The question of an NFL franchise in Los Angeles has, for years, been pondered by the league and potential owners, despite the two previous failed attempts at such an endeavor. With football continuing to dominate the nation's collective consciousness, the move into such a lucrative, if fickle, market seems almost inevitable.
To that end comes new word from Nick Canepa of the San Diego Union-Tribune, of St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke beginning to buy up land in the Los Angeles area.
Rams owner Stan Kroenke has purchased 60 acres in Inglewood, near defunct Hollywood Park, and now is said to be negotiating to purchase the racetrack's 300 acres. They're the prime candidates to move. Raiders boss Mark Davis, son of Al, has talked with L.A. people, but also recently played host to a San Antonio contingent for some reason interested in the woebegone franchise's move to Texas.
The Rams and Oakland Raiders both have stadium leases that will expire after this season.
The San Diego Chargers have an out clause in their stadium contract with the city, which opens a window between Feb. 1 and May 1. They play in the decrepit Qualcomm Stadium - the issue surrounding a newer venue has been swirling for years with many promises made and no new ground broken.
All of which leads to a bevy of questions and possibilities with little to no answers.
A few things can happen. The Rams and Raiders could be throwing up smokescreens. In that Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is trying to get the Rams to stay, it could create a problem, because a move would require a yes vote from 24 of the 32 owners - and any team would have to prove economic hardship, which is hard to do. The Chargers would try to block it. If they failed at that and in getting a new home here, they might head north.
And what about the other California teams? What would repercussions of an actual L.A. team be for an organization like the San Diego Chargers?
"It would be economically devastating to the Chargers if one of those teams is allowed to return to the L.A. market while the Chargers are trapped in an aging and outmoded stadium in San Diego," said Mark Fabiani, a spokesperson for the Chargers.
This is a situation with a multitude of players and a lot of moving parts - the only thing for certain at this point is that someone is going to be extremely disappointed eventually, and it probably won't be fans in L.A.
