NFL To LA Rumors Heat up Again

[HuskyCaucasian]

Two L.A. groups approach Vikings

Two different groups interested in bringing an NFL team to Los Angeles have approached the Minnesota Vikings about possible relocation, Vikings vice president of public affairs Lester Bagley said in a chat on the team's website Tuesday.

 

"We have been approached by two different groups in Los Angeles -- the Ed Roski group and more recently by former Timberwolves CEO Tim Leiweke and AEG," Bagley said in the chat.

 

Bagley said team owner Zygi Wilf and Vikings management toured L.A. Live, an entertainment complex located in the city's downtown area, in 2009. According to Bagley, the group was looking for ideas on building a similar entertainment district in Minnesota.

 

The Vikings are in their final year of their lease at the Metrodome and have been pushing to get a new stadium approved.

 

The Minnesota Twins and the University of Minnesota football team have moved out of the outdated building into shiny new facilities of their own. Since 2002, the Vikings have been playing in the Metrodome rent-free, a gesture made to acknowledge the building's difficulty in producing revenue.

 

Bagley said the Vikings have told both interested groups that the organization is "focused on resolving the issue in Minnesota."

.....

Speaking at a fundraiser for downtown Los Angeles in early October, Leiweke said he was still working on getting an NFL team to the area. Leiweke also said he's committed to working with city officials and AEG's Phillip Anshutz to make a downtown stadium a reality.

 

Magic Johnson appears to be on board with Leiweke. On Tuesday, Johnson announced on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" that he is partnering with AEG to bring an existing NFL team to Los Angeles.

 

Roski has permission to build an NFL stadium in Industry, Calif., about 15 miles outside of downtown Los Angeles.

 

Chargers Deny Report of Sale to Anschutz

The San Diego Chargers shot down rumors that Los Angeles businessman Phil Anschutz has bought or is about to buy a 35-percent ownership stake of the AFC West club.

 

"There is no truth to the rumor out of Toronto that the Chargers have agreed to sell a portion of the team to Mr. Anschutz," Chargers special counsel Mark Fabiani said in a statement.

 

Fabiani added that he had no knowledge of former NBA star Magic Johnson's involvement in trying to bring an NFL team to Los Angeles.

 

Several reports spread throughout the Internet that a sale was either done or imminent.

 

Anschutz is with AEG, which has proposed a downtown NFL stadium in Los Angeles.

 

The Chargers have said that owner Alex Spanos is looking to sell a minority stake in the team.

[LittleHurt05]

There already is "professional" football team playing in LA

[Balta1701]

There already is "professional" football team playing in LA

They already pay their players and have some fairly corrupt coaches...

[southsider2k5]

And that was before Lane Kiffin even got there...

[longshot7]

There already is "professional" football team playing in LA

 

Yeah, so?

[knightni]

Are the Jaguars still rumored as well?

[southsider2k5]

Is there anywhere that has been a bigger disaster for expansion in sports than the state of Florida? Pretty much every single major sport has at least one team in Florida that failing to some extent or another.

[Texsox]

Hasn't the NFL already failed twice in LA?

[knightni]

Is there anywhere that has been a bigger disaster for expansion in sports than the state of Florida? Pretty much every single major sport has at least one team in Florida that failing to some extent or another.

They waited too long to expand there.

 

Most of Florida is Dolphins and Braves.

 

Hockey and Basketball don't even register because they are winter season sports.

[Balta1701]

Hasn't the NFL already failed twice in LA?

Never with a modern stadium though.

[knightni]

Never with a modern stadium though.

Yeah. The LA Coliseum and Big A were not good NFL revenue stadiums.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Are the Jaguars still rumored as well?

THey were before the season, but I havent heard anything recently. I still think they make the most sense.

[LittleHurt05]

Is there anywhere that has been a bigger disaster for expansion in sports than the state of Florida? Pretty much every single major sport has at least one team in Florida that failing to some extent or another.

 

Never gonna beat college football & NASCAR down there.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Is there anywhere that has been a bigger disaster for expansion in sports than the state of Florida? Pretty much every single major sport has at least one team in Florida that failing to some extent or another.

NBA

Magic - Solid team, and some history (Shaq/Penny), with a new stadium

Heat - Cant sell out even with the "big three"

 

MLB

Marlins - Cant draw, even when they are winning, horrible baseball stadium

Rays - Cant draw, even when they are winning, horrible baseball stadium

 

NFL

Jaguars - Economically depressed town that cant sell out games

Dolphins - solid team with a history

Buccaneers - They seem to just kind of exist, nothing bad or good about them

 

NHL

Panthers - Forgive me, I know nothing of the state of NFL hockey in Florida

Lightning - Forgive me, I know nothing of the state of NFL hockey in Florida

 

The NBA should be ok in FLorida, maybe if this combination Heat players they can do SOMETHING to create a fan base.

