Goodell Discusses Farmers Field, Chargers' Future In State Of League

While the labor situation dominated Roger Goodell’s press conference today, the commissioner did comment on several other issues facing the league. He noted the recent naming-rights agreement between Farmers Insurance and AEG for a prospective downtown L.A. stadium is a “positive development because it’s an important revenue stream.” Goodell: “But even with that positive development, the financing of the stadium in Los Angeles is still a very difficult proposition.”

The Chargers are one of the teams rumored to be a candidate to move to a new L.A. stadium due to an inability to come to terms of a new facility near San Diego. Goodell said, "We want to keep our teams where they are. The Chargers have been committed to getting a solution for their stadium in San Diego for, I believe, well over eight years now. … They want to be in San Diego … and so does the NFL. But we need to find a solution to this stadium issue."

The Dallas-Ft. Worth area has been hit with a rare winter storm this week, but Goodell again noted he did not think that would work against the region landing another Super Bowl. He said, “The fact that it can handle the weather by closing the roof is a benefit in this case.” He added the weather “hasn’t dimmed any enthusiasm of the NFL or the people here in this community.”

Goodell did touch on Sunday’s game during the press conference, saying, “It just sounds like football: Packers-Steelers.” He said, “When you think of the great history, the great traditions that come from both of these organizations, and recognize that both of them are small markets, it talks a lot about what’s unique about the National Football League: That competitiveness, that hope that you can always win” (NFL Network, 2/4).