Los Angeles Looking at 6 Teams

[Vinny]

Developers to test Chargers' interest in move to L.A.
By Matthew T. Hall
Union-Tribune Staff Writer
8:13 p.m. October 6, 2009

Background: Developers want to bring professional football back to the Los Angeles area with a privately financed $800 million stadium in Industry.

What's changing: They intend to approach half a dozen National Football League teams, including the San Diego Chargers, in February about relocating.

The future: The Chargers expect to be exploring options countywide come 2010, but after each season can pay a termination fee to leave San Diego.

The developers who want to bring professional football back to the Los Angeles area said Tuesday that they'll approach the San Diego Chargers and five other teams in February about moving as early as next season.

Majestic Realty Co. Vice President John Semcken III revealed his intentions at a breakfast gathering of the Orange County Business Industry Association in Costa Mesa. He made headlines more than a year ago with a pronouncement he had “no doubt” that a National Football League team would be playing in Los Angeles in 2009.

On Tuesday, Semcken hadn't lost any of his optimism.

He said the state Senate will help clear a last hurdle for an $800 million, 600-acre stadium project in the city of Industry by Oct. 15 – either via legislation, already passed by the Assembly, to bypass state environmental laws – or by negotiations Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg arranged last month.

“Come next week, our stadium will be approved,” Semcken said. “Then we'll be able to go out and buy a football team.”

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stori...olts/?chargers

[Kulluminatii]

Oh god...not the Chargers. I'd rather have the Rams back in L.A. then the Chargers. I'm surprised though, I thought at most there were talks with three teams, definitely wasn't expecting six.

Anyone want to guess who these six teams are?

I think, most likely, they are the:

Chargers(duh)
Rams
Raiders
Vikings
Jaguars
Bills

Although I hope I am wrong about the Bills and Rams...for some strange reason though, I would love the Lions to come to L.A. (and yeah I know their owned by Ford ).

[4Texans]

I would like to see either the Rams come back to LA, or the Jags move. The other teams need to stay where they are.

[El Tejano]

Adrian Peterson, and Brett Favre in L.A. = Big time media hype.

[Blake]

Originally Posted by El Tejano

Adrian Peterson, and Brett Favre in L.A. = Big time media hype.

I would assume that they are looking more long term than 2 players on a team.

[beerlover]

[badboy]

I would be interested in seeing Broncos TV base compared to LA. Seems like a positive move to me but don't know about agreement team has with city.

[Khari]

take the cowboyz please

[Ryan]

Haha Los Angeles Cowboys. That's worse than the Tennessee Oilers or Utah Jazz.

[gtexan02]

San Francisco cowboys would be the funniest

Utah Jazz is the stupidest name in all of sports

[SheTexan]

This really makes me feel very sad! Screw the fans, from whatever city/state they decide to F over, just go out and BUY themselves a football team simply because it is LA! I understand the small market teams that are struggling, etc, BUT, it's just sad for the fans. BUT, when has the NFL really cared about the fans anyway! SCREW LA!!

[gwallaia]

I'm with ya Sandy.

The only fan base I would not mind being screwed over would be the Titans. I hate the Titans and all of their fans!

[imatexan]

Originally Posted by SheTexan

This really makes me feel very sad! Screw the fans, from whatever city/state they decide to F over, just go out and BUY themselves a football team simply because it is LA! I understand the small market teams that are struggling, etc, BUT, it's just sad for the fans. BUT, when has the NFL really cared about the fans anyway! SCREW LA!!

LA needs a team, its the 2nd largest city in America.
I know many people get angry about this statement but many people also said this about Houston(being the 4th largest).

If these other small market team's fans dont show up to the games(Jags) then it only makes sense to move the team to a place that is wanting a team and has millions of people.
I dont understand why Minny would be on the list(I guess a stadium situation?)
I also hope that the Bills will stay in Buffalo, they have that cities support.

[Txn_in_Oki]

Originally Posted by gtexan02

Utah Jazz is the stupidest name in all of sports

I don't know about that...













I kid of course.

[Dan B.]

Originally Posted by imatexan

LA needs a team, its the 2nd largest city in America.
I know many people get angry about this statement but many people also said this about Houston(being the 4th largest).

If these other small market team's fans dont show up to the games(Jags) then it only makes sense to move the team to a place that is wanting a team and has millions of people.
I dont understand why Minny would be on the list(I guess a stadium situation?)
I also hope that the Bills will stay in Buffalo, they have that cities support.

Neither is in one of the country's top 32 markets, but Jacksonville is larger than Buffalo.

42 1,203 Jacksonville, FL

45 1,159 Buffalo-Niagra Falls, NY

Oddly, Buffalo has a larger TV market and Jacksonville a larger Radio (I guess more cars in Jacksonville?). One other major point is that Jacksonville is growing faster than Buffalo. I think Buffalo is actually shrinking. I do think that the Buffalo Bills' 50 year history has to be taken into account, and it will be sad when the Bills move. But I use the word "when" for a reason. I am pretty much certain the Bills will move. Buffalo is simply not large enough. There isn't enough corporate support, and the city is not able to afford to subsidize a new facility. I feel for the fans, though. I truly do.

