The more news that comes out connecting the NFL and Los Angeles, the more it becomes clear the league is determined to get this right after prior false starts in the country's second-largest media market.
NFL Media's Albert Breer has obtained a memo sent to all 32 teams on Monday that outlines Commissioner Roger Goodell's formation of the Committee on Los Angeles Opportunities.
According to the memo, the committee will evaluate the various stadium options available in Los Angeles, oversee the application of the relocation guidelines in the event that one or more clubs seek to move to Los Angeles, ensure proper coordination with other standing committees (including Broadcasting, CEC, Finance and Stadium), and confirm that all steps taken in Los Angeles are consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws and NFL policies.
The committee is made up of a group of owners that consists of Clark Hunt, Robert Kraft, John Mara, Bob McNair, Jerry Richardson and Art Rooney. During the past year, the group had served in an advisory capacity regarding NFL activities in Los Angeles. The official establishment of the committee formalizes the owners' involvement in the process.
Any decision to resume NFL team operations in Los Angeles will require multiple approvals from NFL ownership, which can only be granted by a three-fourths vote of the clubs. These decisions include selection of a stadium site; approval of stadium lease and financing arrangements; and debt ceiling and sharing waivers (if needed); relocation consent and terms; and Super Bowl awards, among other subjects. A key role of this Special Committee will be to preserve the voting rights of the clubs on each of these important issues.
The NFL has not had a team in Los Angeles since the Rams and Raiders both left town after the 1994 season. The earliest a team can move to L.A. is 2016. The Rams appear to be the current favorite -- team owner Stan Kroenke and a real estate investment management firm have plans to build an 80,000-seat NFL stadium in the Inglewood section of Los Angeles.
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