NFL in LA: Latest Details Surrounding Potential Stadium Location

The NFL continues to explore the possibility of putting a team in Los Angeles, although recent reports indicate that the league may not make a move in that regard until 2016. However, an initiative to build a stadium is already in motion. 

Continue for updates.     

Chargers President Meets with San Diego Officials

Friday, May 8

Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com reported Chargers president Dean Spanos met with San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and county supervisor Ron Roberts on May 7. Williams also provided a statement from Craig Gustafson, a spokesperson for the mayor's office:

"We look forward to beginning formal discussions with our respective negotiating teams shortly after the Citizens’ Stadium Advisory Group releases its final recommendations in two weeks."

Carson Stadium Could Be Finished With One Team

Thursday, April 23

Bleacher Report's Jason Cole reported that NFL executives told owners on Wednesday that the Carson proposal wouldn't need both the Raiders and Chargers to be completed. 

On April 16, Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times reported that the NFL has met with advocates for both the Carson and Inglewood proposals:

Representatives of proposed stadium projects in Carson and Inglewood met with NFL executives Thursday as the competition to return the league to the Los Angeles area continued.

Eric Grubman, an NFL senior vice president who is the league's point man on the L.A. market, attended both meetings.

Those included a session with officials from the San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders and the city of Carson that lasted about 40 minutes in downtown L.A.

Carson City Councilman Albert Robles, who will be sworn in as the city's mayor Tuesday, said Grubman explained the league's process regarding the rival proposals. The tone of the discussion was positive, he added.

"I enjoyed talking to him," he said.

On April 15, Michael R. Blood of the Associated Press reported the proposal for the stadium shared by the Chargers and Raiders has enough petition signatures to qualify for the ballot in Carson, California.

Renderings of Proposed Chargers Stadium in San Diego Released

Wednesday, April 1

San Diego City Councilman Scott Sherman announced details and revealed renderings a proposed stadium to keep the Chargers in San Diego (h/t John Gennaro of Bolts from the Blue):

Sports journalist Annie Heilbrunn passed along some of the images:

Earlier on Wednesday, Tom Krasovic of U-T San Diego passed along comments from San Diego stadium task force spokesman Tony Manolatos, who went on 1090-AM and 980-AM to explain what he believes the Chargers' goals are for a new stadium:

If we would have selected downtown, Mark would be criticizing us right now saying, 'There's no way you guys can get a two-thirds tax increase (which downtown would require),' and he'd be right. They don't prefer downtown over Mission Valley. What they're trying to do is show San Diego as divided and dysfunctional so the NFL owners will green-light the team's move to L.A. That's what's really going on...Mission Valley would not require a tax increase, which is among the reasons CSAG voted unanimously to select Mission Valley over downtown as the site for a new multi-use stadium.

St. Louis County Declines to Ask For Taxpayer Support on New Stadium

Tuesday, March 31

A potential new stadium in St. Louis will not be paid for by taxpayers, according to David Hunn and Steven Giegerich of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: 

St. Louis County taxpayers will not be asked to support a new football stadium on the downtown riverfront — at least for now. That strips the plan of $6 million a year and raises questions about the viability of a financing scheme for the $985 million arena.

A senior aide to Gov. Jay Nixon called the office of St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger a little more than a week ago. The aide told a Stenger policy advisor that “St. Louis County’s participation would not be necessary in the stadium deal,” Stenger told the Post-Dispatch on Tuesday.

Stenger has long said he would not support county tax dollars being used for a new National Football League stadium without a public vote. He said Nixon’s office did not talk about how the stadium proposal would make up the difference.

Tisch Speaks on Potential LA Relocation

Sunday, March 29

David Hunn of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch spoke to co-owner Steve Tisch of the New York Giants about an NFL franchise making the move to Los Angeles:

“This could come to a vote in a year,” said Steve Tisch, co-owner of the New York Giants. The NFL has made it “very clear,” he said — St. Louis, San Diego and Oakland need to “get their proposals to their respective teams sooner rather than later.”

“Is it crunch time? Is it a two-minute warning yet? No,” said Tisch. “But...those three cities are kind of in the fourth quarter.”

