Sun Bowl Stadium Could Be in Play for Las Vegas Raiders in 2020

It's been more than 20 years since the Raiders visited El Paso. In early August of 1998, they arrived to play the Dallas Cowboys in an 82-play controlled scrimmage at the Sun Bowl. According to a story by sports business reporter Kurt Badenhausen in Forbes, the Las Vegas Raiders could call the Sun Bowl home for a portion of the 2020 season.

Badenhausen reported that the Raiders are looking at El Paso's stadium as one of two alternate sites along with the Alamodome in San Antonio. Sam Boyd Stadium, who plays host to the UNLV Rebels is also in play since construction on the two-billion dollar Allegiant stadium project is on hold after a second construction worker tested positive for COVID-19.

The NFL schedule has not been released yet so it is possible that the Raiders will begin the 2020 season with road games while the Allegiant Stadium construction is finished. However, they will still need a site for their "home" exhibition games and possibly a few more to start the 2020 regular season. Despite the large number of Raiders fans in the Sun City, El Paso appears to be a longshot as a temporary home for the Silver and Black. Badenhausen cited NFL consultant Marc Ganis who suggested that Sam Boyd Stadium is the most logical for the Raiders to play until Allegiant Stadium is ready.

The Sun Bowl is supposed to have its own renovation completed by the fall and in time for UTEP's 2020 season. A source told me that the project is still on schedule, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.