MLB in Florida is dead, I really dont think a new stadium is going to help the Marlins, but I might be wrong. Tampa Bay should be moved to Las Vegas, or Portland, or (insert name of a another city here), or contracted.

THe NFL is doing OK except in Jacksonville, which was a questionable move when they were first announced it (it's not a top 50 TV market). The conventional wisdom was that St. Louis would have gotten a team, not Jacksonville. Ironically, the Jags inaugural season was the same year the Rams moved to St. Louis.

Edited December 3, 2010 by Athomeboy_2000

[knightni]

The conventional wisdom was that St. Louis would have gotten a team, not Jacksonville. Ironically, the Jags inaugural season was the same year the Rams moved to LA.

The Rams left LA that year - I believe that's what you meant.

[HuskyCaucasian]

The Rams left LA that year - I believe that's what you meant.

yes, that was a typo.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Well, the dome problem wont help keep the Vikings in Minny

[GoodAsGould]

Well, the dome problem wont help keep the Vikings in Minny

 

It would be a shame though because as far as I know the Vikings have a very solid fan base. If the NFL wanted to move a team Jacksonville should be number 1 on its list.

[kjshoe04]

It would be a shame though because as far as I know the Vikings have a very solid fan base. If the NFL wanted to move a team Jacksonville should be number 1 on its list.

Completely agreed. The Vikings have no problem selling out the metrodome while Jacksonville struggles every year. To take away the Vikings from Minnesota would be a big mistake imo.

[Soxbadger]

Its not about the NFL, its about the owners and the state. Minnesota has made some decisions that really make no sense. They built a new stadium for the Twins and the Gophers, but they left the Vikings in the Metrodome. If LA or another city comes calling and offers money to build a stadium, why would the Vikings stay?

 

You cant just point to the Jaguars and fans, because that isnt the issue. The issue is a new facility, and the Jaguars stadium is relatively new. Also the Jaguars likely owe money on the stadium or have a long term lease, so its not financially viable. Whereas the Vikings lease ends in 2011 so they wont have to pay any damages for breach.

[witesoxfan]

Well then I think you also have to look on the economic impact it would have on the midwest as well. I have to believe that the Vikings are a huge source of revenue for Minneapolis-St. Paul and the surrounding areas too. Add to that the secondary revenue that places like South Dakota, North Dakota, and to some extent, Nebraska, Iowa, and western Wisconsin get from bars, restaurants, and local shops too. For the Twin Cities, it would be a relatively devastating loss, and for the surrounding areas it would be big too, though not nearly to the same level.

 

I think, when it comes down to it, Minnesota will cave again, just as they did when the Twins were threatened with contraction. The Vikings mean far too much for the people here for Minnesota to lose them.

[Soxbadger]

That is the Vikings argument, we bring in a lot of money to the state, you should help to foot the bill for the stadium construction.

 

Im not sure if Minnesota will give in, I think they are broke and unfortunately did not use any of the money for the Twins/Gophers to help the Vikings. As a Bears fan it wont be as fun without the Vikings, as presumably the new LA team would go to the NFC West and STL would move the NFC North.

[longshot7]

There already is "professional" football team playing in LA

 

Let's be fair. There's TWO.

[longshot7]

I don't want the Vikings. I want the Jags. Jacksonville is not a major city and does not deserve a team.

[Soxbadger]

As I previously stated you wont be getting the Jaguars. Here is an article about why the Jags cant move:

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/387483-...l-advised-lease

 

As I speculated there is a lease agreement that makes it very difficult to move.

 

According to the terms of that extended lease, the Jaguars would need to demonstrate three consecutive years of financial losses in order to activate the "exit clause" required to move the team.

 

On top of that, they'd then owe the city of Jacksonville their remaining rent on the stadium—around $60 million—in addition to compensation for lost revenue from taxes, parking, and other sources of income dependant on the Jaguars.

 

So you are looking at over $60mil in exit costs, as wel as having to demonstrate that the Jaguars lost money for 3 straight years.

 

The problem is that the stadium revenue is not the lions share of the revenue made by an NFL team. Revenue from TV contracts and licensing make more money than revenue from ticket sales. Therefore even if the Jaguars didnt sell half of their tickets, its likely they post a profit.

 

Not to mention I would expect there to be lawsuit filed attempting to enjoin the Jaguars from moving.

 

Thus Vikings, not Jaguars, are the most likely team to move.