L.A. Football? Please No!

Sports Illustrated NFL columnist, Peter King, writer of the most widely-read football column in the country (Monday Morning Quarter Back), knows more about the NFL than any reporter or columnist I have come across.  Therefore, when I read this in his column on Monday, I didn’t take it as mere rhetoric used for the sake of creating discussion amongst readers: “This is the best chance Los Angeles has to get a team in a long time.” 

King believes that the NFL has stayed away from LA for so long because they don’t want to play at USC’s Coliseum nor in the suburbs.  However, Casey Wasserman and Tim Leiweke announced their financial support for a giant stadium complex capable of hosting much more than NFL football: Final Fours and the 2022 World Cup or any other future World Cup.   Think Cowboys Stadium 2.0.  The mega-stadium would be located right near the Staples Center in downtown L.A.

The Rams and Raiders deserted the City of Angels 15 years ago, so fans in L.A. may be thirsty for professional football; however, I don’t think this should be a pressing concern for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.  Obviously, the most urgent thing on any NFL executives’ plate is what appears to be an inevitable lockout at the conclusion of this season, and King acknowledges that LA football won’t even be a discussion until that is resolved.  Goodell has discussed expansion into Europe in the next few years, so although the idea of football in LA seems pedestrian in comparison, I still don’t support the notion of Los Angeles football. 

California is not exactly deprived of professional sports franchises.  Three NFL teams (Chargers, Raiders, and 49ers), three NBA teams (Lakers, Clippers, and the Sacramento Kings), three NHL teams (LA Kings, Ducks, Sharks), and a whopping five MLB teams (Giants, Padres, Dodgers, Athletics, and Angels).  That is thirteen total teams in the four major sports, including the reigning NBA and MLB champs (Lakers and Giants).  14 seems excessive. 

Los Angeles, including Anaheim, which is so close to LA that the Angels can’t even decide which city they’re from (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim), has six total sports teams (Lakers, Clippers, Kings, Ducks, Dodgers, and Angels).  Six teams is more than any other city this side of the Big Apple.  The main two teams rumored as possibilities for a move to LA are the San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders.  San Diego needs football more than LA.  If the Chargers leave, the Padres will be the only team in town.  L.A. on the other hand has those six teams and a pretty significant film scene going on in this place called Hollywood.    In terms of the Raiders relocating to Los Angeles: been there, done that. 

Last season of HBO’s popular show, Entourage, featured Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) in heavy talks with Jerry Jones, attempting to bring an NFL team to L.A.  Asides from that work of fiction, I have not recently heard much talk about the prospect of L.A. football until I stumbled across Peter King’s column.  I hope the discussion stays quiet.