Next Move Or Expansion

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

I don't see the Vikings moving. I think the Twin Cities will pull it out. Also for some reason, I can't see the NFL leaving Jacksonville. Their attendance is fine and they have sole possession of the market.

I do, however, see foresee a return of the L.A. Rams

[rams80]

I don't see the Vikings moving. I think the Twin Cities will pull it out. Also for some reason, I can't see the NFL leaving Jacksonville. Their attendance is fine and they have sole possession of the market.

I do, however, see foresee a return of the L.A. Rams

What.

[Lee.]

If Winnipeg can make a decent push to get the Jets/Coyotes back, I see no reason why a sunbelt market like LA can't support a football team.

[DDR]

If Winnipeg can make a decent push to get the Jets/Coyotes back, I see no reason why a sunbelt market like LA can't support a football team.

That reminds me. I'm sure some of you guys might have seen it, it may have been discussed in the NHL Season thread, and the players' opinion doesn't matter much, but in the Hockey Night in Canada poll of players, the majority said that Quebec City deserved a team before Winnipeg. Only 5% said Hamilton, less than the 16% that putting a second team in Toronto got.

[The_Admiral]

Quebec City probably has better strip clubs than Winnipeg does.

The Buffalo Sabres were just sold, but to a buyer who shan't be moving them anywhere. Apparently, Golisano turned down Balsillie a while ago. The Sabres went for like $189 million. Not a bad price for a small-market team.

[Norva]

I don't see the Vikings moving. I think the Twin Cities will pull it out. Also for some reason, I can't see the NFL leaving Jacksonville. Their attendance is fine and they have sole possession of the market.

I do, however, see foresee a return of the L.A. Rams

What.

Well they were able to, on average, fill 93% of their stadium. They really weren't all that bad this season. Ranked 24 I think, not great but there were worse.

[Lee.]

Quebec City also means less travel for teams. The west is pretty buggered up as far as travel and proximity goes.

There's also the fact that Winnipeg is a really bleak, grey, cold city in hockey season. I spent a week there in December. I remembered all the reasons I moved to Vancouver within minutes of landing.

[The_Admiral]

It surprises me that that's still a factor to hockey players. If they don't want to spend time in cold, grey outposts of civilization, why the hell did they take up hockey? That's basically what hockey is. They should just thank their lucky stars they're not riding the bus to Prince Albert anymore.

[McCall]

I don't see the Vikings moving. I think the Twin Cities will pull it out. Also for some reason, I can't see the NFL leaving Jacksonville. Their attendance is fine and they have sole possession of the market.

I do, however, see foresee a return of the L.A. Rams

What.

Well they were able to, on average, fill 93% of their stadium. They really weren't all that bad this season. Ranked 24 I think, not great but there were worse.

Everyone just seems to get wet when they think of the Rams returning to LA, even though they now have a better shot of staying in St. Louis with a local owner who wants to keep them there. Not guaranteed, but it's a better bet than them leaving. Plus, the Vikings and Jags (and Chargers) have better reasons, more pressing issues or just general lack of anything in there present location that would make them more likely candidates.

My guess? Chargers for sure and then a race between the Vikes and Jags for a second spot.

[IceCap]

It surprises me that that's still a factor to hockey players. If they don't want to spend time in cold, grey outposts of civilization, why the hell did they take up hockey? That's basically what hockey is. They should just thank their lucky stars they're not riding the bus to Prince Albert anymore.

Make it Seven.

[The_Admiral]

The local owner has his other teams in Denver and London. I doubt he's so provincial as to rule out a city and league desperate for an LA team.

[rams80]

I don't see the Vikings moving. I think the Twin Cities will pull it out. Also for some reason, I can't see the NFL leaving Jacksonville. Their attendance is fine and they have sole possession of the market.

I do, however, see foresee a return of the L.A. Rams

What.

Well they were able to, on average, fill 93% of their stadium. They really weren't all that bad this season. Ranked 24 I think, not great but there were worse.

Everyone just seems to get wet when they think of the Rams returning to LA, even though they now have a better shot of staying in St. Louis with a local owner who wants to keep them there. Not guaranteed, but it's a better bet than them leaving. Plus, the Vikings and Jags (and Chargers) have better reasons, more pressing issues or just general lack of anything in there present location that would make them more likely candidates.

My guess? Chargers for sure and then a race between the Vikes and Jags for a second spot.

HE MARRIED A WAL-MART HEIRESS

You think public opinion matters to a guy like that?

[The_Admiral]

Or at least picked one up from tumbling classes at the Park District.

[Lee.]

My guess is, he's also deathly afraid of Flo-bees.

[illwauk]

Arden Hills gets Vikings stadium look

There is some slight promise with this. It's located by major highways and is up for government auction this year. The best quote is at the bottom of the article:

"It's a non-election year. This is the year we need to get it done."

Vikings' officials have been meeting more and more about this site, and also have a couple more sites they have been meeting about.

