NFL Merry-Go-Round: Relocation Roundelay

[TheOldRoman]

Funny thing is, how OldManViking described him was kind of my point. He is having a good time

...And his mustache is a national treasure.

[rams80]

So the Rams move to LA, leaving the St. Louis market open. Leaving LA open to either the Chargers or Raiders. If the Raiders move I don't see Oakland getting another NFL team, but if the Chargers move I could see that as a remote possibility.

But, with the Jags staying in Jacksonville and not moving to say St. Louis or San Diego ... do you see the NFL expanding to either of those markets (of course with the promise of a new stadium) or other cities (ie-London, Las Vegas, Toronto, Mexico City, San Antonio, etc., etc., etc.)?

Personally, I could see the NFL expand, but if they expand again, I doubt they go to 33 or 34, I think they'd want to round it up even divisions with a 40 team league.

Do you see that happening? Especially as profitable as the NFL is today?

I could see the NFL looking into expanding not just into new markets, but in Chicago, Philadelphia or maybe even the Bay Area for a second team. I am not sold on London or Mexico City, but Toronto could host a team.

What is everyone's thoughts on expansion after LA relocation, etc.?

St. Louis is not necessary to the league's success and survival. Missourians will still have the Chiefs, downstate Illinois will still have the Packers and Bears.

[Mac the Knife]

So the Rams move to LA, leaving the St. Louis market open. Leaving LA open to either the Chargers or Raiders. If the Raiders move I don't see Oakland getting another NFL team, but if the Chargers move I could see that as a remote possibility.

But, with the Jags staying in Jacksonville and not moving to say St. Louis or San Diego ... do you see the NFL expanding to either of those markets (of course with the promise of a new stadium) or other cities (ie-London, Las Vegas, Toronto, Mexico City, San Antonio, etc., etc., etc.)?

Personally, I could see the NFL expand, but if they expand again, I doubt they go to 33 or 34, I think they'd want to round it up even divisions with a 40 team league.

Do you see that happening? Especially as profitable as the NFL is today?

I could see the NFL looking into expanding not just into new markets, but in Chicago, Philadelphia or maybe even the Bay Area for a second team. I am not sold on London or Mexico City, but Toronto could host a team.

What is everyone's thoughts on expansion after LA relocation, etc.?

I can't see the NFL expanding in my lifetime, except in one fashion: an organized plan by which the league adds four teams at once, realigning into six divisions of six teams each, all at once. To do so after the moves to LA are conducted they'd need to have four markets lined up (let's presume for sake of argument St. Louis and Oakland are givens). Where would the other two come from? London and Toronto? San Antonio? Mexico City? What markets would be big enough for them to make such a thing viable?

As was evidenced when the NFL briefly went from 30 teams to 31, a 33- or 34-team NFL would be a divisional alignment and scheduling problem. The Browns situation was the only reason they went to 31 franchises, and frankly without that happening there likely wouldn't have been 32 in the fashion they did. Instead they'd probably have awarded two LA expansion franchises, starting the same year.

[TheOldRoman]

I can't see the NFL expanding in my lifetime, except in one fashion: an organized plan by which the league adds four teams at once, realigning into six divisions of six teams each, all at once. To do so after the moves to LA are conducted they'd need to have four markets lined up (let's presume for sake of argument St. Louis and Oakland are givens). Where would the other two come from? London and Toronto? San Antonio? Mexico City? What markets would be big enough for them to make such a thing viable?

Toronto could conceivably be a market someday. Same with Vancouver. I don't think anybody smart (read: Not the Raiders) would consider San Antonio a good market. I don't think Mexico City cares enough for American football or has enough money among entities caring for it to support a team. As for London, I've read speculation that they'd want to do an entire European division, with teams in Paris, Berlin and elsewhere. That would help the European teams cut down on travel, but it would increase the number of American teams crossing the ocean from eight to twenty. Maybe they could have American teams do two-week road trips to reduce travel stress, but that doesn't sound like a great idea when the players are accustomed to flying out on Friday and returning Sunday night for road games. I don't think Oakland would be in the position to get another team within thirty years. That would leave maybe St. Louis, maybe Toronto and maybe Vancouver. In that situation London would be the only other potential market, and I still think that's a terrible idea.

[BBTV]

St. Louis Raiders. You heard it here first.

[STL FANATIC]

St. Louis Raiders. You heard it here first.

It's a reasonable possibility. An unlikely one, but a possibility none the less.

Though, one thing I've seen speculated is that a relocation to St. Louis isn't at all likely, because St. Louis' stadium plan is likely to include G4 funds, which as I understand it are only available to teams staying in their market.

Even if that's the case, the Raiders are an interesting case. Their stadium is SO bad, that they really need to get out. The Dome isn't that bad, it's just outdated and the lease happens to have an out clause. But it's a structurally sound building with working plumbing, etc., etc.

I don't mean to say that the Raiders would move into the Dome and call it a day, though. What I'm getting at is that if the Raiders moved with the understanding that St. Louis is willing to put public funds on the table, maybe they'd consider moving without a legal guarantee of that. I'm sure they might want an under the table deal, but perhaps they could wait on the official thing.

Then once, they're in STL, they work on a stadium plan, the funds come back on the table, and suddenly it's eligible for G4. On the other hand, G4 funding isn't automatic, and the league could view that as gaming the system and not award them. I don't know. It may also depend on whether St. Louis earns the league's sympathy from the current situation.

