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Welcome home, The (Downtown) Los Angeles Rams?

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by TigerVols, Apr 17, 2010.

  1. TigerVols

    TigerVols Well-Known Member

    Maybe TNT will be broadcasting the Final Four from downtown LA:

    http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-nfl-la-20100417,0,5949677.story

    And, yes, I know there's no mention of the LA Rams...but Kroenke and AEG have a bit of history, no?
     
  2. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    I love how the astronomical demands of the NFL are just tossed off as entirely reasonable specifications -- like they're simply facts of life.

    All the NFL wants is a multibillion-dollar facility, built entirely at the expense of the taxpayers (they'll come up with some bullshit subterfuge to make it LOOK like it's not being built with tax money, but of course it will be), in which its team will play, exert complete scheduling control, and keep every penny of revenue for itself. That's all they want.
     
  3. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    The NFL is not going to let any team just move to LA. If that was the case, the Chargers would have been there years ago.

    The NFL's LA Team is a $1 billion franchise (keep in mind, Houston paid $800 million, so that may even be a low estimate)

    I'd say more than likely Goodell will have the NFL pay slightly above market value for a current franchise (Hello Jaguars!) and then let a buyer purchase the team from them with the plan to move to LA.
     
  4. derwood

    derwood Active Member

    Can't do that, anti-trust issues.
     
  5. hondo

    hondo Well-Known Member

    Lawyers will be lining up to block a Jaguars move. They'll drag it out for a few years.
     
  6. Piotr Rasputin

    Piotr Rasputin New Member

    Politicians scream, "Do not fret! We will bring an NFL team to the Los Angeles Coliseum!!!"

    Rich men show up and say, "We will build in the City of Industry!!!"

    More rich men show up and say, "We will build it . . . DOWNTOWN!!!!"

    And as they did when the Raiders and Rams left, when "The Hacienda" was proposed in Carson, when Peter O'Malley's stadium bid was killed by politicians seeking his support for the Coliseum (though the effects of that on the Dodgers were far-reaching), and when Houston got the team in 2002 . . . Los Angeles citizens and fans shrug and say, "Meh."
     
  7. MileHigh

    MileHigh Moderator Staff Member

    Difference from the last time they wanted to build downtown is that the dreaded Coliseum Commission was in hot pursuit as well. No longer the case. This does throw a wrench into Roski's plans for the Industry stadium, which is basically shovel-ready.

    But I like this plan. It's in a prime place where it is expanding downtown. I like the retractable roof idea to get other big events in there like the Final Four and the World Cup finals in 2022. And I like the fact AEG is involved because Anshutz is loaded.

    As for the Rams, yah, I could see them coming back. Their deal in St. Louis goes until 2013 or so in terms of the stadium needs to be upgraded. Also, Silent Stanley is on the NFL committee to get a team to L.A. But the Jaguars would work too. That franchise is in deep deep trouble. No way the league expands. 32 is the perfect number.
     
  8. Football_Bat

    Football_Bat Well-Known Member

    They could always try to contract a franchise or two and replace with new franchise(s). With the CBA and labor Armageddon coming up, that would be the time to do it. The payoff to the contractee, however, would have to stun a brontosaurus.
     
  9. MileHigh

    MileHigh Moderator Staff Member

    Who would you contract? Jacksonville? Who else? Just about every other franchise is strong. Oakland? Move them to L.A. They won't contract. They're happy with 32 teams. They'll move some pieces, perhaps.
     
  10. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    Yeah, they won't contract the Raiders. They've paid Al Davis enough in settlements over the years.

    Goodell has said repeatedly that he likes having 32 teams, but there is no way they're just going to let a team move there, because the Jaguars, Chargers and Vikings and possibly the Rams would all be racing to get there.

    I don't know what kind of legal issues would prevent the Jags from moving. I'm guessing they have a contract with the stadium.

    If they move a team to LA, smart money is on the Jags, with the Chargers and Rams a distant second and third. I don't think the league wants the Vikings to go anywhere.

    I don't think a LA team would draw, but I don't think the NFL wants to go much longer without having a team in the No. 2 market.
     
  11. MileHigh

    MileHigh Moderator Staff Member

    Well, they're going on Year 16 and it will be at least 20 years since the Rams/Raiders exodus happened until a team gets in there -- at the earliest.
     
  12. Brooklyn Bridge

    Brooklyn Bridge Well-Known Member

    Buffalo? Declining city, already play some games in Toronto. I would have to think the threat would be there.
     
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