For any L.A. NFL journalist or former journalist....

Is it believed a reality out there that the area can go on forever without an NFL franchise, or are people feeling, in general, screwed by the NFL? The latest commish comments seem to indicate they (LA) couldn't care less.

Just wondering.

 

I haven't lived here long.

But it seems pretty clear to me that people could care less. We've been promised and repromised and done the song-and-dance for more than a decade now. There's nothing to indicate that an NFL team would be any more successful now than the two that were here earlier. The (more important) fact remains that there is not a feasible stadium for an NFL franchise, and there is nowhere feasible to build a new one.

We don't want need a team here. The NFL doesn't need a team here. Everybody's happy.

 

LA is worth more to the NFL without a team than they are with one. Every owner who is looking for a sweetheart stadium deal can suddenly schedule a few business meetings in L.A. and it isn't long before the mayor, governor and state legislature begin to play ball.

 

No one in LA cares. Oh, people would buy tickets, but no one cares enough to pay to build a stadium.

I think I've mentioned this here before: One mayoral candidate not too long ago said that 95% of the people he spoke with couldn't care less about the NFL -- and, of the 5% that did have interest in the NFL, 95% of those wouldn't pay a dime to help get a team to LA.

The NFL is used to cities getting on their knees and offering money. That would be a death wish for any politician in LA. The Lakers, Clippers, Kings, Dodgers, Galaxy and Chivas USA are playing in facilities constructed with private financing. The NFL should shut up already and pay for a stadium, or not.

Also: In the first few years after the Rams and Raiders left, people said the NFL would be back because the networks would pay more in rights fees if the league had a team in LA. But that theory was shot to hell when rights fees kept going up anyway.

 

so they care a lot?

 

Not a journalist, but...

I've lived in L.A. since 1994. Since that time, everyone learned to hate Georgia Frontiere and her handling of moving the Rams to St. Louis.

Everyone got sick of Al Davis' histrionics. They got sick of going to a decrepit stadium in a shitty part of town. They got sick of every piece of shit Raider fan thinking that wearing silver and black gave them complete license to be an asshole at all costs (or at no cost) and pretty much ruin what was left of the fan experience.

Plans to bring an NFL team here (current or new) are a dime a dozen. To my recollection, new stadiums have been proposed in El Segundo, in downtown L.A. adjacent to Staples, in the parking lot at Dodgers' Stadium, in Carson, over by Cal-State Dominguez Hills/Home Depot Center, the parking lot of Hollywood Park, and as of late, Anaheim. There's a pretty good chance I'm leaving some out.

There have also been a myriad of plans that call for a massive redevelopment plan of the Coliseum (as well as the surrounding area itself), along the lines of what happened with Soldier Field. There has also been a lot of NIMBY outcry/fallout up at the Rose Bowl. They don't want eight more Sundays of gridlock.

Each of these plans have been put forth by a number of different groups. It's officially tedious.

BTW-LA does have a pro football team: USC.

 

Excellent, quick pontiffication.

 

just for kicks, who do you think would be the next LA (as in the city owners use for leverage) if LA gets an expansion team? vegas? oklahoma city? newport news? i guess it would be the same list of teams on the mythical NBA/MLB expansion list.

 

I believe that LA does not care if LA gets a new NFL team. I think that if the city did get a team and they suck as much as the latest expansion team cough Texans. The residence of Los Angeles would give up on the team until they won a few more games.

Look at last years Lakers vs Clippers for an idea what would happen if LA gets a new NFL team.
The Lakers have been LA's basketball team now for a good 5 years and last season was the first really bad season for the Lakers. LA loves the Lakers and there players. Thats true until you saw what happend to LA as soon as the Clippers won more games.

LA just out of the blue now became a Clipper town and the Staple Center home to both teams all of a sudden had a huge banner that said CLIPPER NATION.

LA will not get a new NFL team, to expensive, not enough people give a shit and we get much better games on TV.

I would love an NFL team in LA. But for now I am very happy with the Avengers and the Chargers.

 

Los Angeles in not a Clipper town. Even though the Clippers had better records than the Lakers each of the past two season and advanced further in the playoffs last season, there is far more interest in the Lakers.

The Clipper Nation banner is something the Clipper organization put on Staples Center.

 

A good five years, huh?

 

Jabbar. Worthy. Magic. Chamberlain. Jerry West. Damn. I must have missed their joint retirements last season. I guess Philjax came back for the sheer rebuilding after losing those great stars all at once. That five year dynasty, not to mention identity, just didn't last long enough.