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Collision course: Three NFL teams interested in L.A.; Solution requires flexibility

By Vincent Bonsignore

[email protected] @DailyNewsVinny on Twitter

Before the St. Louis Rams, Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers gave updates about their local stadium situations at the NFL owners meeting last month, they were given strict instructions.

The updates were to be fact based only, and they were to be delivered without emotion and with no projection of a specific disposition or preferred ultimate outcome.

“Straight and to the point and with no bias,” said an NFL executive who attended the updates.

The message was clear: Don’t use this meeting to create justification for a move to Los Angeles by delivering dire status reports about your stadium bids back home.

The implication was even more pronounced: With time running out in San Diego and Oakland to deliver viable stadium plans to keep the Chargers and Raiders, and with Rams owner Stan Kroenke seemingly intent on moving his club to Inglewood, the NFL is already bracing for a three-team fight for the one or two spots available in the Los Angeles area.

It’s both the blessing and curse of the very situation the NFL hoped to create on the road back to the second-biggest market in the country after it embarrassingly sat vacant for more than two decades: A competitive L.A. environment in which multiple, viable stadium plans are on the table and urgency in current NFL cities to help finance new stadiums to keep their teams.

Problem is, the two teams that might actually need Los Angeles are pitted against a multi-billionaire owner who might not need L.A. as much as he simply wants it.

And the NFL will only support one Los Angeles stadium.

On one side is the Chargers and Raiders joint stadium project in Carson, a back-up plan to their fading stadium fights in San Diego and Oakland, where taxpayer appetite for funding stadiums is nonexistent. On the other, Kroenke’s Inglewood stadium, which is looking more and more like his Plan A regardless of what Missouri leaders come up with by way of public assistance to help build the Rams a new stadium in downtown St. Louis.

The Chargers and Raiders may need Los Angeles.

Kroenke might just want it.

Figuring out how to satisfy the needs and wants of all three teams is the perplexing puzzle facing the NFL.

“At the end of the day, all three clubs should be be satisfied with the outcome,” an NFL executive said.

But how?

Short of San Diego or Oakland stepping forward with satisfactory stadium plans for the Chargers and Raiders, which seems to be a long shot at this point, or Kroenke surprising everyone by accepting the stadium proposal Missouri leaders are hammering away at, the NFL is headed toward a potentially ugly fight in which owners will be asked to take sides with or against one other.

Worse, if it ultimately comes down to a vote, the team or teams losing out will report back to their local markets with tails decidedly between their legs and left vulnerable while trying to revive new stadium talks.

In other words, not exactly the look the NFL wants for one or two of its owners.

Avoiding that exact scenario will take flexibility, compromise and an open mind.

“Owners understand the benefits of a competitive situation, but also do not relish the thought of a fellow owner being damaged by the process,” an NFL executive said. “(So) the outcome or outcomes that solves the three riddles of the three teams would be very much sought.”

So how do they do that?

Let’s start with the premise Kroenke has his heart set on Los Angeles, regardless what happens in Missouri. And let’s say San Diego and Oakland can’t deliver viable stadium plans for the Chargers and Raiders.

Kroenke will argue the lease clause St. Louis agreed to upon luring the Rams from Southern California 20 years ago – and ultimately reneged on – means he is a free agent not bound to any specific market. He’ll also argue the Rams, with all their L.A. history and ready-made fan base, offer the NFL the best chance to succeed in L.A.

But his case for relocation is weakened if Missouri comes up with $400 million in public money to help build him a new stadium, and San Diego and Oakland can’t do the same for the Chargers and Raiders.

Not to mention the Chargers and Raiders Carson plan is real, viable and very well respected within the NFL.

So the NFL tells Kroenke he only gets support for Los Angeles on two conditions: He accepts the Chargers or Raiders as a partner in Inglewood – and plays fair negotiating terms – and is willing to give up some short-term financial gain to help another team get a local stadium deal done.

Raiders owner Mark Davis has stated over and over his wish to remain in the Bay Area, and the land on which he hopes to build a $900-million dollar stadium is already entitled. So the Raiders seem like the logical team to stay put.

But they need help closing a $400 million funding gap – and that doesn’t include the land and infrastructure costs, which the city of Oakland and Alameda County must kick in.

Here is a way to help close it: $200 million of whatever relocation fee the Rams and Chargers pay for the right to move to L.A. will go to the Raiders stadium cause. In addition, $100 million from a combination of rent, naming rights, personal seat license, and some of the eventual financial windfall from future Super Bowls will be re-directed to a new Raiders stadium.

That brings the Raiders and NFL contribution up to $800 million. It would behoove Davis and local leaders to think long and hard about ways to close the remaining $100 million gap. But that’s a hell of a lot easier than coming up with $400 million.

Of course, the big if in that scenario is Oakland and Alameda playing ball on the land needed to build a new stadium, and coming up with some financing help.

If they do, and if Kroenke, the Chargers and the NFL have an open mind, there will be no need for an ugly, contentious vote.

The Raiders get a new stadium in Oakland, Kroenke gets his Los Angeles wish and the Chargers get a new home that provides long-term financial stability.

It might not be ideal, especially for St. Louis Rams fans, but it’s a satisfactory outcome for all three teams.

Follow the latest twists and turns on Vincent Bonsignore’s NFL in L.A. blog.