Photos Released of Proposed L.A. Stadium

Wednesday, March 25

The NFL on CBS Twitter account provided a photo of the proposed Raiders-Chargers stadium in L.A.:

On March 23rd, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe passed along a photo from Sam Farmer of the LA Times showing what the inside of the stadium in Los Angles would potentially look like: 

Goodell Comments on NFL's Future in LA

Wednesday, March 25

Marc Sessler of NFL.com and Tom Pelissero of USA Today passed along comments from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about the league's future in Los Angeles and on St. Louis' current stadium plan:

On Jan. 30, NFL on ESPN, Art Thiel of Sportspress Northwest, NFL Network's Albert Breer, ESPN's Jane McManus and CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora passed along Goodell's thoughts on a potential move for the Rams to Los Angeles:

Three Teams 'Not Feasible' in LA/SD Market

Monday, March 23

"One scenario for LA that’s not feasible: Having 3 teams in the LA/San Diego market. It won’t be Rams & Raiders in LA, with Chargers in SD," reported Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Oakland, Alameda County Working Together to Keep Raiders 

Saturday, March 21

Action has been taken to ensure the Raiders stay in Oakland, as the city has teamed up with Alameda County to ensure their NFL franchise stays in town. Mike Blasky of the Contra Costa Times reported on the details: 

The brain behind the plan to keep the A's and Raiders in Oakland asked county officials to come to the negotiating table. Now, that's finally happening.

The City Council on Friday voted unanimously to add Alameda County to the joint agreement the city signed with Floyd Kephart's New City Development, which is trying to finance a multibillion redevelopment at the proposed Coliseum City complex.

Council President Lynette Gibson McElhaney said the agreement with Kephart was in its early stages -- like a new relationship. At this point there hasn't even been a first kiss, McElhaney said. The city and county coming together is a crucial step, she said, like two parents supporting a child.

"We've been separated for awhile, but we agree the baby is valuable," she said.

14K Signatures Gathered in Support of Carson Stadium Initiative

Saturday, March 21

Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times reported 14,000 signatures have been submitted in support of the construction of a $1.7 billion stadium shared between the Chargers and Raiders in Carson, California. Fenno provided more details on the signatures:

The signatures, about twice as many needed to qualify the initiative for a public vote or consideration by the Carson City Council, continued the quickening pace of the competition to return the National Football League to the Los Angeles area. 

AEG Doesn't Want Stadium Built in L.A.

Wednesday, March 18

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported AEG's stance on a potential stadium in Carson:

EG has urged the mayor of Carson to reconsider plans to build a football stadium (where the Chargers and Raiders would play) in the vicinity of the AEG-owned StubHub Center (pictured), which hosts the MLS L.A. Galaxy, along with soccer, cycling, boxing, tennis, concerts, and other events.

According to the Torrance (Cal.) Daily Breeze, a six-page letter from AEG chief legal and development officer Ted Fikre points out the problem of “substantial overlap” between the MLS and NFL seasons, and expresses concern about the fast-track nature of the project.

“With the proposed initiative, there is no review under [state environmental law], no public process and no public dialogue about the types of benefits provided by other large-scale projects such as the ones AEG has developed through a thorough and transparent public process involving extensive community input,” Fikre wrote.  “We have a very substantial investment in Carson, which will be placed at risk if a loophole is exploited to avoid and evade the protections described above.”

Backers of Carson Site File Ballot Initiative to Approve Building Stadium

Thursday, Mar. 5

Nathan Fenno and Tim Logan of the Los Angeles Times reported that backers of the Carson, California stadium site have filed a ballot initiative to get approval for their stadium, and provided new details about the potential stadium:

The Chargers are locked in to buying the Carson site with the deal scheduled to close at the end of this month. Still, both teams say they are continuing to pursue stadium options in their home cities.

"There are no contingencies, there is no option," said Mark Fabiani, the point man on stadium issues for the Chargers. "We have to buy it. Starwood has to sell it."

Signature-gathering is expected to start next week in Carson for the ballot initiative that would change zoning to move forward with a 70,000-seat stadium near the 405 Freeway at Del Amo Boulevard.

The team-financed campaign hopes to collect more than 12,000 signatures by mid-April. After 8,041 signatures are certified, the ballot measure will go to Carson's City Council. Its members could approve the plan themselves or schedule a public vote, likely this summer.

"The next period of weeks will be really important to determine community support," Fabiani said.

