Panthers Owner Jerry Richardson "will miss the NFL’s annual meetings in Florida this week ... to have shoulder surgery in Charlotte," according to Joseph Person of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. It is believed to be the "second time Richardson will have missed the meeting" since the Panthers joined the league in '95. Team President Danny Morrison "will represent the team" in Richardson's stead (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 3/20). Person notes Richardson opted for surgery this week because of what is "considered by many to be a light agenda." The Rams also "won the L.A. sweepstakes and Richardson is no longer as active on league committees as he once was." Most league officials and fellow owners "didn't know Richardson was missing the meetings until they arrived" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 3/21). SportsBusiness Journal this week features Richardson as one of its "Champions."
NO HARD FEELINGS? USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell writes it is now "fair to wonder whether any hard feelings" from January's decision on L.A. relocation will "linger while owners continue their business." Raiders Owner Mark Davis said, "That's in the past." Richardson "campaigned hard" for the joint Chargers-Raiders project in Carson, which ultimately lost out to Rams Owner Stan Kroenke's Inglewood proposal. Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones said, "Obviously, this is a sensitive situation. But my experience has been that we may have differences of opinion, but the owners who are completely committed -- and Jerry [Richardson] is certainly that -- they mend their fences." But Bell writes it "appears there’s been a power shift." Former 49ers President & CEO Carmen Policy, who more recently worked on the Carson NFL proposal, said, "In the ‘80s and ‘90s, when you’d come to league meetings, it was much more collegial. People came early and stayed days later. Now it’s a business conference, with the jets on the runway ready to go as soon as the meetings are over. I think the league lost something with that" (USA TODAY, 3/21).
COME BACK SOON: On Long Island, Tom Rock reports Giants President & CEO John Mara is "starting to work on bringing the Super bowl back to MetLife Stadium." Mara: "I’ve spoken to [Jets Owner] Woody Johnson about it and yeah, we think it would make sense to try to bring it back. We think it was very successful, it was great for the region, so why not have it back." Mara did not give a definitive timeline, but said it would "take at least another five years or so before something concrete happens" (NEWSDAY, 3/21).
TRAVEL TEAM: Steelers President Art Rooney II said that he is "in favor of playing more international games during the regular season -- perhaps as many as six to 10 -- and would like the Steelers to play a game in Mexico." Rooney: "We’ve raised our hand for that one. Hopefully we’ll get selected one of these years" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 3/19).
