NFL in LA?

According to the Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times, Edward P. Roski Jr., a part owner of the Kings and Lakers who has spent several years trying to lure an NFL team to the Los Angeles area, has scheduled a news conference at Staples Center to make a “major announcement” concerning the league and L.A. The media gathering is scheduled to take place Thursday. Plans include a stadium to be built in the City of Industry area near Los Angeles.

If this is the case, then the City of Angels could be back in the NFL business and that would be a good thing. Los Angeles, the second-largest market in the country, has been without an NFL team since 1995, when the Raiders moved back to Oakland after playing 13 years at the Los Angeles Coliseum and the Rams moved from Anaheim to St. Louis. It was bypassed for expansion by Houston, when they got the Texans in 2002. Los Angeles needs this to work and I think it will. It's kind of strange seeing the third-largest city in the United States not have a football team. Its history of professional and college football, with Southern California and UCLA speak for itself.

I'm not advocating that the Rams leave St. Louis and come back to the Left Coast. If a team were to come, fans would support it. Let's face it, Los Angeles loves sports, whether it's the Dodgers, Kings, Lakers, et al. They deserve it. Win or lose, they're willing to go to great lengths to support their clubs. If this stadium thing works, let's hope the people that are planning this thing do it right, make sure their ducks are in a row and let the NFL know that they're no longer the red-haired stepchildren of pro sports. A city the size of Los Angeles with NO pro football? Sinful!

There is support. Build it, Mr. Roski. They will come. They might have to fight traffic on the 101 but they will come.    

False ProphetAll-Star

618 days ago

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It's been tried before. It doesn't work. USC and UCLA dominate the market. It's like pro hockey in MN. It'll always be second class, and it is extremely hard to make it successful

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The BeastAAA-er

618 days ago

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FP, my family is friends with a family who owns a retail hat store chain in Southern California and the NFL teams actually outsell USC and UCLA. More people in LA watch the NFL than USC and UCLA combined. It's weird but true.

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False ProphetAll-Star

618 days ago

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that is wierd. Especially USC. Pete Carrol is basically regarded as a Pro Coach without the pressures of an NFL coach. USC is basically considered to be the LA pro franchise nationally. I'll take your word for it Beast, considering you do live in LA, but I have a tough time believing it

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The BeastAAA-er

616 days ago

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So do I but remember not everybody has affiliations with USC or UCLA. If you grew up with non-college parents and to Cal State LA than you don't necessarily care about USC or UCLA. LA has always been a pro sports town.

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KelsdadAll-Star

618 days ago

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I don't know what the population demographics are for Minnesota, FP, but I would venture a guess they are substantially lower than LA. The NFL didn't work in LA because Al Davis is a douchebag, not because of the market or location.

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Cougar2000All-American

618 days ago

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I agree with you on Davis. He's basically taken the Raider organization and run it into the ground, both in Oakland and Los Angeles. This was once an organization that was feared and now even the worst NFL team could beat them.

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LASportsblogAAA-er

618 days ago

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This guy I guess wants to build the stadium in Industry which would work space wise. Location wise the state just renovated the 60 freeway so the east/west access would be solid. However the 605 needs serious expansion as it is and it would be absolutely required to support NFL traffic. Also the 10 which is the east/west freeway option north of Industry is already a parking lot, but they are just completing light rail along that freeway so that should help. So transportation would be a work in process but I think it would work in Industry. LA doesn't need the NFL so to speak as the NFL needs LA. But city hall wants the NFL so it is destine to happen sooner or later.

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Cougar2000All-American

618 days ago

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Darn good points, LAS.

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KelsdadAll-Star

618 days ago

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They could play in Anaheim, and call themselves the Los Angeles Whatevers

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Cougar2000All-American

618 days ago

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They could. But I don't think that the Angels would want their grass ripped to shreds, after all the work they did on the stadium.

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LASportsblogAAA-er

618 days ago

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ANA	This user knows that the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are in Orange County, not Los Angeles.

Just throwing it out there as always

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KelsdadAll-Star

618 days ago

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I know, LA, that's why I fed it to you.

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SSreportersLegend

618 days ago

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This rumor is almost as old and worn out as any team going to Vegas. FP is right, USC and UCLA are the big tickets, not the NFL.

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KelsdadAll-Star

618 days ago

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If the NFL can make it in Phoenix, they can make it anywhere. The Cards used to play, for 17-18 years, in Sun Devil Stadium, which is on the campus of ASU. Facking dump. Lucky to get 25,000, (in a 70,000 seat stadium). I know the quality of the product on the field had alot to do with it, but not much. Football is football, most go to see the game and could care less who wins.

The Stadium is in a college town, parking was a nightmare, traffic worse. Now they have their own facility in the middle of this huge entertainment complex, next door to the Phoenix Coyotes arena. There's hotels, restaurants, shopping, plenty of parking, all within walking distance. Now the Cards sell out every game, but the team still sucks.

Coincidence? I don't think so. Build a user friendly stadium, and you'll sell out every game even if the team sucks, because you're making it easier for the fans. Simple concept, really.

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Anonymous Fanatic #1

618 days ago

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It's true, a cool stadium does wonders. I'm in Seattle, Safeco makes money, and whether the game is good or not, a damn nice place to spend an evening. Quest Field where the Seahawks play, again, couldn't be a finer place around. I don't care if LA gets a team or not. I don't buy it's good for the NFL. The NFL will always make money.

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