NFL Merry-Go-Round: Relocation Roundelay

[MadmanLA]

It will certainly be interesting to see. Buffalo needs updates (or a new building), they're now in ownership limbo, and like the other teams in this conversation, they've had mediocre attendance (most likely due to a poor product—also like the other teams).

I would think we'll know relatively soon who the ownership is transferring to immediately (his kids or his wife most likely), but beyond that it may take some time.

Buffalo got renovations to the stadium. And a new lease that frees up the team to move in 2019-2020, but not before then.

Plus, this round of renvoations (like the previous) is suppose to decrease the seating capacity, from its current 73,000-plus to around 67,000 (give or take). Certainly, the decrease in seating may help with the Bills' blackout/attendance issues.

[colortv]

I find it curious that the NFL is so anxious to expand to London when Canada is right next door. Certainly Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal are big enough to support teams eventually.

Is the aversion just to protect the CFL or something more?

[smith03]

it may be the CFL teams in those cities don't exactly draw large number of fans (at least Tor and Mont) I don't know do the Lions average 50,000?

[bosrs1]

I find it curious that the NFL is so anxious to expand to London when Canada is right next door. Certainly Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal are big enough to support teams eventually.

Is the aversion just to protect the CFL or something more?

Well it's not like the Bills have drawn all that well when they've played in Toronto. Nor is there any stadium in any of the CFL cities that would really meet NFL requirements.

[teddthebucfan]

I find it curious that the NFL is so anxious to expand to London when Canada is right next door. Certainly Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal are big enough to support teams eventually.

Is the aversion just to protect the CFL or something more?

I find it curious that they're so willing to put a team in London when they can't find anyone really willing to put a team in Los Angeles.

[Cosmic]

I find it curious that the NFL is so anxious to expand to London when Canada is right next door. Certainly Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal are big enough to support teams eventually.

Is the aversion just to protect the CFL or something more?

I find it curious that they're so willing to put a team in London when they can't find anyone really willing to put a team in Los Angeles.

London is probably just the next bogeyman after Los Angeles is re-occupied.

[Cosmic]

I'm not sure if the timing has anything to do with Ralph Wilson's passing or not (probably not), but the Bills have named their seven members of the "New Stadium Working Group". The most interesting name is definitely U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer; other than that, the whole panel is basically Bills officials, developers, a few random business people and local politicians. Schumer is a pretty big name in the Senate, so I could see him wrangling funding for highway improvements that will likely be needed wherever the new stadium theoretically ends up.

[colortv]

Looks like there is a lot going on behind the scenes regarding LA:

http://mweb.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/jason-la-canfora/24494519/battle-for-los-angeles-rams-raiders-jockey-for-return-to-socal

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/24/6264799/sam-farmer-raiders-owner-mark.html?storylink=lingospot

[CubsFanBudMan]

Interesting. Those two links have completely opposite opinions of Kroenke's piece of land.

Sam Farmer:

"Two months ago, Stan Kroenke, owner of the St. Louis Rams, quietly bought a 60-acre parking lot that sits between Hollywood Park and the Forum, sufficient space to house a stadium although not enough for the venue and all the parking the league would want."

He also referenced Super Bowls... plural. Any old warm-weather or domed stadium can get one. That passage suggests what I've said all along -- the NFL wants more than that for L.A.

Then LaCanfora says the spot is plenty big for a "state of the art" stadium. So who knows. (He also goes on a long tangent that AT&T Park is a viable short-term home for the Raiders, so...)

[The_Admiral]

Raiders fans in the Giants' park is going to be like the sports version of "party while the parents are out of town." The big outfield glove is going to wake up with balls in its mouth.

[teddthebucfan]

Interesting. Those two links have completely opposite opinions of Kroenke's piece of land.

Sam Farmer:

"Two months ago, Stan Kroenke, owner of the St. Louis Rams, quietly bought a 60-acre parking lot that sits between Hollywood Park and the Forum, sufficient space to house a stadium although not enough for the venue and all the parking the league would want."

