Arts & Entertainment

Do You Even Want An NFL Team (Much Less Two)?

A Los Angeles City Council committee meets today to continue the quest for an NFL team. What's your take?

By City News Service

A Los Angeles City Council committee is expected Tuesday to discuss a resolution urging the National Football League to bring a team back to the city.

Patch wonders if Southland residents really want a home team, or whether the concept simply feeds the ego of city officials who can afford to sit in suites? And, does the region need two teams, or is city councilman Tom LaBonge just feeling New York envy?

Find out what's happening in Newport Beach-Corona Del Marwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  • TELL US IN THE COMMENTS: Do you want a Los Angeles-based NFL team? What about two?

The resolution, which will be considered in the City Council's Economic Development Committee meeting, was introduced by L.A. councilman LaBonge. It reaffirms and reiterates the City Council's support for the efforts of the National Football League to bring a franchise back to Los Angeles and states that a second team would also be desirable.

LaBonge earlier this month delivered a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell urging an end to an 18-season NFL drought in Los Angeles. In his missive, LaBonge professed his deep love for the sport and said that it's time to "call an audible" after years of unfulfilled plans.

Find out what's happening in Newport Beach-Corona Del Marwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We've waited far too long to root for the home team," LaBonge said of the renewed efforts to show the NFL the city's enthusiasm for the sport.

"Our collective excitement for the new NFL season is dampened by Los Angeles's lack of a team," he said.

The Los Angeles area has not had an NFL team since 1994. In 1995, the Los Angeles Raiders returned to Oakland after playing at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum from 1982-1994 and the Los Angeles Rams, who played in Anaheim Stadium, moved to St. Louis.

The de facto local team became the San Diego Chargers.

City leaders last fall signed a deal with entertainment and sports events company AEG to redevelop the Los Angeles Convention Center to include additional exhibition space. The agreement includes using a football stadium project at the site as leverage for bringing in financing for the convention center improvements.

Earlier this year, the announcement by Tim Leiweke, a key AEG negotiator in the deal, that he would be resigning from the company cast doubt on the future of the convention center improvements. By then the latest deadline for securing an NFL team to play at the proposed stadium had also come and gone without any action taken.

The mayoral transition also brought a shift in the city's attitude toward bringing in an NFL team, with new mayor Eric Garcetti saying that while he would welcome a team, it was not his top priority.   

—Martin Henderson contributed to this report

TELL US IN THE COMMENTS: Do you want a Los Angeles-based NFL team? What about two?


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here