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January 06, 2010
Roski: L.A. wants Bills, Jaguars
Developer Ed Roski's Majestic Realty has narrowed down its wish list of teams to relocate to its planned L.A.-area stadium, with managing partner John Semcken now saying the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars are at the top of the relocation list.
"Jacksonville and Buffalo are two teams in very, very small markets," Semcken told the Associated Press. "They are teams that have either outdated stadiums or are having trouble filling their stadiums or both." He added that Majestic won't contact the San Francisco 49ers, San Diego Chargers or Minnesota Vikings as long as they're pursuing stadium plans of their own — which is probably just fine with those teams' owners, as they'll only want to use L.A. as a bogeyman to help in their hometown stadium demands (or, at most, as a fallback in case those stadium plans fall through).
Of course, market size hasn't generally been a prime consideration in the NFL, since so much of its revenue comes from national TV contracts and the like, not local sources — which is how L.A. wound up with no teams in the first place, for that matter, since a revenue-packed (for the time, anyway) stadium in middle-sized St. Louis was more appealing than a less-snazzy one in the nation's second largest city. That may change a smidge under the new revenue sharing rules, but not a ton, so it's unlikely that either the Bills or the Jaguars will be leaping at this opportunity unless Roski shows them some serious coin in terms of stadium revenue that they'll be able to get at the new digs.
And that likely means luring two teams to spread out the construction costs a bit, which means getting two owners to stop just using Roski for leverage and actually agree to move to L.A., at least one of whom would have to sell majority ownership to Roski since that's what he's insisting on ... all of which is to say, just because Roski has filled out his Christmas card list, don't expect to see flying reindeer in the immediate future.
"Jacksonville and Buffalo are two teams in very, very small markets," Semcken told the Associated Press. "They are teams that have either outdated stadiums or are having trouble filling their stadiums or both."
So which is it? He presented three options:
1. Outdated stadium
2. Empty stadium
3. Both
But there are only two teams...
Posted by Greg on January 7, 2010 06:37 PM
I think the Jacksonville Jaguars will relocate to Los Angeles. It makes the most sense. Then you relocate the St. Louis Rams to AFC South and the Los Angeles Jaguars to NFC West.
Posted by Stadium Czar on January 7, 2010 06:59 PM
Greg,
"Outdated" seems to refer to Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo, "having trouble filling" to Jax. "Both" doesn't refer to anyone since the Bills have always done well at the gate, and whatever they're calling that place in Jacksonville this week is hardly outdated (unless someone considers 1995 to be the time of Babylon).
Posted by Marty on January 8, 2010 11:19 AM
DONT INSULT US!!!
Nobody in LA wants these dreadful franchises that have no Super Bowl wins.
We reject this garbage....
DOLPHINS OR 49ERS!!!!TO LA!!!
Posted by insulted on January 8, 2010 03:20 PM
Marty,
I agree with you. I was just trying to point out the absurdity of Semcken's comment.
Posted by Greg on January 8, 2010 03:28 PM
Personally, I think its going to be the jacksonville jaguars who will move to L.A. Theres no way they can survive in jacksonville.
Posted by oscar on January 11, 2010 12:40 AM
Jacksonville seems the most likely candidate. Their stadium of 1995 vintage is arguably out of date by 2010 standards after palaces like Cowboys, Meadowlands, and University of Phoenix Stadiums opened. And their team has never been well supported which has become even more apparent in recent years.
Posted by Dan on January 11, 2010 04:20 AM
It is disconcerting to think that a stadium is considered to be 'out of date' at only 15 years old (1995 to 2010), when the almost $1 Billion dollar stadium proposed for Santa Clara is supposed to take 40 years to pay off. At what point of paying off the stadium debt will we be told that our stadium is 'out of date'?
Posted by SantaClaraTaxpayer on January 11, 2010 10:09 AM
St. Louis or Jacksonville to LA, not Buffalo!
*1st choice should be the Rams...bring them back to LA where they belong! They could wear those old blue & white threads that Roman Gabriel & Deacon Jones used to wear!
*2nd choice should be the Jaguars! Put them in the NFC West with the Niners, Hawks & Cards.
To replace the Jags, bring the Carolina Panthers over to the AFC South with the Titans, Colts & Texans.
To replace the Panthers, then slide the St. Louis Rams to the NFC South with the Falcons, Saints & Bucs.
Only Jacksonville & Carolina would be switching Conferences and they both only came into the League in 1995, no harm done!
Posted by Fat Dutchy on January 12, 2010 09:48 AM
I have no idea why the Majestic Group would limit down their options to two teams, especially when it is fairly clear that the Bills are not going anywhere. Is this smoke and mirrors- a distraction to take focus off of another franchise that is making a deal? I believe it will be the Chargers, Jags, or Rams in that order. Let's hope we find out by March 2010.
The Chargers appear dedicated to San Diego for now working toward a downtown stadium right now. Roski wants a decision much sooner than the SD stadium plan would fail. While I agree the Rams would seem a logical choice they're not in nearly as dire straits as Jacksonville. St. Louis is averaging over 55,000 fans right now while Jacksonville is averaging only 48,000 right now with only Oakland and Detroit lower.
Posted by Dan on January 13, 2010 03:20 PM
@SantaClaraTaxpayer: They aren't leaving, they aren't selling the team. Man you are a moron.
Posted by Stadiums Generate Profit on January 16, 2010 07:46 AM
@SantaClaraTaxpayer: With your logic, the Jaguars should be begging Jacksonville for a new stadium by now. Man you are a moron.
Posted by Stadiums Generate Profit on January 16, 2010 07:48 AM
This is the part where I warn the managers in both dugouts: Nobody is to be calling anybody a "moron" or making any other personal insults. Next person to cross the line gets ejected.
Posted by Neil on January 16, 2010 09:12 AM
Looking at the situation the way it stands now, I really think it'll be the chargers or the jags who will move to L.A. With the chargers being the heavy favorite right now. Think about it, they havent been able to get anything accomplished in san diego. NOTHING AT ALL ! They can leave right now without violating any lease. All they have to do is pay a $56 million dollar fee. The only reason they havent expressed their desire to leave openly(yet# is because they would upset all the san diego fans who currently go see them play at the Q. Then they would really be playing in an empty stadium. However, they just played their last game of the season#lost to the jets 17-14), so lets see what happens now ? I think their moving.
Posted by oscar on January 17, 2010 11:22 PM