Las Vegas Raiders Stadium, Logo, Uniforms and Season Ticket Prices as Franchise Moves From Oakland to Sin City

A new era began for the NFL on Wednesday, as the Oakland Raiders formally completed their move to Las Vegas, Nevada.

Less than three years after the franchise's proposed move to Sin City was approved in March 2017, the Raiders have officially become the Las Vegas Raiders.

"The Raiders were born in Oakland, and played 13 seasons in Los Angeles," Raiders owner Mark Davis said on Wednesday, during a press conference outside of Allegiant Stadium—the team's new arena.

"Both cities will always be part of our DNA but, today, we begin a new chapter in our storied history. For today, January 22, 2020, we are now the Las Vegas Raiders. And, today, Las Vegas officially becomes our nation's capital."

Newsweek has broken down the Raiders move to Vegas and what it means to them and the NFL as a whole.

Will the Raiders still be the Raiders?

Yes. The franchise may have relocated to a different state but will retain its logo and traditional black and silver uniform colors. That means the Raiders also retain all the history and records of their Oakland-based iterations.

Where will the Raiders play?

The move to Vegas comes with a shiny new home for the Raiders, who will play at Allegiant Stadium from next season.

Located west of Mandalay Bay between Polaris Avenue and Dean Martin Drive, just west of Interstate 15 the 65,000-capacity venue is currently under construction but should be ready in time for the beginning of the 2020 NFL season.

The stadium, which will also host the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Rebels, cost approximately $1.9 billion with the state of Nevada contributing $750 million.

Fitted with retractable windows on the outside, the stadium will have a roll-in natural grass field similar to the one in use at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

The Raiders will play on the grass field, while the Rebels will use the artificial turf placed directly below the stadium's floor. It is, to put it mildly, a world away from the rickety surroundings of the Oakland Alameda Coliseum.

Have the Raiders moved before?

Seeing their franchise pack up and leave town isn't a new phenomenon for Raiders fans. The team left Oakland for Los Angeles in 1982, before returning to the Bay Area for the start of the 1995 season.

The move to Vegas marks the ninth time a franchise has relocated since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger and is far more significant than the move to Los Angeles, as it takes the team to a different state.

How long will the Raiders stay in Las Vegas?

The Raiders agreed a 30-year lease with Allegiant Stadium in 2017, which means that Vegas should be their home for the next three decades at least.

As ever when it comes to the NFL, nothing is ever set in stone. It is also worth noting that should Allegiant Stadium not be ready in time, the Raiders will play at Oakland Alameda Coliseum next season.

How much do season tickets cost?

Personal seat licenses (PSL) for the Raiders ranged from a modest $500 to an eye-watering $75,000, but have been sold out. Fans who missed out can join a waiting list on Allegiant Stadium's website.

PSL gives fans who purchase a specific seat in the stadium exclusive rights to purchase home game season tickets thereafter. While the fee is a one-off, holders are then required to purchase season tickets each season or can opt to sell their PSL or transfer their seats.

Season tickets ranged from $650 for 10 home games to $3,500 for club seats.

What does the move mean for Raiders fans?

Raiders fans are among the most fervent and loyal in football and Raider Nation is part of the NFL lore.

While the franchise doesn't expect that to change, relocating to Nevada will almost certainly have some kind of impact on the fan base.

Vegas is over 550 miles away from Oakland and expecting fans to fly 90 minutes to watch their team play eight times a season seems prohibitive.

At the same time, Raiders President Marc Badain indicated 40 percent of those who have purchased personal seat licences for Raiders game at Allegiant Stadium were from outside Nevada.

"The majority of the 40 [percent] is from northern and southern California," he said. "But we got a good response from other parts of the country as well."

Around 13 percent of the 55,000 PSLs sold were purchased by fans who held season tickets at the Oakland Alameda Coliseum.

What does the move mean for the NFL?

Moving to Sin City is a major milestone for the NFL. Vegas is the 29th-largest market in the U.S., which makes it bigger than the other eight cities that host professional football teams and seems the logical step in the city's growing sporting profile.

The traditional home of boxing, Vegas has since added to its billing an NHL franchise, three NCAA basketball tournaments and will host the NFL draft in April. Sooner rather than later, the Super Bowl will also find its way to the Nevada desert.

The city's reputation as a gambling heaven remains a delicate issue for the NFL, given sports betting is fully legalized only in 13 U.S. states.