[Hervoyel]

The only team I'm interested in seeing in L.A. is the Rams. The Rams belong in Los Angelas just like the Cardinals should be in St. Louis and a host of other teams belong in their former digs.

That's just an opinion and I know it's not practical for most of the carpet bagging teams but the Rams have a legitimate shot at going back to L.A. and getting it right this time. I think that should happen. St. Louis should then get the Jaguars like they were supposed to back when the team was originally awarded.

Jacksonville goes back to watching the Dolphins, Buc's, or Falcons.

The Raiders stay right where they are and Al Davis dies alone in a dim room plotting an imaginary revenge against the NFL for taking "his" city from him.

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by imatexan

LA needs a team, its the 2nd largest city in America.
I know many people get angry about this statement but many people also said this about Houston(being the 4th largest).

If these other small market team's fans dont show up to the games(Jags) then it only makes sense to move the team to a place that is wanting a team and has millions of people.
I dont understand why Minny would be on the list(I guess a stadium situation?)
I also hope that the Bills will stay in Buffalo, they have that cities support.

The problem with your position is it assumes the people of LA want a team and for the most part they do not. Something is going to have to be done about Jacksonville and maybe the solution is giving LA one last shot.

McClain actually had an astute statement this morning which was folks can keep talking about an LA team all they want but until there is a viable plan for a stadium on the boards it isn't happening.

Originally Posted by Hervoyel

The only team I'm interested in seeing in L.A. is the Rams. The Rams belong in Los Angelas just like the Cardinals should be in St. Louis and a host of other teams belong in their former digs.

That's just an opinion and I know it's not practical for most of the carpet bagging teams but the Rams have a legitimate shot at going back to L.A. and getting it right this time. I think that should happen. St. Louis should then get the Jaguars like they were supposed to back when the team was originally awarded.

Jacksonville goes back to watching the Dolphins, Buc's, or Falcons.

The Raiders stay right where they are and Al Davis dies alone in a dim room plotting an imaginary revenge against the NFL for taking "his" city from him.

Sounds like a plan. I have family in LA and you know they just aren't a football town, or aren't a loyal to their own town football fans. Back when the Rams were there they lost tons of fans to the Cowboys because they used to hold training camp out there every year. I don't think people appreciate how awkward traffic can be out there as well. Some of the places they are talking about putting a stadium are technically suburbs of LA but it might as well be like putting Texans' stadium in Austin.

FWIW - McClain says there is a condition on the St. Louis sales negotiations that the team has to stay there.

[Kulluminatii]

Originally Posted by SheTexan

This really makes me feel very sad! Screw the fans, from whatever city/state they decide to F over, just go out and BUY themselves a football team simply because it is LA! I understand the small market teams that are struggling, etc, BUT, it's just sad for the fans. BUT, when has the NFL really cared about the fans anyway! SCREW LA!!

At the bottom of it all, everyone is out to make money. I don't blame LA for wanting a team, or the NFL for wanting one there...its too big of a market to pass up. When thinking about it, I doubt the Rams will move back. If Limbaugh and the St. Lois Blue's owner are able to buy the team...I am almost certain they would stay there. Bills have been "linked" to moving to Canada a few times, but I doubt they would move as well. And your correct imatexan, Vikes want a new stadium from what I hear, but they have a large fanbase in Minny, and I would hate to see them move.

[Dan B.]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

The problem with your position is it assumes the people of LA want a team and for the most part they do not. Something is going to have to be done about Jacksonville and maybe the solution is giving LA one last shot.

McClain actually had an astute statement this morning which was folks can keep talking about an LA team all they want but until there is a viable plan for a stadium on the boards it isn't happening.

I swear I know it sounds conspiracy theorist but I think that the NFL will have a problem with this because the stadium in the original link is privately financed. I honestly believe that many of the owners will be leery of setting this precedent and that the vote could be very close for that reason.

[Goldensilence]

Originally Posted by imatexan

LA needs a team, its the 2nd largest city in America.
I know many people get angry about this statement but many people also said this about Houston(being the 4th largest).

If these other small market team's fans dont show up to the games(Jags) then it only makes sense to move the team to a place that is wanting a team and has millions of people.
I dont understand why Minny would be on the list(I guess a stadium situation?)
I also hope that the Bills will stay in Buffalo, they have that cities support.

I think my biggest problem with having a team in LA is based on the past they really haven't shown that they care about having a pro football team. How many teams have moved from LA? Raiders. Rams. Technically the Chargers were in LA for a year as well.

It's a Laker/USC town. They don't care about pro football.