NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said yesterday that the
NFL "likely won't grow beyond 32 teams until about 2010,
when it will look beyond" the U.S, according to Scott Fowler
of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. Visiting the Panthers training
camp in SC, Tagliabue said, "I think most people feel once
we get to 32, that's it for another decade. Then maybe at
that point you're looking at international opportunities
either in Canada, Mexico or possibly in Europe" (CHARLOTTE
OBSERVER, 8/12). Tagliabue had earlier visited the Bengals
training camp and told the team: "You have the opportunity
to go like the Falcons, from 3-13 to the Super Bowl in two
years. You can do it" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 8/12).
BUT WHERE WOULD THIS TEAM PLAY? New Coliseum Partner Ed
Roski said that if the NFL does not grant an expansion
franchise to the city, he would "consider switching gears to
pursue a relocation team instead." Roski: "If it does mean
that (the expansion team) goes to Houston, we have to
continue working with the NFL, either to bring a relocated
team here or another expansion team here." L.A. County
Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky: "I have to believe that any
disaffected team in its existing city would have to look at
Los Angeles" (L.A. BUSINESS JOURNAL, 8/9 issue). See (#32).
