The NFL is looking into potential alternate locations for Sunday's scheduled game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Oakland Raiders due to the poor air conditions caused by the devastating North Bay fires. One possible solution sits about 40 miles south of the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum at the Santa Clara home of the San Francisco 49ers — Levi's Stadium.
The NFL has reportedly reached out to the 49ers, who manages the facility, about the possibility of using Levi's Stadium as a location for the game. Using Levi's Stadium as a potential location for the game was reported on Thursday afternoon by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network and then confirmed by NBC Sports Bay Area.
Source: NFL reached out to 49ers about possibility of moving Raiders-Chargers to Levi's Stadium. Researching all options due to air quality.
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) October 13, 2017
The 49ers will be out of town for a road game against the Washington Redskins and there are no events scheduled at Levi's Stadium for Sunday. A ninth NFL game at Levi's Stadium would certainly be a lucrative incentive to welcome the 49ers' (somewhat) neighboring rivals. The question has to be how quickly the team could prepare for an event as big as hosting an NFL game on short notice.
College football games at Berkeley and Stanford are planned for this weekend. Cal will host Washington State on Friday night while Stanford will host Oregon on Saturday night. While playing a game at either of those locations would not be out of the question, preparing for one at a location where there are no other events scheduled in the surrounding days would be a simpler task – especially considering Levi's Stadium is already being used for NFL games.
San Diego has also offered up SDCCU Stadium, which was formerly Qualcomm Stadium and home of the Chargers before they relocated to Los Angeles, as an alternative.
On Wednesday, the 49ers were among a group of seven Bay Area teams to donate a collective $450,000 toward North Bay fire relief efforts. One of those six other teams was the Oakland Raiders.
"We continue to monitor air quality conditions in the Bay Area and are in close communication with both the Raiders and Chargers, as well as local authorities," said NFL's vice president of football communications Michael Signora on Thursday. "At this point, the game remains scheduled for Sunday in Oakland."
Oakland sits about 45 miles south of the fires. The air conditions have forced the Raiders to alter their practice schedule for this week. The 49ers, who practice next door to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, have been largely unaffected by the air conditions despite the fact that you can see the smoke from the facilities.
On Thursday afternoon, 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh was asked about the air quality and if it was affecting anybody as it is in other parts of the Bay Area.
"No," Saleh answered. "I thought the guys did a great job handling it and the energy in which they practiced, I didn't think it had any effect on us."
At least 31 people have lost their lives due to the fires, which started on Sunday, and over 3,500 structures have been destroyed. An estimated 25,000 residents have been forced to abandon their homes.