In an exclusive to THE DAILY, the SPORTSBUSINESS
JOURNAL's Liz Mullen reports from AZ that the NFL Expansion
Committee failed to make a recommendation Sunday on whether
to award the league's 32nd franchise to L.A. or Houston.
Afterward, NFL Finance Committee Chair (and Expansion
Committee member) Robert Kraft said, "There are still some
split feelings between the two cities." Chargers Owner Alex
Spanos said that the committee is split "50-50" on the two
cities. Spanos: "We would like to see L.A. get it." But he
added that Houston's "ready." Spanos, on the New Coliseum
Partners' proposal to play in a renovated Coliseum: "I
understand that [they] are talking about the Coliseum being
remodeled and quite frankly, I don't think the owners will
accept that" (THE DAILY). But in L.A., T.J. Simers writes
that in an informal "straw vote," the committee voted 12-0 in
favor of L.A., but that a compromise may see it give L.A. a
"vague 'football opportunity,'" which is "yet to be fully
defined by the NFL." Such a move "would leave the doors open
for the return of the Raiders or the move of a troubled
franchise" to L.A. (L.A. TIMES, 3/15). Cowboys Owner Jerry
Jones, on awarding a team to L.A.: "It's obvious we're
leaning that way" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 3/15). NFL Senior
VP/Communications & Gov't Affairs Joe Browne: "The only thing
you can draw out of these meetings is a selection of the
city. No stadium site or an owner will be decided here this
week. It's too big a bite on one vote" (WASH. POST, 3/15).
MCNAIR READY TO ROLL: In Houston, John Williams reports
that yesterday NFL officials were talking about giving L.A.
"as much as 10 more months to come up with a plan that will
work." But Houston bid leader Bob McNair "doesn't want to
wait that long." McNair: "I think if I don't have some
assurance by the end of this week that Houston will get a
team, then I have to really step up my efforts to buy one and
move it to Houston. I'm looking now, and I will redouble
those efforts. I can't wait and speculate that Los Angeles
can't get it done, which I don't think they can" (HOUSTON
CHRONICLE, 3/15). Giants co-Owner Wellington Mara: "The one
big obstacle Houston will have to overcome is the number of
television sets in Los Angeles." USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell
writes that in '98, L.A. had 5.009 million TV HHs, while
Houston had 1.624 million (USA TODAY, 3/15). Over the
weekend, McNair "guaranteed sellouts at every home game for
five years," which would prevent local TV blackouts." A
spokesperson for New Coliseum Partners' Ed Roski, upon
hearing the pledge, "Oh, my god" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 3/13).
In Houston, John Lopez wrote that the sellout guarantee was
"the final card McNair could play," one which "should have
had McNair raking the chips off the table when the expansion
committee swung open its doors" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 3/15).
McNair has sent letters to the Cardinals, Bills, Bears,
Colts, Patriots, Raiders, Eagles and 49ers regarding possible
relocation (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 3/13). In Houston,
John Lopez: "How much longer can McNair sit at the table with
all his cards perfectly laid out, while ... the expansion
committee keeps pulling aces out of their sleeves and passing
them to L.A. under the table?" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 3/14).
