Mark Davis says fan vaccination requirement was the right decision

After waiting a twelvemonth with the remainder of Raider Nation, squad proprietor Mark Davis this week yet took successful a Raiders regular play location crippled astatine Allegiant Stadium.

The Raiders opened the $2 cardinal installation successful expansive fashion, pulling disconnected a thrilling come-from-behind overtime win implicit the Baltimore Ravens, successful beforehand of an announced assemblage of 61,756.

Raiders location games diagnostic 62,500 fixed seats successful Allegiant Stadium, each of which were sold, according to Davis. The missing 744 radical who kept the crippled from being astatine afloat capableness were nary shows, Davis said.

Allegiant Stadium has been touted arsenic having capableness for 65,000 fans. According to Las Vegas Stadium Authority documents, however, the stadium has 62,500 fixed seats for NFL games, though that tin beryllium expanded for peculiar events specified arsenic a Super Bowl.

Davis said having the stands filled with fans and their vigor reinforced the determination not to let immoderate fans into the stadium past play alternatively of opening it up to a constricted number.

“It benignant of legitimized the determination not to person fans partially successful the stadium past year,” Davis told the Review-Journal. “I deliberation it was the close 1 knowing however breathtaking it was to unfastened up the stadium with afloat capacity. The assemblage was phenomenal, arsenic the Raider Nation ever is.”

The COVID-19 vaccine verification process was carried retired smoothly connected Monday, allowing afloat vaccinated fans to be the crippled without masks. The Raiders chose to necessitate that each fans attending games beryllium vaccinated aft the authorities opened up that enactment for ample gatherings.

“I thought astir the enactment betwixt that oregon trying to constabulary masks. We thought astir it agelong and hard and I deliberation we made the close decision,” Davis said. “For each of america to beryllium capable to bask it unneurotic was truly special.”

Davis took successful his archetypal regular play Raiders crippled successful the stadium successful his suite, on with a fewer notable guests including Gov. Steve Sisolak, erstwhile Gov. Brian Sandoval, entertainer Gladys Knight, erstwhile Golden Knight Ryan Reaves and Raiders Hall of Famer Charles Woodson.

“It was truly a amusive night,” Davis said.

The archetypal 2 games person featured philharmonic performances, including by rappers Ice Cube and Too Short astatine halftime Monday. Davis said each crippled volition beryllium antithetic and not each volition diagnostic philharmonic acts.

“There’s going to beryllium antithetic types of halftimes,” Davis said. “With the Dolphins we’re going to beryllium presenting Tom Flores with his Hall of Fame ring, celebrating Tom Flores. I deliberation that mightiness beryllium a small spot antithetic astatine halftime. It volition beryllium thing peculiar for Raider Nation.”

Contact Mick Akers astatine makers@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers connected Twitter.