He also referenced Super Bowls... plural. Any old warm-weather or domed stadium can get one. That passage suggests what I've said all along -- the NFL wants more than that for L.A.

Then LaCanfora says the spot is plenty big for a "state of the art" stadium. So who knows. (He also goes on a long tangent that AT&T Park is a viable short-term home for the Raiders, so...)

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the football capacity of At&T park below the 50,000 necessary for NFL football?

[The_Admiral]

It would be temporary, and no one goes to Raiders games anyway.

[CubsFanBudMan]

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Sunday sports section:

Timing isn't right for NFL in LA:

http://m.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/timing-isn-t-right-for-nfl-return-to-la/article_1970f117-7278-55a3-ad1d-180901b14076.html?mobile_touch=true

It's not an opinion piece... *raises eyebrow*

[Gothamite]

Wow. Read that last paragraph - talk about burying the lede.

[bosrs1]

Interesting. Those two links have completely opposite opinions of Kroenke's piece of land.

Sam Farmer:

"Two months ago, Stan Kroenke, owner of the St. Louis Rams, quietly bought a 60-acre parking lot that sits between Hollywood Park and the Forum, sufficient space to house a stadium although not enough for the venue and all the parking the league would want."

He also referenced Super Bowls... plural. Any old warm-weather or domed stadium can get one. That passage suggests what I've said all along -- the NFL wants more than that for L.A.

Then LaCanfora says the spot is plenty big for a "state of the art" stadium. So who knows. (He also goes on a long tangent that AT&T Park is a viable short-term home for the Raiders, so...)

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the football capacity of At&T park below the 50,000 necessary for NFL football?

That and I suspect MLB and the Giants would have something to say about one of their premier venues being turned into a multipurpose circus for anything more than the one offs it currently hosts (remember these are the same people saying that the A's need to get out of the Coliseum across the bay in part because it is multipurpose). To say nothing of the NFL and the embarrassment of having one of their premier merchandising drivers playing second fiddle to the supposedly 2nd place baseball league.

[colortv]

Does the Bills reach span across western NY, such as Rochester, Syracuse? I would think that, combined with whatever they get from the Toronto area would be enough business to sustain a franchise.

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Sunday sports section:

Timing isn't right for NFL in LA:
http://m.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/timing-isn-t-right-for-nfl-return-to-la/article_1970f117-7278-55a3-ad1d-180901b14076.html?mobile_touch=true

It's not an opinion piece... *raises eyebrow*

There are two stadium plans literally shovel ready in Farmers and City of Industry, plus the plan that Michael Ovitz reportedly has which has been discussed with Mark Davis.So whatever the league says about not having a stadium plan in place sounds like hooey.

[Gothamite]

It's not "hooey" so much as it is "public relations". Unless and until the Rams have decided to leave, the NFL will say vaguely supportive things about St. Louis. The league won't interrupt negotiations.

[colortv]

My thoughts as well....but I expected someone to respond "why wouldn't they play up LA to force current cities to build stadiums?"

[Cosmic]

Does the Bills reach span across western NY, such as Rochester, Syracuse? I would think that, combined with whatever they get from the Toronto area would be enough business to sustain a franchise.

I think the Bills reach really does extend out to Rochester and Syracuse. There are also busloads of Canadians that come down for games in Orchard Park. Ticket-wise, I think the Bills do really well for the product they've put out on the field the last 15 years. If someone buys the team and is convincing about wanting to keep it in Buffalo, I'd bet you could do significantly better still. I think the major problem is that the big businesses just aren't really there in Buffalo. Any big businesses in Toronto, Rochester, Syracuse, etc. don't seem like they see enough value in investing far away with the Bills.

[STL FANATIC]

I wouldn't put much stock into any of the three articles recently posted. None of them contain any new nuggets. They make vague references to sources throughout the league at best and then mostly regurgitate known items with new (or old) spin.

They keep the conversation going without adding to it.

Much like we've been doing for a while .