiant Stadium. After leaving the Raiders, Badain joined arena developer Oak View Group, led by former AEG President and CEO Tim Leiweke, which plans to build an NBA-caliber arena to Las Vegas.
Davis said he soured on the Athletics’ executive leadership in the final years’ of the team’s cohabitation of the Oakland Coliseum. Last April, Davis said, “I won’t forget what they did to us in Oakland. They squatted on a lease for 10 years and made it impossible for us to build on that stadium.”
‘Challenging’ relationship
Badain was on the front lines of that ongoing battle with the Athletics, who angled to take position as the stadium’s primary tenant. The A’s “Rooted in Oakland” slogan was taken as a shot at the Raiders, who spent 13 years in Los Angeles before returning to the Bay Area in 1995.
Badain often butted heads with the Athletics’ management, beginning with Fisher and Dave Kaval, who retired in December and who Badain is replacing in that same front office.
“When teams share buildings, it’s never the greatest relationship. There are always differences. There are always disagreements,” Badain said. “Ours were challenging, but they were 5-6-7 years ago. It’s water under the bridge.”
At the suggestion it would be easier for the teams to share a city rather than a facility, Badain said, “That is a great way to put it.”
“My angst with the A’s had a lot to do with my loyalty to Marc, and how they treated him and his staff while we were in Oakland,” Davis said. “Had I ‘Kumbaya-ed’ with the A’s, it probably would have been a slap in the face to Marc.”
Steering the stadium
Davis said Badain’s experience with Allegiant Stadium development, such as repping the team at Las Vegas Stadium Authority Board meetings and the Nevada Legislature, is crucial to the Athletics’ relocation.
Badain will similarly navigate the A’s path to its $1.75 billion domed ballpark at the former Tropicana hotel-casino site.
“They’ve been basically riding our coattails and basically copying what we did with the legislation when we were moving here,” Davis said. “And now they have the guy who actually did all the facilitation.”
Davis joked that Badain might be seen as “a fox in a hen house” in his new role. But the Raiders owner stressed he is feeling positive about his team’s position in Las Vegas.
“It’s like, strange bedfellows, right?” Davis said with a laugh. “But it takes a little bit of the edge off my feelings. A good part of the leadership group that caused a lot of problem for the Raiders is gone now, and we have someone there that we know.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.