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NFC Franchise Notes: Lions Hoping For Super Bowl Or NFL Draft, End Deal With Ernie Accorsi

In Detroit, Justin Rogers notes while a bid for Ford Field to host a Super Bowl is "likely to fall short," Lions President Rod Wood has also told the league he wants to bring the NFL Draft to the city. Wood: "It's a centrally located market. It’s easy for fans to get to. Our airport isn’t anything but a great airport. I think the Fox Theatre would be a great location" (DETROIT NEWS, 3/29). Also in Detroit, Dave Birkett notes Wood has been a "quick study in the business of the NFL" in his first 16 months. Wood: "It’s been a good year and a half. There were a lot of things that were big additions, I think, to the fan experience. There's still more to do." Wood also said that the Lions have "ended their consulting agreement" with former Giants GM Ernie Accorsi (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 3/29).

FLIGHT PATH: In L.A., Gary Klein noted Rams Exec VP/Football Operations & COO Kevin Demoff "estimated that he has been on more than two dozen flights since last November’s groundbreaking" of the $2.6B Inglewood stadium. Demoff said, "We’re at the site about once a week but it’s a way to check it from the air. You feel like a little kid at times. … It’s a great site to see. It’s a work in progress." In '16, the Rams said that they "sold 70,000 season tickets" at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum, their home for the next two seasons. Demoff said the Rams have "no concerns over our season-ticket base" and that he was looking forward to "starting the process of converting current season ticket-holders and those that are on the wait list into the new stadium," which is scheduled to open in '19 and will be shared by the Chargers (L.A. TIMES, 3/28).

WHO DAT TALKING? Saints President Dennis Lauscha said that with the Rams, Chargers and now Raiders relocating, concerns from fans in New Orleans are "unfounded" when it comes to the possibility of the franchise moving. Lauscha: "It’s insulting in some ways. Before you make statements like that, you have to look at the owner, the state, and look at what we’ve been able to accomplish since 2006. If you’re making those statements, you certainly don’t understand what’s going on." In New Orleans, Nick Underhill noted the Saints and the state "haven’t allowed" Mercedes-Benz Superdome, which opened in '75, to "age and become dilapidated." Saints Owner Tom Benson also just put up $25M to "upgrade the video boards" (New Orleans ADVOCATE, 3/28).

STAND BY YOUR MAN: In DC, Mike Jones wrote, "We've yet to hear [Redskins President] Bruce Allen ever accept any blame for any misstep he or the franchise has made." But that is "partly why he has had longevity." The "blame game has been the Redskins’ way" under Owner Dan Snyder. Jones: "How long will Snyder’s patience last for Allen? That’s a good question. Until Allen runs out of scapegoats, I suppose" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 3/28).

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