Report: Rams going back to L.A., Chargers likely to join them

[Deus Irae]

Friend from St. Louis crushed by this news, though I think he's also a little happy it gives him the excuse to walk away from that dumpster fire of a team. I think there was a pretty solid cadre of Patriots fans who would have been similarly secretly happy when they almost moved to St. Louis back in 1992. That worked out, at least.

The Rams, as currently comprised, are a head coach and QB away from perhaps being the best team in the NFL.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

La doesn't have two teams though, they have a **** ton.

Dodgers, Angels, Clippers, Lakers, Two NFL teams, A hockey team.

They are going to have so many sporting events going on at once that it will be hard for any of them to sell out at current prices.

Add to that the fact that the rams are just not a great team, people are not going to pay to see a sub 500 team.

This info graphic is from a 538.com piece a few years ago (link here: The NFL Should Expand To London. But First: Canada, Mexico And LA.)



This is why LA can afford all of those teams. It's the only metropolitan area in the ballpark of NY in terms of population. Even Chicago, #3, is less than half of NY. And based on their analysis, it still is #2 in estimated NFL fans despite their not having been a team there for 20 years.

I disagreed with much of the article itself because it focused solely on the numbers and not logistics (seriously, how do you have a team in London with current travel technology? How can you have a team in Mexico City based on the political and economic climate there now?). But this chart itself is great in showing the potential market size.

Someone mentioned San Antonio - it may be the 7th largest city in the US, but it has no metro area. Compare that to Boston which is practically all metro area (only 650K in the city itself). The full metro area is what's generally taken into account - for TV eyeballs.

Also note that the SF/Oakland population isn't that different than Boston, Philly, etc. It's not a surprise to me that the 2nd teams in that market (both baseball and football) are having trouble -- same as how the 2nd MLB teams in Boston, Philly, and St. Louis did in the 1950s and earlier. The San Diego market is very big. I wouldn't be surprised if (after the Chargers agree to move to LA with the Rams) the Raiders eventually wind up there.

 

[Wheelman]

St Louis Mayor was ripping the NFL on how basically they're there to use the people(my words and interpretation, not the Mayors) and have no loyalty to the fans who have supported them.

Boohoo Mr Mayor, This has been known for a long time! But you didn't want to say that back then when you still had your team. I got no sympathy! Every single citizen of the USA needs to stand up for America and say NO to public funding.

 

[BradyFTW!]

This info graphic is from a 538.com piece a few years ago (link here: The NFL Should Expand To London. But First: Canada, Mexico And LA.)



This is why LA can afford all of those teams. It's the only metropolitan area in the ballpark of NY in terms of population. Even Chicago, #3, is less than half of NY. And based on their analysis, it still is #2 in estimated NFL fans despite their not having been a team there for 20 years.

I disagreed with much of the article itself because it focused solely on the numbers and not logistics (seriously, how do you have a team in London with current travel technology? How can you have a team in Mexico City based on the political and economic climate there now?). But this chart itself is great in showing the potential market size.

Someone mentioned San Antonio - it may be the 7th largest city in the US, but it has no metro area. Compare that to Boston which is practically all metro area (only 650K in the city itself). The full metro area is what's generally taken into account - for TV eyeballs.

Also note that the SF/Oakland population isn't that different than Boston, Philly, etc. It's not a surprise to me that the 2nd teams in that market (both baseball and football) are having trouble -- same as how the 2nd MLB teams in Boston, Philly, and St. Louis did in the 1950s and earlier. The San Diego market is very big. I wouldn't be surprised if (after the Chargers agree to move to LA with the Rams) the Raiders eventually wind up there.

I live in LA. All this stuff about how LA doesn't like NFL football or won't support a team is all nonsense. LA will easily support at least one NFL team, and I think the Chargers can move there and be fine as well.

 

[BradyFTW!]

St Louis Mayor was ripping the NFL on how basically they're there to use the people(my words and interpretation, not the Mayors) and have no loyalty to the fans who have supported them.

Boohoo Mr Mayor, This has been known for a long time! But you didn't want to say that back then when you still had your team. I got no sympathy! Every single citizen of the USA needs to stand up for America and say NO to public funding.

Seriously, if he's just now realizing that then he's an idiot. I'd have a lot more respect for that position if he hadn't caved and offered up a ton of taxpayer money to try to keep the team.

 

[VrabelJr]

San Diego is tied for the second highest percentage of NFL fans. The problem: 60% of that 34% are fans of either the Patriots, Bears, or Steelers.