Goldeman Sachs Reportedly to Help Finance Chargers Move

Monday, Mar. 2

Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusinessDaily.com reported on Goldman Sachs, who are reportedly set to finance the Chargers' potential move to Los Angeles.

Goldman Sachs will finance the San Diego Chargers’ prospective move to Los Angeles, including covering any operating losses suffered by the team in the first few years in that city as well as costs for any renovations needed in a temporary venue, sources said last week.

The Chargers and Oakland Raiders announced last week they would build a $1.7 billion stadium in Carson, Calif., assuming they are unable to reach deals for new venues in their respective cities. At the Carson announcement, Goldman Sachs’ Tim Romer spoke about the financial viability of the project and using the same financing structure deployed by the San Francisco 49ers to fund Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

Goldman Sachs’ commitment goes beyond simply financing the proposed new stadium, though. The Chargers, the sources said, expect to play several seasons in either the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum or the Rose Bowl Stadium before that new stadium would be open, and the team expects that it might be called on to make any renovations required before playing at one of those venues.

NFL Exec: "Above 50 Percent Probability We’ll Have at least One Team There"

Monday, Mar. 2

Sports Illustrated's Peter King spoke with NFL senior vice president Eric Grubman on Friday and provided a statement from Grubman discussing the potential stadium in Los Angeles as well as potential teams:

“What’s your gut feeling about the number of NFL teams playing football in Los Angeles in 2020—zero, one or two?” [King] asked [Grubman].

“I don’t know the number,” he said near the end of a 35-minute interview. “But the least probable of those numbers is zero. I would say we’ve gone above the 50 percent probability that we’ll have at least one team there.”

The mystery brews. “You have to have some stomach to let the thing play out,” Grubman said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. Right now, I don’t think anyone does. I do know this: Los Angeles has real momentum for the first time in 20 years.”

"The NFL told any team investigating Los Angeles to be sure to include in the stadium design the ability to add a second team. The St. Louis plan in Inglewood does that—obviously, so does the Carson site. No one expects two stadiums to be built in Los Angeles. But, increasingly, there is an expectation that one stadium will be built in greater Los Angeles, and it will house one or two teams," King added.

NFL to Begin Market Studies in St. Louis, Oakland and San Diego

Monday, Mar. 2

In addition to King interviewing Grubman, King also provided insight into the market research the NFL will be conducting:

Grubman told The MMQB that the NFL will commission detailed market studies in all three cities—St. Louis, Oakland and San Diego—so the league will be able to control the process with the best knowledge of the markets over the next few months. He said the market study has already been launched in St. Louis. The study in Oakland will begin in the next week or so, and the San Diego study will start later this month. That’s important because the NFL wants to know the appetite for ticket price and numbers in each place, as well as whether personal seat licenses are viable, and how many premium seats and boxes can be expected to be sold. By May, the NFL should have the answer to those questions.

The NFL told any team investigating Los Angeles to be sure to include in the stadium design the ability to add a second team. The St. Louis plan in Inglewood does that—obviously, so does the Carson site. No one expects two stadiums to be built in Los Angeles. But, increasingly, there is an expectation that one stadium will be built in greater Los Angeles, and it will house one or two teams.

AEG Claims Rival Inglewood Stadium Would be Vulnerable to Terrorism

Friday, Feb. 27

Sam Farmer and Nathan Fenno of the LA Times provided details on a report commissioned by AEG that suggests an Inglewood stadium could pose a terrorist threat:

In a bold move to undercut an NFL stadium at Hollywood Park, the sports and entertainment firm AEG commissioned a study by former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge that found the Inglewood project would be a tempting target for terrorists and should not be built.

[...]

In a 14-page report, Ridge suggests that because the Inglewood stadium proposed by St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke would lie within three to four miles of Los Angeles International Airport and beneath the flight path of airliners, terrorists might try to shoot down a plane or crash one into the stadium, scenarios Ridge described as "a terrorist event 'twofer.' "

Ridge said the Inglewood stadium, part of a planned retail, office and residential development at the now-defunct Hollywood Park, would have "a significant risk profile with the potential to produce consequences that will not only the impact the airport and region, but global interests."

The LA Times report also provided comments from the NFL:

We feel that the best approach is to look at these things with an independent eye," said Eric Grubman, NFL senior vice president and the league's point man on the L.A. market. "You should assume the NFL has its own experts hired and at work to assess any potential NFL site, in any city, regarding these matters. And it is that advice that we will rely on.

