The pending sale of the Dodgers -- and “more importantly, the property where Dodger Stadium sits -- could have an interesting impact on bringing the NFL back” to L.A., according to Jason Cole of YAHOO SPORTS. An NFL source Thursday said, “That location is potentially a game-changer if something doesn’t get done with [Majestic Realty Chair & CEO Ed Roski or AEG] in the next couple of months.” In the “opinion of plenty NFL people, both at the league and individual team levels, Dodger Stadium is the perfect location for an NFL stadium.” While there are “traffic and neighborhood issues in and outside of the location, they are mild compared to what’s going to happen downtown.” While the space is “not as ample as the 600 acres at the City of Industry, it’s more than enough to suit the NFL’s purposes.” When combined with the “closer proximity to downtown L.A. (City of Industry of 20 miles east of downtown), Dodger Stadium is an ideal fit.” A source said, “I think it would take longer to get something done at Dodger Stadium, but the NFL has already proved that it’s in no hurry to come back. If the NFL decides Dodger Stadium is the best place and they can make it work there, they’ll tell their team to wait it out.” But the source added, “From a practical standpoint, I don’t think Dodger Stadium is that close to being realistic. Really, I think that [MLB Commissioner] Bud Selig is going to want the new owner, whoever it is, to focus the first three to five years on fixing the Dodgers, both the team on the field and making the stadium family-friendly and safe. I don’t think it’s going to go over from a PR standpoint if a new owner comes in and starts immediately talking about the NFL” (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 11/3).