 

[meatface]

Soon San Diego will only have the Padres

Sent from my KFSOWI using Tapatalk

 

[AzorianPats]

I agree wholeheartedly.

Just my lowly opinion, but in a perfect world, the Rams would be the only team in LA. Meanwhile, the Chargers stay in San Diego, the Jaguars move to St. Louis and the Raiders move to San Antonio.

At this point in time, St. Louis and San Antonio are the only two cities without an NFL team, that truly deserve one. Jacksonville has no business hosting the Jags and Oakland will forever be the bastard step child in the Bay Area under the 49ers.

Best to move the Raiders to the 7th largest city in the US and a city that's known to feverishly support their team (Spurs). While on the other end, St. Louis gets back an NFL team as well as an owner who once tried to buy the Rams and still to this day talks about how disappointed he was to not get them.

I disagree completely.

St Louis doesn't deserve a football team. Its not a football town, never has been, never will be. They love their Cardinals, and even after that, they like the NHL Blues more then they did the Rams. The Rams really never had alot of support their. I know the product been bad for awhile, but it hasn't been Browns/Jaguars/Raiders bad. They do field competitive teams. They've had Monday night games recently with the 49ers and Seahawks and the stadium was half empty. I do feel bad for the football fans in that city, but they'll be alright. They still have Mizzou football, and they can always root for the Chiefs.

And the Raiders belong in the state of California. Whether it be in NoCal or SoCal, but there fan base is all over the map. Have you seen a Raiders game in SD? They were the home team. And thats with a terrible product on the field. It'll be the same if the Chargers move to LA. Raiders are ridiculously popular in California.

 

[Deus Irae]

I disagree completely.

St Louis doesn't deserve a football team. Its not a football town, never has been, never will be. They love their Cardinals, and even after that, they like the NHL Blues more then they did the Rams. The Rams really never had alot of support their. I know the product been bad for awhile, but it hasn't been Browns/Jaguars/Raiders bad. They do field competitive teams. They've had Monday night games recently with the 49ers and Seahawks and the stadium was half empty. I do feel bad for the football fans in that city, but they'll be alright. They still have Mizzou football, and they can always root for the Chiefs.

And the Raiders belong in the state of California. Whether it be in NoCal or SoCal, but there fan base is all over the map. Have you seen a Raiders game in SD? They were the home team. And thats with a terrible product on the field. It'll be the same if the Chargers move to LA. Raiders are ridiculously popular in California.

With the exception of two brief runs, the Rams have been garbage since 1980.

 

[Tunescribe]

San Diego is tied for the second highest percentage of NFL fans. The problem: 60% of that 34% are fans of either the Patriots, Bears, or Steelers.

My worst NFL experience as a visiting fan occurred in San Diego back in 2008 -- the only time I felt unsafe in another stadium. Gangs of Latino (Mexican) punks roamed the concourses looking to pick fights with anyone wearing the other team's colors. A woman sitting next to me said, "Good luck getting out of here alive." I saw one guy in a Pats jersey with blood streaming down his face. No security personnel anywhere. Crappy stadium, lousy fans.

I wonder why Las Vegas doesn't get more mention as a possible team destination.

 

[RecoveringCowboy]

If anyone remembers the 70's Rams, they would remind you of a contemporary team.

Hyped team in an easy division that typically is one-and-done in the playoffs?

First to guess the team like the 70's Rams gets their post marked a winner.

Hint: it's not the Cowboys, although the hype might lead some to think that.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

I wonder why Las Vegas doesn't get more mention as a possible team destination.

Because the NFL is deathly afraid of any connections to organized gambling, or at least the optics of it.

 

[RobertWeathers]

If anyone remembers the 70's Rams, they would remind you of a contemporary team.

Hyped team in an easy division that typically is one-and-done in the playoffs?

First to guess the team like the 70's Rams gets their post marked a winner.

Hint: it's not the Cowboys, although the hype might lead some to think that.

I actually met Vince Ferragamo once. I was like 9 or 10. He is the cousin of one of my dad's business associates back in the early 80s. I had no idea who the hell he was. Just some real tall dude.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

For the inaugural game, Roger Goodell has asked that SpaceX use their Vandenberg CA launch site to land their re-useable Falcon 9 first stage on the 50 yard line at halftime.
What could possibly go wrong?

 

[RecoveringCowboy]

Answer: today's Colts remind be of the 70s Rams.

Win an easy division, one and done in the playoffs

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Forget expanding the league contract 2 or more teams.