Inglewood Unanimously Approves Kroenke's Stadium Plan

Wednesday, Feb. 25

The Associated Press (via ESPN.com) reported that the Inglewood City Council has unanimously approved Rams owner Stan Kroenke's plan for a stadium on the site of the old Hollywood Casino:

The Inglewood City Council late Tuesday night approved plans to build a football stadium that includes St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke as a partner, clearing a path for a return to the Los Angeles area of the NFL for the first time in two decades.

The council approved the $2 billion plan with a 5-0 vote after a meeting with several hours of public comment and many vocal Rams fans wearing jerseys in attendance. 

Kroenke and Inglewood have been in talks for some time now. On Jan 28, David Hunn of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch provided comments from the chairman of the region’s tourism bureau, who believes the Rams want to move to Los Angeles. On Feb. 16, Josh Peter of USA Today spoke to Inglewood Mayor James Butts about the NFL's possible return.

Spanos, San Diego Mayor Meet

Sunday, Feb. 22

Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego passed along a statement following a meeting between Dean Spanos and San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer:

Carson Officials, Tim Romer of Goldman Sachs Release Statements

Friday, Feb. 20

Michael R. Blood and Andrew Dalton of the Associated Press reported a statement from Carson city officials on Friday:

Carson officials responded Friday with an event at City Hall that took on the air of a celebration. Raiders fans waved flags and officials spoke of the opportunity for new jobs and economic activity in the area.

"It will change our city forever," Mayor Jim Dear told the crowd. "You are at the right place at the right time."

Arash Markazi of ESPN added more from Romer:

The lone connection to the teams who spoke at the event was Tim Romer of Golman Sachs in Los Angeles, who said he has been working with Chargers for many years as an advisor on stadium financing.

"Most of the [Chargers'] work has been finding a solution in San Diego," Romer said. "Recently when we began to evaluate the financing opportunity and options here for this stadium in Carson we became very interested in the site's potential opportunities. The site is very centrally located to all of Southern California. It's got great freeway access and great local road access and the site is large enough to accommodate what could be one of the best NFL experiences for fans."

"We've worked at Goldman on many financings for stadiums across the country; most recently the most successful was for Levi Stadium up in Santa Clara, California. In our view, we've concluded that the financing of the stadium here in Carson is very viable and very doable and we're committed to helping to get this done. It's important note that the financing will follow the model that was used in Santa Clara. The financing will not rely on general fund moneys. The financing will not rely on taxes new or existing.

"The financing, which we provide, will rely solely upon the revenues generated from the stadium from football and other events. We're excited about this opportunity. We think it's transformative and we're excited to continue to work with our clients and both teams to get the financing done for the stadium."

Chargers, Raiders Propose Shared Stadium in Carson

Thursday, Feb. 19

Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times reported that the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders are moving forward with a plan to bring a stadium to Carson, California:

The San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders, rivals on the field, are moving forward together on a plan to build a $1.7-billion NFL stadium in Carson that they will share.

The Chargers and Raiders will continue to seek public subsidies for new stadiums in their home markets, but they are developing a detailed proposal for a privately financed Los Angeles venue in the event they can't get deals done in San Diego and Oakland by the end of this year, according to the teams.

In a statement given to The Times on Thursday, the Chargers and Raiders said: “We are pursuing this stadium option in Carson for one straightforward reason: If we cannot find a permanent solution in our home markets, we have no alternative but to preserve other options to guarantee the future economic viability of our franchises.”

The teams are working with “Carson2gether,” a group of business and labor leaders.

Marty Caswell of The Mighty 1090 Sports Radio provided a statement from San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer following the announcement:

Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune reported Raiders owner Mark Davis has not ruled out Oakland as a potential destination for the franchise, saying "absolutely Oakland is still on the table."

Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News provided more information on the Raiders' potential move to LA:

Chargers Send Letter to San Diego Mayor Regarding Stadium Task Force

Tuesday, Feb. 17

Bleacher Report NFL Insider Jason Cole provided a letter that the Chargers sent to the San Diego mayor's office on Tuesday regarding the stadium task force:

On Monday, Scott Lewis of VoiceofSanDiego.org passed along comments from the Chargers on the city's stadium task force:

Cole weighed in on the statement and the franchise's intentions:

Magic Johnson Discusses NFL's Potential LA Return

Wednesday, Feb. 11

Magic Johnson talked about wanting to be involved in any of the NFL's plans to return a team to Los Angeles, according to Jarrett Bell of USA Today:

Johnson – who has ownership stakes in the Los Angeles Dodgers, the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks and a new professional soccer team, the Los Angeles Football Club – said he hasn't been contacted about a role by anyone with an NFL connection but is open-minded regarding the prospects.

"We helped the Dodgers rebound," Johnson said during a visit to ESPN headquarters. "We're No. 1 in attendance in baseball; we've been that for the last two years. So we know how to take a franchise, elevate it and also sell it to the fans in Los Angeles.

"That's going to be important to whoever the owner is, to make sure they have someone locally to sell the team to the local market."

Johnson told Bell that even if he's not an owner, he would still support the team:

"Even if I'm not involved, I just want the suite," he said. "Seriously, I'm going to be the first one in line to get a suite. So whoever's coming, even if I'm not a part of it, I'm going to buy my suite and I'm going to be there, just like I was at Raiders games and Rams games. If it's the Raiders, the Rams, the Chargers – I don't care who it is – I'm going to be there because I love the NFL and I love football."  

NFL Forms Committee to Review LA Stadium Options

Tuesday, Feb. 10

According to a report from the Associated Press (via ESPN.com), the NFL has created a committee to review stadium options in Los Angeles:

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has established an internal committee to review stadium options in Los Angeles and coordinate any possible move to Southern California, according to a league memo obtained Monday by The Associated Press.

The AP also noted the process involved in any potential move:

The memo emphasizes that the league, not a single team, controls when and where a move can take place. Among its duties, the Committee on Los Angeles Opportunities is charged with confirming that any steps taken in Los Angeles are consistent with the NFL's constitution and policies.

Any decision to bring an NFL team to Southern California would require multiple steps and approvals from NFL owners, which can only be granted by a three-fourths vote of the teams. Those decisions include selection of a stadium site, approval of stadium lease and financing arrangements and relocation terms.

San Diego Mayor Will Fight to Keep Chargers in City

Thursday, Jan. 15

ESPN's Eric D. Williams provided a statement from Faulconer discussing his intentions to keep the Chargers in San Diego in the wake of the team being linked to a potential move to Los Angeles:

Saying he will fight to keep the team in this city, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced during his State of the City address on Wednesday plans to assemble a group of civic leaders to study potential locations and a financing plan to help build a new stadium for the San Diego Chargers.

"They will explore all possibilities to finance this project with my clear direction that it must present a good and fair deal for San Diego's taxpayers," Faulconer said. "I will not accept or support anything less."

Faulconer said the task force will focus on two potential locations for the new stadium -- the current site of Qualcomm Stadium, or building a stadium along with an expanded convention center near the San Diego Padres' Petco Park.

[...]

"My goal is that when the season ends, we won't be talking about whether the Chargers are moving," Faulconer said. "We'll be talking about the proposal to keep them here where they belong. We will fight to keep the Bolts in America's finest city."

"According to [Mark Fabiani, special council to Chargers president Dean Spanos], the Chargers are keeping a watchful eye on what happens in Los Angeles, with 30 percent of the team's local revenue -- which includes advertising, sponsorships, club seats and suites -- originating in the Los Angeles market," Williams noted.

Chargers to Attempt to Keep Rams out of LA?

Monday, Jan. 12

Florio provided a statement from an unnamed Chargers official obtained by Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusinessDaily.com (subscription required) discussing the Chargers, Rams and Los Angeles:

The Rams voluntarily left the Los Angeles and Orange County markets, and some owners may question whether they deserve to return — especially if it means that the stadium situations of the two California teams remain unresolved.

[...]

The Chargers are continuing to work hard to find a solution in San Diego, but the team also has a close eye on developments in L.A. It would be irresponsible for the Chargers not to be taking every possible step to protect the future of the franchise.

[...]

A move by the Rams would generate significant political and legal controversy for an NFL Commissioner [Roger Goodell] who is already bedraggled and besieged on various fronts.

Florio also provided his take on the situation, stating, "The unnamed Chargers official also 'went there' regarding the potential impact of a legal battle over relocation on the currently-embattled league office."

