Can Birmingham really land an NFL team?

BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC) - Birmingham City Councilor William Parker is hoping the Oakland Raiders choose Legion Field as part of their temporary home next season.

Having the Iron helps attract NFL teams for sure but one of the obvious issues is all the construction taking place downtown.

The logistics of bringing in the Raiders for a handful of games may be easier said than done, according to University of Alabama economics professor Amanda Ross. Ross says hosting those games would likely attract some new tourists to the Magic City which in turn will help generate some revenue for the city. Ross says forecasting potential sales taxes revenues is difficult.

Fans tell us they would like to see the Raiders seeing as football is king in the state.

"I think with the existing professional team we have near with the Iron, I think that will be an interesting interaction as well to see how well those two together may help grow this interest in professional football,” Ross said.

Right now the Raiders are without a home stadium because they’re moving from Oakland to Las Vegas, but that stadium won’t be ready until 2020.