State Of The NFL: Hurdles Still Exist Before Return To L.A. Area

Goodell Says League Is "Working Very Hard" To Bring A Team Back To The L.A. Area

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Friday said that the league "continues to work" toward bringing a team to L.A., but noted that there are "still several hurdles standing in the way," according to Arash Markazi of ESPNLOSANGELES.com. The L.A. area has been without a team since the Rams relocated to St. Louis in '95, and Goodell during his state of the league address said, "I don't think we can guarantee that a team will be there." Goodell: "We are all working very hard to get a team back in the Los Angeles market because we know there are millions of fans there that would love to see NFL football as part of their community. I think progress is being made. The good news is clearance has been given to build a stadium." He added, "The key issue is the challenges of financing a facility in this environment with the labor agreement that we have. The cost of building that stadium is almost entirely on the ownership and that is a big burden to pay in this type of environment" (ESPNLOSANGELES.com, 2/5). But Majestic Realty VP John Semcken, whose company is building the football stadium in Industry, said that Majestic "isn't concerned about landing a team." Semcken: "We will get a team in Los Angeles." Semcken also "expressed his confidence" about financing the $800M stadium. He said, "We have zero concern about our ability to finance the building. We know what the numbers are and we know how we are going to do it" (SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUNE, 2/6).

RIDE TO CALIFORNIA: ESPN Radio 980 DC's Al Galdi noted L.A. is "not dying" for an NFL team, but "if you're the NFL, you want that television market." Galdi: "You've gotten the sense for years that whether you want it or you don't want it L.A., you're going to get one, and they seem to be going in that direction. It would appear a team like Jacksonville is a prime candidate for it." He added, "I don't know that a team in L.A. would thrive, but the prestige of having a team in L.A. -- you want it in L.A." Washington Post reporter Liz Clarke said, "It's like a collective yawn from L.A. that they don't have football. That said, Jacksonville was a bad decision from the jump. It's too small of a market" ("Washington Post Live," Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, 2/5).

MAKE IT OR BREAK IT?: The state of the Jaguars was mentioned during Goodell's press conference, and he said, "You can't continue to have an NFL franchise with 40,000 people in the stands." But he added team Owner Wayne Weaver has been "very aggressive in working with the business community, and we will support him in every way." Goodell: "We know there are millions of fans in North Florida that want to continue to see the Jaguars play the great football they did this year, and we will support that, and, hopefully, we will see better results going forward." In Jacksonville, Vito Stellino reported the Jaguars have "sent out ticket renewals to 25,000 general-bowl ticket holders and 7,000 club-seat holders and are hoping the majority will renew" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 2/7).

KEEP ME IN ST. LOUIS: Goodell reiterated that the NFL "wants a franchise in St. Louis and wants the Rams to be successful there over the long term." He said co-Owners Chip Rosenbloom and Lucia Rodriguez are "committed to trying to put this organization on the right path in St. Louis." Goodell: "We have a lease there. We will respect that lease. We would like the team to be successful in St. Louis over the long term. If Chip and Lucia decide to sell the team, we will work with the future ownership to make sure that the team can continue to be there and be successful." Goodell noted that "selling the team and relocating the team are two different processes." He said, "Ownership transfer is an important issue for us. We take a lot of time going through that with our committees and with the full membership. And then, if there is any kind of potential relocation, that's a separate process. Fortunately, we're not talking about that" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 2/6).

Goodell Says The Chargers Need A  Replacement For Qualcomm Stadium

LEADING THE CHARGE: Goodell said that the Chargers "need a new venue," though he did point out the team has been "working very hard to get (a stadium deal) done in the San Diego community." Goodell: "Baseball has been addressed in that community in the meantime, and that stadium (Qualcomm Stadium) does need to be fixed for the NFL, which means a new stadium. They have had a lot of work done over the years on that. Unfortunately, it hasn't produced a solution. That has disappointed everybody" (L.A. TIMES, 2/6). Goodell also addressed whether Toronto is "feasible for the NFL" as a full-time market. He said, "As you know, Toronto is a great market. The Bills are playing up there on an annual basis in a regular-season game, and then every other year with a preseason game. I think we want to continue to service that market. We have great fans there. I think it's a great city" (ESPN.com, 2/6).

DEVILS IN THE DETAILS: When asked about potential "financial duress" facing Buccaneers Owner the Glazer family, Goodell said, "I talk to the Glazers on a regular basis. I will tell you that they are sound owners. They are terrific for the NFL and we have not seen that there is any stress that would affect the way they operate any of their professional teams, much less the Tampa Bay Buccaneers." In St. Petersburg, Stephen Holder wrote based on Goodell's response, he "seems aware of the financial burdens created by the debt payments" on Manchester United. But the EPL club "produces lots of revenue, which must be allaying the league's concerns that it's a drain on the Glazers" (TAMPABAY.com, 2/5).