Which, in retrospect, is what the last 21 years have been like in Los Angeles.
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However, the predominant sentiment Tuedday morning seemed to be that the league wanted the Chargers and Rams to pair up in Inglewood, the stadium site being pushed by Kroenke.
That might not happen and one owner said the league could face a situation similar to the one it had when Goodell was elected commissioner. In reality, it’s the often-splintered reflection of its 32 owners, says sports economist Andrew Zimbalist. At 3 million square feet – including identical locker rooms, office space and owner’s suites for two teams – it would also be the NFL’s largest stadium.
Dramatic moves have marked the Rams’ past. Their competing stadium in Carson may not be quite as viable as Kroenke’s but it could prove favorable enough to enough owners to win out. That obviously, would be good news for St. Louis and its attempts to keep the Rams.
The Chargers and Raiders had proposed a joint $1.7 billion, 72,000-seat stadium in Carson.
Oakland and San Diego have never been able to muster up anything resembling an acceptable plan.
However, according to the Contra Costa Times, talks between Davis and Oakland about a new stadium are not going well.
And then there’s San Diego. There is also a feeling among some owners that when the National Football League returns to Los Angeles, it has to bring the “wow” factor, and Kroenke’s plan is regarded as having more of that.
There is no painless way out of this conundrum if you’re Roger Goodell and the NFL.
Quarterback Dan Fouts was among the most prolific passers of the 1970s and 80s and his Hall of Fame career left an indelible impression on the team’s offensive identity over the years.
The Chargers contend that 25 percent of their business comes from Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire, so another team moving there would be financially damaging. Engage in negotiations for the riverfront stadium trying to make the deal even better than it already is? More realistically, the best hope for St. Louis fans is to root for the league giving the edge to Spanos, Davis and the Carson project. To this point, Spanos and Davis have remained united publicly.
Ahead of all these meetings, Chargers owner Dean Spanos arrived in Houston.
The Raiders would get a financial consolation prize if that was the case.
In the past, the threat of relocation to Los Angeles has worked to push other cities to pony up public money, with the league often encouraging such brinkmanship. Oakland hasn’t made a formal offer and is refusing to help pay for a new Raiders stadium. “We’ve had nine different proposals that we’ve made, and all of them were basically rejected by the city”.
The proposal, submitted by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, is expected to be on the table when league owners meet Tuesday and Wednesday at a posh Houston hotel in hopes of finally deciding which team or teams move to Los Angeles.
Adding credence to the Times report was a comment by Spanos when approached by San Diego radio reporter Marty Caswell Monday.
It can be tempting to believe that all this is one big ruse with a predetermined outcome.
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That, I believe, is what will eventually convince Dean to strike a deal with Kroenke. Iger will push hard for the Carson project, which he will oversee and become a part owner of one of the teams if that becomes the owners’ choice. Twyman’s services at such events usually are only required if there is a press conference – leading to speculation that Kroenke will hold a press conference here if his proposed move to Los Angeles is approved. And it is probably no coincidence that that option would be the most appealing to Goodell at this juncture.
