OT: Governer signs bill to give L.A. stadium exemption

[Lorenzo]

I think jacksonville or St Louis makes the most sense. the saints are doing very well in N.O. and I actually think that they got stronger from katrina. jacksonville doesn't seem like much of a market for a professional sports team, but they do have a nice football stadium. the rams seem like the odd team out here especially if they keep losing games like they have been. they are on the market as well? i could easily see the nfl fixing this.

of corse the chargers have been rumored for a while, but I think they have a strong fanbase in SD. They are in need of a new stadium...although I enjoyed qualcomm when I've been there.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Toronto would still have to build a new stadium...Rogers Centre is WAY under the NFL's minimum for capacity.

It's not way under... it's over 50,000 and can be re-configured. A new stadium is also part of the plan to get a team.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

How did the Raiders make the short list? I don't think Alliance Nebraska would take them these days.

Al Davis is why they made the list. He feels he has dibs on LA. If they didn't appear on the list - he'd sue the league.

 

[moklerman]

Something to remember about the list of 7 teams is that Majestic is targeting those teams based on stadium issues and/or a small market situation. They are basically common sense candidates that might be willing to relocate but not necessarily one's that have expressed an interest in doing so. Although Majestic has apparently tested the waters with the Vikings, Chargers and possibly others, they officially won't start pursuing team(s) until after the Super Bowl this year.

Wilf, Davis, Spanos and Weaver have all publicly denied any interest in selling their teams.

 

[TruColor]

It's not way under... it's over 50,000 and can be re-configured. A new stadium is also part of the plan to get a team.

The minimum is somewhere around 61,000 to 63,000 (I'm trying to find exact figures). Do you think they could add that many seats to the 52,230 that is currently listed as the NFL capacity?

 

[ryanshaug]

How did the Raiders make the short list? I don't think Alliance Nebraska would take them these days.

Wow, I never expected to see my birth town on these boards!!! That just blew my mind this morning

 

[RedViper]

My money is on Jacksonville. They've blocked off seats and they still can't sell out. The support is soft even when the team contends. The owner is reduced to making desperate statements about drafting Tim Tebow, because the interest is so much stronger for the Florida gators in that area. Its totally obvious the league bet the wrong horse by putting a team there. Seems like a no-brainer IMO.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

The minimum is somewhere around 61,000 to 63,000 (I'm trying to find exact figures). Do you think they could add that many seats to the 52,230 that is currently listed as the NFL capacity?

I've read that they can. There is a lot of space at both ends of the stadium, and keep in mind that the field is presently configured for the wider/longer CFL game.

But, the possible owners, which include Rogers Communications owners of the Skydome, have said that they want to build a new stadium.

The Toronto Buffaloes is my suggested name for the franchise: The Buffs!

 

[moklerman]

Knowing Canada, it will be the Rough Riders.

I still say that the NFL, if it really wants to go international, should work out a deal with the CFL that would take the remaining 4 teams that they've got, merge them into two teams, one of the east coast and one on the west and expand the NFL by two when the schedule goes to 18 games.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Knowing Canada, it will be the Rough Riders.

I still say that the NFL, if it really wants to go international, should work out a deal with the CFL that would take the remaining 4 teams that they've got, merge them into two teams, one of the east coast and one on the west and expand the NFL by two when the schedule goes to 18 games.

You mean "Roughriders". (lol) There once were two: Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Ottawa Rough Riders.

And there are 8 teams in the CFL.

 

[chickenhead]

It's funny how the simplest thing would have been for the Cardinals to have gotten a stadium in St. Louis, the Rams to have stayed in SoCal, and Jacksonville's expansion team to have gone to Phoenix. But with millionaires/billionaires and their stadiums, we get 20 years of musical chairs.

As for Buffalo, it seems like a situation like when GB played games in Milwaukee makes sense as a next step. Were the border not an issue, they could build a stadium near St. Catharines or Hamilton and draw from the entire Golden Horseshoe and western NY state. But then maybe that would be like the Chargers building a stadium in Temeculah or Carlsbad. In between two market but not of either.

 

[moklerman]

You mean "Roughriders". (lol) There once were two: Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Ottawa Rough Riders.

And there are 8 teams in the CFL.

Yup, that's what I'm sayin'. Just curious, you corrected my "Rough Riders" with "Roughriders" but then typed it both ways for the two actual teams. Is there a right way and wrong way to spell it or do they have different meanings or what?

Which isn't to distract from the ludicrous situation in which an 8 team(thought it was fewer than that now?)...or any size league really, has two teams of the same name.

EDIT: I guess I'm confusing my CFL with the AFL. 8 is still a pretty small league though. He's way too old now but wouldn't it be cool for Calvillo of the Alouettes to come play for whatever team comes to L.A. A QB born in East L.A. Awesome.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

It's funny how the simplest thing would have been for the Cardinals to have gotten a stadium in St. Louis, the Rams to have stayed in SoCal, and Jacksonville's expansion team to have gone to Phoenix. But with millionaires/billionaires and their stadiums, we get 20 years of musical chairs.

