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NFL votes to move the St. Louis Rams to Los Angeles for the 2016 season

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Fitts

Member
Exactly. Like I bet even some Americans would love to cross the border and catch a game sometimes. You just know a lot of Canadians would support their only team too. It's the 4th largest sports and media market. Toronto Raiders, make it happen lol.

I live in Rochester New York.
 
Exactly. Like I bet even some Americans would love to cross the border and catch a game sometimes. You just know a lot of Canadians would support their only team too. It's the 4th largest sports and media market. Toronto Raiders, make it happen lol.

Three things.

1. I'm not supporting Toronto if they call themselves the Raiders.
2. I'm also sure that the Toronto Argonauts and even the Hamilton Tiger Cats of the CFL team would not support an NFL team on their turf. That could be a problem.
3. In the event that we somehow got an NFL team in Canada, would the BS blackout policy apply to all of Canada or just in the Greater Toronto Area?
 
3. In the event that we somehow got an NFL team in Canada, would the BS blackout policy apply to all of Canada or just in the Greater Toronto Area?

I don't think a Canadian team would be able to get away with designating an entire country as their primary media market.
 
The stuff about loving St Louis?

"I've been open about this process. What has happened here has gone on since 2002. Let's be honest here."

"As an owner to be able to appeal to our fans, we have to have a first-class stadium project. Have to be a certain quality"

"I understand the emotional side. Responsibility to other owners, too, to have a first class stadium."

"This is the hardest undertaking that I've faced in my professional career."

"You do not want to come into Los Angeles without something that is really first-class, because that's what's expected."

Real loving there.
 

Purexed

Banned
L.A. did nothing to try keep the team. St. Louis offered to build a second stadium in 20 years, with a total of almost a billion dollar of public funding between the two. No market has put forth as much for the NFL. Also keep in mind that St. Louis already lost the Cardinals and got tricked into thinking they were getting an expansion team that ended up going to Jacksonville of all places.

St.louis has plenty of reason to complain.

And the same can be said for St. Louis this time around, the better business solution emerged here in L.A. and we had three teams scrambling to get here.

Los Angeles has spent the last 20 years being used as a pawn for other franchises to get new stadiums, more than a dozen proposals came and left breaking our hearts over and over again.

As far as I'm concerned St. Louis was playing with house money, courtesy of Los Angeles. The Rams are back where they belong.
 
And the same can be said for St. Louis this time around, the better business solution emerged here in L.A. and we had three teams scrambling to get here.

Los Angeles has spent the last 20 years being used as a pawn for other franchises to get new stadiums, more than a dozen proposals came and left breaking our hearts over and over again.

As far as I'm concerned St. Louis was playing with house money, courtesy of Los Angeles. The Rams are back where they belong.

I just feel like there hasn't been a good track record there. How many teams have LA lost? Just seems like it's one of those things where it sounds nice to have a team there, but then there's a realization not enough people really cares.

Maybe this will be different as the stadium project does look ambitious. But I'm assuming stadiums proposed 20-30 years ago looked ambitious too. So I guess we'll see in 20 years if a team is still viable in LA. Let alone two.
 

RBH

Member
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This sucks for St. Louis. I am in Phoenix and when we got the Cardinals it was a joke back in the day. Loosing two teams has to be some bullshit. I can't wrap my head around owners being able to do this.
 
Beat LA beat LA
LA Rams vs New England Patriots next super bowl

Magic and Larry will do the coin toss

Oakland and San Diego should just stay where they are, happy for LA
 

t26

Member
Three things.

1. I'm not supporting Toronto if they call themselves the Raiders.
2. I'm also sure that the Toronto Argonauts and even the Hamilton Tiger Cats of the CFL team would not support an NFL team on their turf. That could be a problem.
3. In the event that we somehow got an NFL team in Canada, would the BS blackout policy apply to all of Canada or just in the Greater Toronto Area?

2. CFL didn't do anything when Bills were playing in Toronto.
3. Market would likely be the same as Blue Jays, so only Quebec and Ontario.
 

Klotera

Member
This is why we need to get public money out of stadiums. The NFL is a business and goes wherever the fuck it wants, tax money being flushed down the toilet.

I'd say they need some antitrust hearings. NFL is a monopoly. If there were legitimate competing professional leagues, they'd be fighting each other to get into cities. Since that's not the case, they need to be held accountable for abusing that monopoly to extort cities with the threat of losing the benefits of having a team, along with a long list of other abuses of their position.
 

Klotera

Member
And the same can be said for St. Louis this time around, the better business solution emerged here in L.A. and we had three teams scrambling to get here.

Los Angeles has spent the last 20 years being used as a pawn for other franchises to get new stadiums, more than a dozen proposals came and left breaking our hearts over and over again.

