Latest On Possible Relocation For Chargers, Rams

After much back-and-forth in Houston, NFL owners have voted to approve a plan that will put the Rams back in Los Angeles. However, it’s not immediately clear what this news means for the other two teams that were vying for L.A. relocation. The Chargers will have the option to join the Rams at their Inglewood site until through January 16th, 2017. If they do not sign up to share a stadium with the Rams by then, the Raiders will have first crack at stepping in as the second team in Inglewood. Rams owner Stan Kroenke is celebrating tonight, but this news isn’t necessarily good news for the Chargers or Raiders. The Bolts, in particular, don’t seem to have much leverage now to work with the Rams if they do decide to relocate.

My goal from the start of this process was to create the options necessary to safeguard the future of the Chargers franchise while respecting the will of my fellow NFL owners. Today we achieved this goal with the compromise reached by NFL ownership,” Chargers owner Dean Spanos said in a diplomatic statement. “The Chargers have been approved to relocate to Los Angeles, at the Inglewood location, at any time in the next year. In addition, the NFL has granted an additional $100MM in assistance in the event there is a potential solution that can be placed before voters in San Diego. I will be working over the next several weeks to explore the options that we have now created for ourselves to determine the best path forward for the Chargers.”

Here’s more on the Rams, Chargers, Raiders, and Los Angeles:

  • The Chargers have until the March 23rd – the conclusion of the NFL meetings – to decide whether they’re playing in the L.A. area or in San Diego for 2016, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
  • Mark Davis said that this decision is “not a win” for the Raiders, as Judy Battista of NFL.com tweets. “We’ll see where Raider nation ends up,” Davis said.
  • Davis made zero commitment to playing in Oakland in 2016, as Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com tweets. Of course, since L.A. is now not in the cards for the Raiders, it’s hard to see them playing anywhere else this fall. Beyond the 2016 season, however, it remains to be seen where the Raiders could wind up. He also said the extra $100MM that will be granted to his team by the NFL if he stays put “won’t bridge the gap” in Oakland (link).
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