With the league’s spring’s meetings having taken place in San Francisco this week, the possibility of moving one or two NFL franchises to Los Angeles was a point of discussion for owners and the commissioner. While no significant steps forward were made, we have a few more updates on the L.A. situation. Let’s round up the highlights….
- There was “strong positive buzz” about the Carson stadium plan coming out of the owner’s meetings, several high-ranking ownership sources tell Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. La Canfora’s sources had plenty of praise for Chargers owner Dean Spanos, who has “moved expertly” through the process while Rams owner Stan Kroenke has rubbed the league office the wrong way.
- As La Canfora details, the Chargers and Raiders appear more willing to cooperate with what the league wants, whereas Kroenke has “shown willingness to go rogue,” which could mean that the Carson plan has taken the lead as the favorite over Kroenke’s Inglewood project. With the Rams‘ lease in St. Louis up at season’s end, and Kroenke financing the Inglewood plan on his own, he could decide to go to court if the NFL objects to his moving to L.A., writes La Canfora.
- If the Chargers and Raiders were to move to Los Angeles for 2016, the Rose Bowl could potentially support both teams in the short term, and possible realignment (with the Chargers moving to the NFC) would be “no hindrance,” per La Canfora.
- While the Chargers‘ odds of moving to L.A. may be increasing, Spanos continues to insist that he’d like to see the franchise stay in San Diego, as Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune details.
- 49ers owner Jed York suggests that the Los Angeles stadium proposals are much further along than any stadium plans in St. Louis, San Diego, or Oakland, writes Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. “The most progress that has taken place has been in Los Angeles,” York said. “Does that mean you’re going to have a team there in 2016? The chances you’re going to, they’re higher than not — based on all the work that has gone into it and the momentum behind it. And a lot of that is pushed by home markets not having viable solutions for teams.”