Ultimately, it probably won't happen, but now all of the options are being discussed because why not.

It's actually funny. A local morning sports radio show has been all aboard the Raiders to STL bandwagon. "Your St. Louis Raiders. Welcome Home." It's been a pretty funny bit the past few days.

[The_Admiral]

Raider Nation and Cardinal Nation would be like matter and antimatter.

[rams80]

Raider Nation and Cardinal Nation would be like matter and antimatter.

OK now I want this to happen.

[Gothamite]

As do I.

Expansion's not going to happen. Those additional markets would have to bring something really extraordinary to the table, to offset adding eight more shares to the existing pie.

[BBTV]

I'm going to start printing t shirts and maybe start a Facebook group.

[Brass]

Keep in mind, I'm a Jags super fan. (No duh) but from what I have seen, Khan isn't leaving Jax. He has invested so much money. I'm sure this could be owner speak, but he has expressed his love for Jax. Why does he love it? It's Florida! Potential galore. He has houses in Florida. He is a self made extravagant billionaire. Where he lays his head is home. He is traveled. He isnt home sick. Hell, look at this picture.

So glad the Rams owner did what he did. It saved my franchise. Khan would have kept that team in St Louis. Kroenke had a plan when he bought St Louis. Look at him. He is dirtier than my underwear three days after I should have done the laundry.

Holy crap, look at that goofball. The best part of this post is when you say everyone should "look" at Kroenke after posting that picture of Khan. OK, Kroenke may look dirty (I don't know. I've never seem him) but that guy looks like Geraldo Rivera and Saddam Hussein had a duchebag party baby.

That's perhaps one of the most slyly written racist comments I've ever read. You don't work for the GOP in your spare time, do you?

TIL Conan is "slyly racist."

[The_Admiral]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/06/kroenke-may-not-have-the-votes-to-move-and-he-may-not-need-them/

But even if Kroenke doesn’t get to 24 votes, it may not matter. According to the source, Kroenke has informed the mayor of Inglewood on multiple occasions that he’ll move the team with or without the approval of the other clubs.

Sounds like the plan for Jay Nixon Stadium will have to be mighty impressive.

That would be an aggressive, risky move. If Kroenke moves without approval, he’d be entitled to no financial assistance from the league, and his stadium would be blocked from hosting Super Bowls. He also would avoid paying the relocation fee.

When they say "no financial assistance," do they mean no revenue sharing? I like this idea of the Rams as a rogue franchise.

And now it's coming out that Stan is giving Missouri officials the cold shoulder and more and more talk is shifting to St. Louis keeping "the NFL." This one's probably over. Good for the Blues.

[dfwabel]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/06/kroenke-may-not-have-the-votes-to-move-and-he-may-not-need-them/

But even if Kroenke doesn’t get to 24 votes, it may not matter. According to the source, Kroenke has informed the mayor of Inglewood on multiple occasions that he’ll move the team with or without the approval of the other clubs.

Sounds like the plan for Jay Nixon Stadium will have to be mighty impressive.

That would be an aggressive, risky move. If Kroenke moves without approval, he’d be entitled to no financial assistance from the league, and his stadium would be blocked from hosting Super Bowls. He also would avoid paying the relocation fee.

When they say "no financial assistance," do they mean no revenue sharing? I like this idea of the Rams as a rogue franchise.

Financial assistance means the ability to participate in the G-4 Loan Program. It is the 15 year loan against your premium seating revenues.

[The_Admiral]

Well pfft. I don't think Los Angeles was eligible for G4 loans anyway. Do what you must, Windowless Van Stan.

also, lol:

rl79111 says:

Jan 6, 2015 8:48 PM

LA is a dump, get out of this fair weather fan city as quickly as possible. California is great, but LA is a dumpster dump! LoL @ the Doyers, Kings and Lakers, so to be the Rams! I’d rather live in Detroit than LA!

I wonder what all the Wagon jumping Packer, Patriot and Cowboy fans will do when their real team comes back.

It’s sicking how many fans are actually full of you know what out in LA, they need a team.

hbgoo is at PFT now, apparently.

[RyanMcD29]

The PFT comment aggregator would be 30 times worse than the HFBoards one, right?

[The_Admiral]

How do you aggregate bad comments on a site where all the comments are bad?

[DustDevil61]

St. Louis Raiders. You heard it here first.

Raider Nation and Cardinal Nation would be like matter and antimatter.

Raider Nation and Cardinal Nation would be like matter and antimatter.

OK now I want this to happen.

As do I.

Expansion's not going to happen. Those additional markets would have to bring something really extraordinary to the table, to offset adding eight more shares to the existing pie.

Count me in as well. I wouldn't mind seeing the BBIB mentality take a hit.

BTW, this is coming from a Cardinals fan, though admittedly one that's not from St. Louis.

[The_Admiral]

Personally, I would hate for Raider culture to rub off on the Redbirds. Imagine if they started to do things like drive drunk or go out of their way to injure opponents who "disrespect" them!

[BBTV]

i just want to read "today, I am a Raider".

[rams80]

It's not like St. Louis ever hosted a Super Bowl.

Dear Rodge, your threats would be less empty if they didn't simply reflect a continuation of the status quo.

EDIT, even if they couldn't get a Super Bowl, there are alternatives. Hello college football national championship and Rose Bowl game that only has a lease at the Rose Bowl through 2019.