I have a feeling with the latest press conference in Los Angeles, they're probably desperately trying to come up with a plan. For what it's worth, I think that the Chargers are a slam-dunk to go to Los Angeles, and not the Vikings. Plus, while the Twin Cities aren't Southern California, I think the talk of "they have a team in Jacksonville, but not Minneapolis-St. Paul" to surface shortly after a move. Plus, you got an established fan-base in Southern California, and the Vikings has more of a fan-base than either the Chargers or Jaguars.

The Vikings wouldn't be moving because of a lack of fan support, they'd be moving because their stadium is literally falling apart.

[Drakonius26]

Arden Hills gets Vikings stadium look

There is some slight promise with this. It's located by major highways and is up for government auction this year. The best quote is at the bottom of the article:

"It's a non-election year. This is the year we need to get it done."

Vikings' officials have been meeting more and more about this site, and also have a couple more sites they have been meeting about.

I have a feeling with the latest press conference in Los Angeles, they're probably desperately trying to come up with a plan. For what it's worth, I think that the Chargers are a slam-dunk to go to Los Angeles, and not the Vikings. Plus, while the Twin Cities aren't Southern California, I think the talk of "they have a team in Jacksonville, but not Minneapolis-St. Paul" to surface shortly after a move. Plus, you got an established fan-base in Southern California, and the Vikings has more of a fan-base than either the Chargers or Jaguars.

The Vikings wouldn't be moving because of a lack of fan support, they'd be moving because their stadium is literally falling apart.

I know that. But if the Vikings were to relocate to Los Angeles, it would create another outcry, much like the way the Cleveland Browns and Seattle Supersonics move did. Personally, I believe the Chargers are pretty much a done deal, and the Jaguars will pretty much be the teams to relocate.

Yes, the St. Louis Rams could move back to Los Angeles, that's always a possibility. But I think the Gateway to the West and the Twin Cities will pull out their respective situations.

Plus, I think two teams in Los Angeles would be a bit too excessive, when the means two other large markets in San Diego and Minneapolis would be without professional football. Not to mention, the two-team deal didn't work out in Los Angeles before, so what makes them think it'll work now, in a much lesser economy.

[McCall]

Arden Hills gets Vikings stadium look

There is some slight promise with this. It's located by major highways and is up for government auction this year. The best quote is at the bottom of the article:

"It's a non-election year. This is the year we need to get it done."

Vikings' officials have been meeting more and more about this site, and also have a couple more sites they have been meeting about.

I have a feeling with the latest press conference in Los Angeles, they're probably desperately trying to come up with a plan. For what it's worth, I think that the Chargers are a slam-dunk to go to Los Angeles, and not the Vikings. Plus, while the Twin Cities aren't Southern California, I think the talk of "they have a team in Jacksonville, but not Minneapolis-St. Paul" to surface shortly after a move. Plus, you got an established fan-base in Southern California, and the Vikings has more of a fan-base than either the Chargers or Jaguars.

The Vikings wouldn't be moving because of a lack of fan support, they'd be moving because their stadium is literally falling apart.

I know that. But if the Vikings were to relocate to Los Angeles, it would create another outcry, much like the way the Cleveland Browns and Seattle Supersonics move did. Personally, I believe the Chargers are pretty much a done deal, and the Jaguars will pretty much be the teams to relocate.

Yes, the St. Louis Rams could move back to Los Angeles, that's always a possibility. But I think the Gateway to the West and the Twin Cities will pull out their respective situations.

Plus, I think two teams in Los Angeles would be a bit too excessive, when the means two other large markets in San Diego and Minneapolis would be without professional football. Not to mention, the two-team deal didn't work out in Los Angeles before, so what makes them think it'll work now, in a much lesser economy.

I think if it's the Chargers and Jaguars, it won't be a big deal. San Diego would be considered in the SoCal market so it's not a huge abandonment. And the Jags leaving Jacksonville basically affects no one. The Vikes would be a pretty big thing, because as mentioned before, it would be based solely on lack of proper facilities and not fanbased. Those are the top 3 most likely and I would almost guarantee that the Chargers are going to for sure. It would be the least invasive move out of all the possibilities.

[Gothamite]

the two-team deal didn't work out in Los Angeles before, so what makes them think it'll work now, in a much lesser economy.

Both teams left LA based on stadium disputes. That problem will be solved before another team moves in, so you can't really compare this situation to 1994.

[Lee.]

Yeah but in 1994 the Canadian dollar was worth 62 cents, so obviously

[Drakonius26]

the two-team deal didn't work out in Los Angeles before, so what makes them think it'll work now, in a much lesser economy.

Both teams left LA based on stadium disputes. That problem will be solved before another team moves in, so you can't really compare this situation to 1994.

Personally, I trust don't trust Los Angeles fans to support two teams long-term. One is more than enough for them. Plus, I think it would be in the league's best interests to have the Top 30 or 31 television markets covered, before they think of international expansion/relocation. Leaving the Twin Cities would leave a void and it would be a black-eye, much like the Cleveland Browns relocation.