Raiders President Al Davis could be "stripped of his duties"
with the Raiders if the club is not moved to Oakland, according
to a report in the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. Davis has a 10-year
contract to operate the team which expires in January, and his
minority partners, who control 52% of the team, want to move back
to Oakland. They could leave Davis with an interest in the club,
but he would not be allowed to run the team. With the Rams
likely to head to St. Louis, a Raiders move would leave the
league without a franchise in L.A., the nation's second-largest
market, "a situation the NFL would probably like to avoid" (SAN
DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE/TAMPA TRIBUNE, 11/18).
THE CROWN JEWEL? Until now, all proposals had called for a
renovation of Anaheim Stadium, but with local officials on the
"verge of an agreement with the Angels on a new baseball
stadium," Save the Rams is now exploring options with the NFL
about a new football stadium and a "part-time home for the Super
Bowl." Rams President John Shaw has said a new facility is key
to the CA's hope of keeping the team. L.A. city officials
presented the Angels with details of a plan yesterday, and they
will meet again next week. The cost of building two stadiums
would be more than $300M, but Save the Rams said money could be
found without "hitting up the taxpayer," including possible "help
from the NFL in the form of future Super Bowl revenue"
(Himmelberg & Mouchard, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 11/18).
