NFL To Discuss Football Returning To Los Angeles
Commissioner Roger Goodell is expected today to face a question at the annual State of the League news conference in Dallas about the possibility of the NFL returning to Los Angeles.
The news conference comes three days after the potential construction of a stadium adjacent to Staples Center was boosted by the announcement of a 30- year naming-rights agreement with Farmers Insurance Exchange, potentially worth $700 million.
Video: KABC Coverage Of New Stadium Proposal
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said at a news conference Tuesday that the agreement is “a major indication of the viability of a franchise in Los Angeles and yes, that’s significant money.”
“I’m on the committee for expansion out there,” Jones said. “Certainly the kinds of things they are doing within the framework of the financial dollars I’m hearing about should work.”
Pittsburgh Steelers President Art Rooney II told reporters at Super Bowl media day Tuesday that he thought Los Angeles would have an NFL team by at least 2016.
“I think Los Angeles is in the picture by then,” Rooney said. “It’s a great football town. They’ve supported a few franchise over the years and hopefully, we’ll get another one back there by at least 2016.”
A 75,000-seat stadium complex has also been proposed for Industry. Its developer, Edward P. Roski Jr., the chairman and chief executive officer of Majestic Realty Co., has said the stadium will not be built without a team first making a commitment to play there.
The lack of an adequate stadium is considered the leading reason the Los Angeles area has not had an NFL team since 1994.
Since then, failed stadium proposals have been made for Carson, downtown Los Angeles and Chavez Ravine, along with a proposed remodeling of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The Anaheim Stadium-based Los Angeles Rams moved to St. Louis in 1995, the same year as the Los Angeles Raiders, who played at the Coliseum, returned to Oakland.
