NFL football returns to Los Angeles
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While the Rams’ stadium is being built in Inglewood, California, they will play at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Plans for a stadium have been set and is projected to be ready by 2019.
NFL franchise owners voted to move the St. Louis Rams to Los Angeles on Jan. 12, effective for the 2016-17 season.
This news comes after owners deliberated for hours on the proposed plans created by three NFL franchises at the end of the season. The three teams considered to be moved to Los Angeles included: the St. Louis Rams, Oakland Raiders, and San Diego Chargers. Along with this vote, the Chargers have the option to also move their franchise, along with the Rams, to Inglewood, California which is right outside Los Angeles. Meaning they would share the new stadium.
The market in Los Angeles is the second most populated city in the U.S., and fans have been without a team since 1994, when the Rams re-located to St. Louis.
Back in October 2015, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell expressed how great the fan base is in Los Angeles. “There are 20 million fans in that market that would love a franchise,” Goodell said.
While the Rams filed for a solo relocation, the Chargers and Raiders also planned a joint move to Carson, California that was being strongly considered. Ultimately, the decision was to keep the Raiders in Oakland and allow the Chargers to relocate to Los Angeles, with their stadium in Ingelwood along with the Rams. However, the offer expires January 2017.
Marc Ganis, a sports marketing consultant, believes that any franchise that moves to Los Angeles will get a large boost in revenue just by having a larger fan base. “The value of the franchise will immediately increase by $1 billion when they move.”
Since the Rams move effective immediately, they will play their 2016, seven game schedule at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum which is operated by University of Southern California (USC) The Rams’ new Los Angeles Stadium is set to open in 2019.
The final tally only had to have support by 24 out of 32 franchise owners in favor of the relocation, but ended ultimately in a 30-2 vote.
The Chargers decision to move and other financial decisions are still being made.
Grant Sharretts is a Sports Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.