[Hacksaw]

Heard some of Fred in the car today, had Vinny on.

Vinny's new thing is there's a high powered L.A. entertainment billionaire that might buy part of the Raiders and turn the Carson project into a mega, multi-use entertainment complex, a virtual NFL Disneyland.

And get this, Vinny thinks the NFL would really like an idea like that.

If only someone else had though of that and was actually ready to go...

My guess if there really is a story here is it's Patrick-Soon-Shiong. The dude is worth $12.3B according to Forbes and is the guy who bought out Magic Johnson's ownership position with the LA Lakers. the Lakers are partly owned by AEG so all of this would make sense including the LA Live connection with the 'virtual NFL Disneyland" concept.
http://www.forbes.com/profile/patrick-soon-shiong/

[Hacksaw]

If we all think it's BS, who is it that matters to The Chargers that doesn't?

GS and SD.

[Hacksaw]

It all comes down to this, how much are the owners willing to risk and give up in order to help Spanos.
One way of analyzing that question is asking when was the last time the NFL willingly risked their future to help one owner.

Good question and I can't think of one off the top of my head. I doubt ever. The rebuttal question would be is it really going to risk the NFL's future moving the 2 teams? It seems risky to just about everyone...

And regarding this "new hero investor" and the Raiders. I have to wonder what Spanos thinks of this? Also, why do the Raiders need an investor to move to LA when he had GS and Spanos? Are they thinking of coming alone or are they in worse financial straights that advertised.

[The Ripper]

It all comes down to this, how much are the owners willing to risk and give up in order to help Spanos.
One way of analyzing that question is asking when was the last time the NFL willingly risked their future to help one owner.

Good question and I can't think of one off the top of my head. I doubt ever. The rebuttal question would be is it really going to risk the NFL's future moving the 2 teams? It seems risky to just about everyone...

And regarding this "new hero investor" and the Raiders. I have to wonder what Spanos thinks of this? Also, why do the Raiders need an investor to move to LA when he had GS and Spanos? Are they thinking of coming alone or are they in worse financial straights that advertised.

The NFL has wanted Davis to bring in someone to help him manage the team. The money isn't for the stadium but for operating the team after they move.

This all seems like someone is scripting a lawsuit for Kroenke. They started the year by refusing to allow any team to apply for relocation in order for Spanos to develop an alternate plan. Then the the LA committee with the conflicts with Richardson and Hunt. The same Goldman team advising St Louis and financing Carson. Now, this mysterious benefactor who is coming in to save the day by alleviating the concerns over a move of the Raiders to LA. All of this seems like a concerted effort to keep the Rams out of LA and that they're forcing Kroenke to act.

[Hacksaw]

Basically what your saying is the Ram might not be the NFL's favored team for LA but why would the league 'ask for it' when his plan is a good alternative? If not by far the best.
Is the NFL really going to go through all these hoops, realign divisions, screw 2 fan bases, risk over saturating a currently dormant market with 2 teams and build on that sketchy Carsonogenic site, just to make Deano happy? The league would have to see a much greater return to risk it. Is it merely 16 games vs 8 per season or is this more personal?

The way you laid it out, it sounds like ESK could make a case.

[moklerman]

I wonder if Kraft is backing Kroenke because this is a new guard vs. old guard situation? If the NFL screws Kroenke over, wouldn't it look a lot like what they did to Kraft in the deflate-gate saga? Basically, had a handshake deal to settle things and then did everything they could to screw over the handshake-ee?

Kroenke was ready to go before this league year and he was talked into waiting a year. Since then, if reports are to be believed, the league has done everything it could to go with another project for LA.

[Rams the Legends live on]

Here's the link. https://archive.org/stream/professional ... 5/mode/2up

In the 1996 hearings it wasn't so much that they wanted to remove funding for stadiums but more that they wanted to limit the movements of teams that received public funds. The problem with any of the restrictions on public funding is that they can't single out sports stadiums. Any limit would also have to include limiting public money for all private businesses. It's one of those ideas along with forbidding the use of tax free bonds for stadiums, that gets proposed every few years but never has support and is more for the headlines than something that will actually be passed.

Congress and the courts have told the NFL to make the relocation policy objective so it could withstand a legal challenge but the owners have refused to give up the vote. The main problem is that this would give the League too much power over the teams and it could lead to other issues down the road. They may set up a system that incorporates some objective measures but the final decision will still be made by the owners.

Congress may hold hearings but nothing will come from them just like every other time they have held hearings. The current situation is completely different from the relocations in the 80's and 90's because this time 2 of the 3 teams were given the right to relocate by the cities. The local politicians can complain but in the end the fault is their own.

Thanks for the link I will have to read it bro. However I was talking about the hearing session for S. 952 the bill was over financing and relocation of course it never became. So anyway here is the link for the 99 Senate hearing bro.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-106sh ... g63000.htm

[Hacksaw]

I wonder if Kraft is backing Kroenke because this is a new guard vs. old guard situation? If the NFL screws Kroenke over, wouldn't it look a lot like what they did to Kraft in the deflate-gate saga? Basically, had a handshake deal to settle things and then did everything they could to screw over the handshake-ee?

Kroenke was ready to go before this league year and he was talked into waiting a year. Since then, if reports are to be believed, the league has done everything it could to go with another project for LA.

If this assessment is accurate, which I believe it is (or a very similar scenario) I could see ESK being less than pleased by the squeeze play and moving anyway and fight these guys. What difference would it make to him if he did. ? PO some of the owners that are already opposing him? From what has been discussed here, it certainly sounds like he would prevail.
I wonder why though. The Rams BACK to LA makes so much sense to everyone not named Spanos or someone living in StL. And to be honest, many or more of those in StL can see it too or they would be at the games.

[RedAlice]

Such good info in this thead. Thanks everyone.

What do you think is the impetus behind the Panther owner being so bent on helping Spanos and opposing Kroenke?

[Rams the Legends live on]

I wonder if Kraft is backing Kroenke because this is a new guard vs. old guard situation? If the NFL screws Kroenke over, wouldn't it look a lot like what they did to Kraft in the deflate-gate saga? Basically, had a handshake deal to settle things and then did everything they could to screw over the handshake-ee?

Kroenke was ready to go before this league year and he was talked into waiting a year. Since then, if reports are to be believed, the league has done everything it could to go with another project for LA.

If this assessment is accurate, which I believe it is (or a very similar scenario) I could see ESK being less than pleased by the squeeze play and moving anyway and fight these guys. What difference would it make to him if he did. ? PO some of the owners that are already opposing him? From what has been discussed here, it certainly sounds like he would prevail.
I wonder why though. The Rams BACK to LA makes so much sense to everyone not named Spanos or someone living in StL. And to be honest, many or more of those in StL can see it too or they would be at the games.

I think it is a simple case with Spanos since he has had his daddy give him everything he goes to him now in his hour of need seeking advice. So in a chair aside his sick father in bed. He asks much like in the voice of Junior the son of Buford T Justice from Smokey and the Bandit. So in that voice he asks Daddy what should I do. His dad answer back, well junior............Dean just stay....just stay. Of course his dad's condition is such that his speech sounds like L A.....L A. So Dean digs in his heels deeper.