PHOENIX -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters Friday that multiple teams are interested in a potential move to Los Angeles. Relocation, though, is not something the league is pushing.
"We want all of our franchises to stay in their current markets," Goodell said during his Super Bowl Week press conference. "That's a shared responsibility, that's something that we all have to work together on. The league has programs, including stadium-funding programs, that we make available. And we will work and help with the communities, including St. Louis."
Goodell noted that "no determination" has been made about any particular team moving to Los Angeles.
"There are teams that are interested that are trying to work their issues out locally," said Goodell. "As a league, we haven't got to that stage yet, and they would all be subject to relocation policy requirements."
Goodell emphasized that ownership would embark on "at least one vote if not multiple votes" before allowing a franchise to relocate, adding: "We would have potentially the relocation itself, potential stadium funding, potential Super Bowls. So a lot of things would likely be subject to a vote and ownership takes that very seriously."
Goodell's comments come just weeks after Rams owner Stan Kroenke joined forces with Stockbridge Capital Group to undergo the building of an 80,000-seat NFL stadium in L.A.
Kroenke's plans could put pressure on St. Louis, with the city and the Rams remaining hundreds of millions of dollars apart in stadium upgrades. Goodell acknowledged the sides remain at odds.
"Stan (Kroenke) has been working on the stadium issue with St. Louis, as you know, for several years," Goodell said. "They had a very formal process as part of their lease. That process, we went through that entire process, it did not result in a solution that works for St. Louis or for the team. So I don't think the stadium is a surprise to anybody in any market that is having these issues. There's quite a bit of discussion about it and the St. Louis representatives seem determined to build a stadium. That's a positive development -- something that we look forward to working on with them."
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