As far as I'm concerned St. Louis was playing with house money, courtesy of Los Angeles. The Rams are back where they belong.

How can the same be said for St. Louis? They did a ton to try keep the team. The fact that there were three teams, two of whom had home cities that did not do much to keep their teams, is all the more reason that the one market that did try to keep their team shouldn't have been shut out. You solve the LA problem, get two teams who need stadiums a new stadium, and reward the market that did work to keep the team.
 

Purexed

Banned
I just feel like there hasn't been a good track record there. How many teams have LA lost? Just seems like it's one of those things where it sounds nice to have a team there, but then there's a realization not enough people really cares.

Maybe this will be different as the stadium project does look ambitious. But I'm assuming stadiums proposed 20-30 years ago looked ambitious too. So I guess we'll see in 20 years if a team is still viable in LA. Let alone two.

The rap that LA is a bad sports town is wholly undeserved. What we are though are smart fans with several entertainment options at our fingertips, so LA fans don't blindly support garbage being peddled out there as a team trying to win. When a good product is out on the field, court, boxing ring, ice, or baseball diamond, Los Angelinos show up and show out. Proof can be seen in the Lakers, Clippers, Angels, Dodgers, Galaxy, Kings, and the Ducks. All these teams have a loyal and vibrant support base.
 

MechaX

Member
How can the same be said for St. Louis? They did a ton to try keep the team. The fact that there were three teams, two of whom had home cities that did not do much to keep their teams, is all the more reason that the one market that did try to keep their team shouldn't have been shut out. You solve the LA problem, get two teams who need stadiums a new stadium, and reward the market that did work to keep the team.

Nah man, the STL plan was inadequate because something.
 
Three comments:

Fuck Goodell and his corrupt piece of shit organization.
Fuck Kroenke and the rest of the capo's
Fuck Goodell and Kroenke again for good measure.

Anyway, carry on.
 

phaonaut

Member
The rap that LA is a bad sports town is wholly undeserved. What we are though are smart fans with several entertainment options at our fingertips, so LA fans don't blindly support garbage being peddled out there as a team trying to win. When a good product is out on the field, court, boxing ring, ice, or baseball diamond, Los Angelinos show up and show out. Proof can be seen in the Lakers, Clippers, Angels, Dodgers, Galaxy, Kings, and the Ducks. All these teams have a loyal and vibrant support base.

Isn't that the definition of a fair weather fan?
 
The rap that LA is a bad sports town is wholly undeserved. What we are though are smart fans with several entertainment options at our fingertips, so LA fans don't blindly support garbage being peddled out there as a team trying to win. When a good product is out on the field, court, boxing ring, ice, or baseball diamond, Los Angelinos show up and show out. Proof can be seen in the Lakers, Clippers, Angels, Dodgers, Galaxy, Kings, and the Ducks. All these teams have a loyal and vibrant support base.

But the reality is that there are going to be downtrodden years more than likely. Sometimes for an extended period. Hell, look at a legendary franchise like the Packers. Sucked from the 70s until Brett Favre. Or more at home, the Clippers. Weren't they trash for the longest until Griffin?

Should the franchise be under threat of moving from LA yet again if that happens again and putting everyone through relocation hell? I don't know. Like I said, it seems like a strong proposal here anyway. But I just still doubt the long-term commitment.
 

Spinluck

Member
3) People kept on cheering for the Colts. This was the least common because everyone was bitter at the owner for not only taking the team (In the middle of the night like a coward), but also took the name and legacy so that Baltimore could never be the Colts again, and (If I remember correctly.) all of the stats and Championships stayed with the Colts name.

I'm a Colts fan but despised Irsay and his father with a passion.
 
The rap that LA is a bad sports town is wholly undeserved. What we are though are smart fans with several entertainment options at our fingertips, so LA fans don't blindly support garbage being peddled out there as a team trying to win. When a good product is out on the field, court, boxing ring, ice, or baseball diamond, Los Angelinos show up and show out. Proof can be seen in the Lakers, Clippers, Angels, Dodgers, Galaxy, Kings, and the Ducks. All these teams have a loyal and vibrant support base.

The problem is that there is no evidence to support the idea that Kroenke will actually put a quality product out on the field. The growth of the Rams in LA is entirely dependent on Kroenke nailing the next HC/GM hire, or even doing it at all. The Rams also have arguably the worst QB situation in the entire NFL, and lack the draft position to get the top prospect.

I'm going to keep following them because I am a moron but LA is either going to get a) a bad to mediocre first season somewhere around 7-9 and probably including a blowout or two an national TV or b) a productive winning season with a potential playoff birth, which will then grant Fisher an extension (which is bad).

Kroenke has shown that he does not care about the fans of his team or winning for that matter, but maybe that will change once he sees how much more money could be made putting a good team on the field rather than a mediocre one.
 
