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Expedited Timeline For NFL L.A. Vote Could Hinder Efforts In San Diego, St. Louis, Oakland

Any NFL plan to move up the date of owners' vote on L.A. to the fall "would make it more difficult" for Oakland, San Diego and St. Louis to "have their stadium plans finalized" in an effort to prevent their respective teams from moving to Southern California, according to a front-page piece by Jim Thomas of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that proceeding earlier "would give relocating teams a better opportunity to properly transition to a new marketplace." The league is "considering a move-up in its relocation timetable" in an effort to have "at least one team" in L.A. by '16. The next scheduled window "to file for relocation" is Jan. 1-Feb. 15 next year. But it is possible that the three teams "could make presentations at the next round of league meetings," May 18-20. Goodell: “I do expect that we’ll be hearing from all three teams, not only to the league staff but also to the [L.A.] committee sometime in late April. We will likely report back to the membership again in May." Thomas writes there "almost seems to be an air of inevitability" about the NFL having at least one franchise in L.A. by '16 coming out of the owners meeting in Phoenix, but Goodell yesterday "was cautious on that subject." Goodell: "We’re focused on doing this right. If we go back to the Los Angeles market, we want to succeed for the long term. We have a lot to do to get to that place. But we’re not focused on '16" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 3/26).

JOB WELL DONE: USA TODAY's Pelissero & Reyes noted Goodell "praised officials in St. Louis" in their efforts to get a new Rams stadium. He added that league staff "will meet in the next week or two with a task force working to keep the Chargers in San Diego." Goodell: "There's a tremendous amount of focus on the stadium alternatives (and) marketing studies in all those markets, including current markets. So there's a great deal of work being done and I would expect that that would continue at a very disciplined pace" (USATODAY.com, 3/25). 

Kroenke, whose proposed L.A. stadium is pictured,
might be allowed to apply for a move this fall
ROAD LESS TRAVELED: USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell notes none of the owners publicly addressed the notion that Rams Owner Stan Kroenke "might be so bent on executing his plan" to build a stadium in L.A. that "he would do it without flowing with the NFL's procedures." Bell: "You know that prospect has to loom as an elephant in the room." At the moment, it "hardly seems like" Kroenke will go it alone, because "going rogue is like some sort of nuclear option." Kroenke "appears to be the force that won't be stopped on an express track" (USA TODAY, 3/26). In St. Louis, Bernie Miklasz writes the market study in St. Louis will show "whatever the NFL wants it to show." While Goodell says that he "likes what’s going on in St. Louis, he also pivots and offers that Kroenke (and others) may be allowed to apply for a move in the fall." Miklasz: "If that happens, advantage Kroenke. You have to admit it: This was a nice cutback move by Goodell" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 3/26).

CALL OF DUTY: In L.A., Tim Logan reports supporters of a stadium proposal in Carson, Calif., yesterday "turned in more than 15,000 signatures ... to put the project on a city ballot." A parade of Raiders and Chargers fans "hauled 41 boxes full of petitions into Carson City Hall." Organizers said that they had "collected 15,390 signatures supporting the project, far more than the roughly 8,000 needed to qualify the plan for a public vote." Before the stadium "can make the NFL's short list, though, it must win approval in Carson." If the plan "qualifies for the ballot, it can either be adopted by the City Council or put up for a public vote" (L.A. TIMES, 3/26). 

ALL ABOARD? Patriots Owner Robert Kraft said of any possible NFL expansion, "I don’t see expansion being an option." Kraft said of efforts in San Diego, St. Louis and Oakland for a new stadium, "If any ownership group puts their heart and soul into it, the local people will support it. It’s a product that the public wants, but they have to feel that you’re serious and want to do what you want to do." ESPN.com's Nick Wagoner wrote it has been "no coincidence that during this whole process, the St. Louis stadium task force has made it clear they are working to keep the Rams in town but also have made it a point to refer to St. Louis as an 'NFL city' on multiple occasions as well." Even if St. Louis can come up with the money to help finance a stadium, there is "no guarantee" Kroenke will be on board (ESPN.com, 3/25).

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