"Problem is, the two teams that might actually need Los Angeles are pitted against a multi-billionaire owner who might not need L.A. as much as he simply wants it."
Money talks don't it? If this was any other negotiation the needs of the 2 would outweigh the want of the one. But it sounds like that isn't exactly the way it's sizing up. I think the only thing they have to do to make that all works is to not publicly refuse Carson but to silently agree to give Stan his 2 or 3 year head start and then the Chargers move into locker room 2.
That's if SD doesn't come through.
Vinny's Oakland scenario makes sense.
I still don't get "Not to mention the Chargers and Raiders Carson plan is real, viable and very well respected within the NFL" when the ground is oozing toxicity and one of the 2 owners can't afford to play in the game. Can't see Stan letting Moe Davis get over on him.

This is all about Spanos. He's got all the good ole boy owners in his back pocket.

They want Spanos to be happy first and foremost, even if that results in them potentially leaving money on the table.

Indications are that Spanos now wants LA, even though he may love SD, because he fears losing out on the big LA market. He was ok with staying in SD as long as no one else was in LA. Now Kroenke has changed that.

It certainly makes sense that it will inevitably come down to Kroenke and Spanos working something out for both teams to be in Inglewood. Spanos is going to want to move in at the same time as Kroenke. That's probably not palatable to Kroenke.

max wrote:This is all about Spanos. He's got all the good ole boy owners in his back pocket.

They want Spanos to be happy first and foremost, even if that results in them potentially leaving money on the table.

Indications are that Spanos now wants LA, even though he may love SD, because he fears losing out on the big LA market. He was ok with staying in SD as long as no one else was in LA. Now Kroenke has changed that.

It certainly makes sense that it will inevitably come down to Kroenke and Spanos working something out for both teams to be in Inglewood. Spanos is going to want to move in at the same time as Kroenke. That's probably not palatable to Kroenke.

Stan needs to make him an offer, he can't refuse. IMO, a low lease rate might make it palatable for Spanos because he might have the owners, but he has no money. If Stan gives him a sweetheart lease deal and then Spanos allows Kroenke to get their first and set up and they both move into the Inglewood Stadium simultaneously, IMO, that can be worked out.

Carson is not an option, it's a health hazard and would not be ready for years the owners might want to make Spanos happy, but not to the determent of the league and the NFL Brand.

I'm not suggesting it's not true, but why is it so often reported that Spanos is buddy buddy with all the owners. Is he more accessible, more friendly, better looking, I mean what an unprofessional criteria to consider in all of this business. Business is about money and in as much as Alex Spanos was able to turn $800 int a billion, what does his son have to do with that. Alex handed over the Chargers around the same time the Rams moved which is when Kroenke became a part owner. They have been been around the same amount of time. Since his cowboy hat days Stan has grown his fortune from $500M (reportedly) to $6B+ which I believe the other owners must have noticed. The long term success in LA has a guy in Kroenke with a track record of success. Spanos on the other hand has taken his inheritance and done nothing with it. He seems a bit like an idiot son compared to Kroenke although I'm sue he's not an idiot. I wonder sometimes if Carson isn't only Spanos' leverage with SD but against Kroenke too.

Odds are Kroenke builds it, the Rams come during construction (possibly this year) and Rams / Chargers move into Inglewood when it opens. I'd rather have the Rams alone but the Chargers are a way better roommate than the F'n Raiders would ever be.

Hacksaw wrote:
Odds are Kroenke builds it, the Rams come during construction (possibly this year) and Rams / Chargers move into Inglewood when it opens. I'd rather have the Rams alone but the Chargers are a way better roommate than the F'n Raiders would ever be.

IMO, Spanos has the other owner's ear because he's been dealing with a stadium situation longer, however, I concur with your final analysis. Although I thought Spanos might stay in San Diego, but I believe they feel there is too much of a big pay day in Los Angeles. Overall I agree seems Stan is putting up all the money and the Spanos family is not doing jack.

Roggin made a good point in that it's likely neither Kroenke nor Spanos has the votes needed to gain approval. They can block each other. I think that's because while Spanos is in tight with the good ole boys, Kroenke has the backing of enough owners who will back the better financial plan and a guy who makes things happen.

I do believe, when all is said and done, Goodell and the owners put Kroenke and Spanos is a room and tell them not to come out until they agree on a deal.

I just don't see Carson happening. Not because of toxic location, that can be fixed, but mostly because it totally screws Kroenke.

Inglewood works best because the only team that will not get LA is likely to be a team that has LA as it's 2nd choice, the Raiders.

I just wonder how much of this intrigue is real and how much is for our entertainment (not to mention leverage for SD and Oak).

SD/Carson is still all PR, press conferences and bold proclamations while Stan is quietly going about his business.

None of us has inside info or knows what's going to happen but just because Carson's mayor is making bold proclamations (scaring the crap out of San Diego, the city), has anything really changed?

Elvis wrote:I just wonder how much of this intrigue is real and how much is for our entertainment (not to mention leverage for SD and Oak).

SD/Carson is still all PR, press conferences and bold proclamations while Stan is quietly going about his business.

None of us has inside info or knows what's going to happen but just because Carson's mayor is making bold proclamations (scaring the crap out of San Diego, the city), has anything really changed?

I'm not getting lost in that narrative.

I'm approaching this whole thing in terms of what plan is the least palatable to any of the 3 owners.

And the key is the Raiders, they want to stay in Oakland but don't have the funds. If they can get help with a stadium in Oakland, the Carson plan is dead.

Any chance he says, "I am not a crook?"