As for Buffalo, it seems like a situation like when GB played games in Milwaukee makes sense as a next step. Were the border not an issue, they could build a stadium near St. Catharines or Hamilton and draw from the entire Golden Horseshoe and western NY state. But then maybe that would be like the Chargers building a stadium in Temeculah or Carlsbad. In between two market but not of either.

A little closer to Oakville might work.

 

[bg7brd]

Knowing Canada, it will be the Rough Riders.

I still say that the NFL, if it really wants to go international, should work out a deal with the CFL that would take the remaining 4 teams that they've got, merge them into two teams, one of the east coast and one on the west and expand the NFL by two when the schedule goes to 18 games.

Don't be messing with the CFL. It's been around a lot longer than the NFL. The Grey Cup has been a Canadian tradition for a century. GO ROUGHRIDERS!!!

 

[Doug]

My money is on Jacksonville. They've blocked off seats and they still can't sell out. The support is soft even when the team contends. The owner is reduced to making desperate statements about drafting Tim Tebow, because the interest is so much stronger for the Florida gators in that area. Its totally obvious the league bet the wrong horse by putting a team there. Seems like a no-brainer IMO.

Jacksonville has an IRON CLAD lease till 2030 and if they try to break it ,it will cost them 100 Million dollars as it is written so I would'nt count my chickens on the Jags going anywhere due to the amount it would cost them.

 

[lobo]

My money is on the Jaguars.

If they go for an existing team, I'm all in...if an expansion team they will add two.

 

[PDXChris]

Jacksonville has an IRON CLAD lease till 2030 and if they try to break it ,it will cost them 100 Million dollars as it is written so I would'nt count my chickens on the Jags going anywhere due to the amount it would cost them.

The new Rams owner owns the Blues is is from St. Louis. I do not see it happening. I think it will be Jacksonville.

Leaving before 2030 would require the Jaguars to prove they had lost money in three consecutive seasons or to convince a local judge that the city was failing to properly maintain Alltel Stadium.

http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/122902/jag_11340226.shtml

Old article, but the lease has not changed.

 

[PDXChris]

http://www.laobserved.com/intell/2009/10/la_football_stadium_approved.php

Moving the Jaguars to LA seems to make perfect sense. Even the name "L.A. Jaguars" has a nice ring to it. Unfortunately for LA though, Jacksonville has one of the toughest leases to break in the NFL. The team can only break its lease if it loses money for three consecutive seasons or if a judge determines that the city has not properly maintained the Jaguars' stadium.

From the 22nd. Posting a loss will not be difficult for them.

 

[PDXChris]

Kansas City to the AFC South and Jacksonville to the AFC West or Jacksonville to the NFC West and St. Louis to the AFC South. Second one would not happen, but would be nice for travel.

 

[TJ]

If the Jags remain in the red, their best option might be to take the $100 mil hit and move to LA. The people who are orchestrating this move have some deep pockets.

Then again, if a cheaper option does come around, LA might go that route. I know there will be a fight with at least two of the seven teams to up and move.

 

[TJ]

Bump

Good read on the Jaguars dwindling attendance and the talks about moving to Los Angeles. More reasons I think this will be the franchise that relocates.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=garber_greg&page=hotread8/Jacksonville/Main

 

[Doug]

Bump

Good read on the Jaguars dwindling attendance and the talks about moving to Los Angeles. More reasons I think this will be the franchise that relocates.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=garber_greg&page=hotread8/Jacksonville/Main

I think the Jags can't break the iron clad lease that says they have to pay 100 million dollars if they leave before 2030.That will stop them cold.

We'll see Chip sell the lambs to the guy building the stadium in L.A. .Just wait.They already have an out in the dreary dark dome that is the Ed Jones dome.You can't put lipstick on a pig and call it one of the top 6 stadiums in the league.That gives the lambs an out of their lease already.Won't make the commisioner happy but he does'nt run everything he thinks he does.

No one is going to lambs games either.They give or sell their tickets to the away team every game.This rebuild for the lambs is gonna take a long,long time to get done.Don't know if Spags wants to move to L.A. as he has an out if the team moves.I'm not so sure the fans would care at this point in louie.They thought they had so much more in the last two picks they made in the second spot of the draft in Long and Brown.Both are busts already.Sorry Howie.

 

[TJ]

I think the Jags can't break the iron clad lease that says they have to pay 100 million dollars if they leave before 2030.That will stop them cold.

With a bunch of billionaires in this deal, including the Jag's owner, that might be a small price to pay to get the team to a city where they could actually profit. The team has increased in value over $600 mil in 15 years, they are worth around $850 right now. The value of the franchise goes well above a billion the second it lands in LA.

Contracts are just as good as the money it takes to break them.

 

[DemsMyBoys]

We'll see Chip sell the lambs to the guy building the stadium in L.A. .Just wait.

What, and break the death-bed promise to his mom?

Actually, I hope so. Put them back where they belong. Get rid of everything Georgia, including John Shaw if he is still there, build up the team, play good ball, and Angelinos will support the team. Not a doubt in my mind.

 

[AsUdUdE]

personally.. I would want nothing more than to see the Raiders in LA... With AL still running the team, it would be magical to see all those SoCal eliteists start not showing up to games halfway throught the first season and have blackouts frequently...

PLEASE PLEASE let this happend!