Rams Owner to Build NFL Stadium in Inglewood

Monday, Jan. 5

Sam Farmer and Roger Vincent of the Los Angeles Times reported Rams owner Stan Kroenke's initiative:  

Rams owner Stan Kroenke, who bought 60 acres adjacent to the Forum a year ago, has joined forces with the owners of the 238-acre Hollywood Park site, Stockbridge Capital Group. They plan to add an 80,000-seat NFL stadium and 6,000-seat performance venue to the already-massive development of retail, office, hotel and residential space, Stockbridge and the Kroenke Group told The Times.

[...]

The developers said no tax dollars would be used for the construction project, including the stadium. The group plans to begin gathering signatures soon for an initiative that would place the entire project on the Inglewood municipal ballot in 2015.

"We are excited to unveil an expanded plan that will bring a world-class sports and entertainment district to Hollywood Park. We are committed to working with [the Kroenke Group] to build a project that will put Inglewood back on the map as home of the truly great sports and entertainment venues," said founder of Stockbridge Terry Fancher, courtesy of Farmer and Vincent.

Farmer and Vincent also explained the importance of such a move for the NFL, but more importantly, the St. Louis Rams franchise:

The announcement is the latest in more than a dozen stadium proposals that have come and gone in the meandering, two-decade effort to bring an NFL franchise back to the nation's second-largest media market. But Kroenke's move marks the first time an existing team owner has controlled a local site large enough for a stadium and parking.

[...]

The Rams can choose later this month to convert their lease in St. Louis to year-to-year. The Rams declined comment on any plans to move, but it's no secret that the team is unhappy in the Edward Jones Dome, which is outdated by current NFL standards.

Kroenke's Inglewood plans ratchet up pressure on St. Louis to either strike a deal for a new stadium or watch the team return to Southern California, where it played from 1946 to 1994.

Under their current deal, the Rams can end their 30-year lease a decade early because they have not reached an agreement with St. Louis officials on improvements to the stadium. The sides remain about $575 million apart. St. Louis is expected to offer the team a new proposal by month's end.

League Reportedly Won't Make Progress In Los Angeles Until 2015

Tuesday, Dec. 9

According to Breer of NFL.com, the league won't make much progress in Los Angeles until next year:

NFL Exploring LA Sites

Saturday, Dec. 6

While the NFL is still searching for a team to put in Los Angeles, the league may have found a spot to build a new stadium in the event it happens. 

According to a report in the San Fernando Valley Business Journal, Carson, California, is being scouted as the possible new home for an NFL stadium:

In recent weeks, executives with National Football League teams have been scouting the 172-acre Victoria Regional Park and golf course as a possible location for a stadium and related entertainment complex. The park is just east of the interchange of the 405 and 110 freeways, and right next to the landmark Goodyear blimp field.

The report goes on to say that executives have had some conversations with developers in the Carson area about a stadium:

Executives with two of the teams widely considered to be looking to move have approached a local developer who is in escrow to become a major partner in the company that operates the golf course. These executives made queries about the site.

“Yes, I have been approached by two separate groups with NFL contacts,” said Jeffrey Klein, a Newport Beach developer. “And yes, there’s no question it’s an attractive place for a stadium.”

The teams aren't named specifically, though the report throws out the ones that have been linked to Los Angeles (St. Louis, Oakland, San Diego) as the most likely candidates to be exploring options. Klein is also quoted as saying that if a stadium is to be built, it would cost somewhere "in the neighborhood of $1.2 billion."

However, before the celebrating begins, the report also notes that there are hurdles to this particular area, including needing a lengthy cleanup process, which "could take at least a year" to get approved, and the reluctance of the city "to invest public money in a stadium."

According to Florio, the league has explored the possibility of shortening the window teams have to apply for relocation, having it start on February 2 instead of January 1 and ending on February 15 to "keep the potential relocation of a franchise from becoming an issue during the postseason."

As has been the case for years, the NFL has designs on getting back into the Los Angeles market. There just always seems to be more reasons not to do it, whether it's from teams not willing to relocate or able to get out of their current lease or people not wanting to pay their own money to build a new stadium. 

Even with a viable location being looked at, there's a lot more that goes into it than just finding a team and starting to build. The saga will continue until the league and Los Angeles are able to strike an agreement that's profitable for both sides.