2. CFL didn't do anything when Bills were playing in Toronto.
3. Market would likely be the same as Blue Jays, so only Quebec and Ontario.

2. Because it was only one game. I can't imagine they would feel the same if it was for an entire season.
3. I guess that makes sense. I don't know how the NFL will see it the same way as the MLB though. That's why I asked.
 

Beach

Member
Probabaly the best thing in all of this is I don't have to hear sports radio fans calling in and saying "What if I have to take little Jimmy to a Raider game?! How will he react???"
 
And the same can be said for St. Louis this time around, the better business solution emerged here in L.A. and we had three teams scrambling to get here.

Los Angeles has spent the last 20 years being used as a pawn for other franchises to get new stadiums, more than a dozen proposals came and left breaking our hearts over and over again.

As far as I'm concerned St. Louis was playing with house money, courtesy of Los Angeles. The Rams are back where they belong.

St. Louis put forth a proposal to spend millions in taxpayer money on a new stadium, while millions in taxpayer money is still owed on the old stadium. That's not "nothing." It sounds like you're happy the team is back in LA. But that doesn't change the fact that a serious effort was made. The city and the state were both behind the proposal despite a lot of popular opinion against spending more public money.

Isn't that the definition of a fair weather fan?

That's the textbook definition. Look at fanbases like the Royals, Pirates or Cubs if you want to know what a dedicated following, win or lose, looks like. I understand there's a hell of a lot to do there, but it's not like there's nothing to do in Chicago.
 
Isn't that the definition of a fair weather fan?

Dodgers and Lakers have always had really good attendance even when the teams aren't good. Last 3 years Lakers have been top 10 on attendance despite being a dumpster fire. There is a lot of history with those teams though.
 
Dodgers and Lakers have always had really good attendance even when the teams aren't good. Last 3 years Lakers have been top 10 on attendance despite being a dumpster fire. There is a lot of history with those teams though.

That's the thing, though. His point was that LA residents won't support the team if they suck. Which is understandable of course. But it's the NFL franchises that have failed over the years. So who's to say if the Rams are no good for awhile, we're not having this same conversation about relocation in a couple decades when the luster of this new stadium starts to wear off. And the Rams had a lengthy history in LA too.

Edit: Or maybe it was just politics. IDK. I know nothing about the dynamics of LA. Or the west in general.
 

Livingskeletons

If I pulled that off, would you die?
Dodgers and Lakers have always had really good attendance even when the teams aren't good. Last 3 years Lakers have been top 10 on attendance despite being a dumpster fire. There is a lot of history with those teams though.

Hell even the Kings had decent attendance before the 2 Stanley Cups when they were a dumpster fire.

LA is a big city so attendance shouldn't be an issue.
 
Cool LA finally gets a major sports team... oh wait

seriously like they don't have enough? Currruuuuuppption.

Please tell me what in good fuck you're talking about.

I dare you to try to put forth a valid argument about why the #2 market in the United States doesn't deserve an NFL team.
 
That's the thing, though. His point was that LA residents won't support the team if they suck. Which is understandable of course. But it's the NFL franchises that have failed over the years. So who's to say if the Rams are no good for awhile, we're not having this same conversation about relocation in a couple decades when the luster of this new stadium starts to wear off. And the Rams had a lengthy history in LA too.

I think the NFL has changed a lot in 20 years though. It's a lot bigger than it was then. It seems like things like television rights (which having a team in LA will be huge for the league in the next negotiations), selling luxury suites, corporate boxes, and having a huge, state of the art stadium that can be used for college bowl games, olympics, soccer matches, Final Fours (if it's closed), Wrestlemanias, ect... These things have a bunch of corporate/business interests first. I don't think a team in the biggest sport in the country will have any issues surviving in Los Angeles in 2016 and beyond.
 

Ryck

Member
Serious question, what was wrong with St Louis' dome? It seems like it's only what 20 years old at most.

(Sorry for someone is San Diego that seems pretty new)
 
Serious question, what was wrong with St Louis' dome? It seems like it's only what 20 years old at most.

(Sorry for someone is San Diego that seems pretty new)

I only went to a couple games but honestly it was a pretty awful stadium to be in. It was like a dungeon. More importantly it didn't meet the "top tier" requirements that existed in the contract with the Rams, whatever that means.

Really though it doesn't matter, I'm sure even if the Dome was in better condition Kroenke would have gotten the Rams out anyway.
 
I only went to a couple games but honestly it was a pretty awful stadium to be in. It was like a dungeon. More importantly it didn't meet the "top tier" requirements that existed in the contract with the Rams, whatever that means.

Really though it doesn't matter, I'm sure even if the Dome was in better condition Kroenke would have gotten the Rams out anyway.
^^^ I can confirm all of this
 
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