The NFL in LA

[SportBoy333]

if finding a site for a new stadium is so difficult then why can't they just renovate the LA Coliseum or knock it down and build a new stadium right where it used to be. If Soldier Field can be completely renovated to look brand new why can't the same be done to The Coliseum

[soccernutter]

4 issues.

1 - Location. Soldier Field is in a much better part of town than the Coliseum.

2 - Rose Bowl.

3 - USC. There is no way the Trojans will want to play in the same stadium as UCLA, and they will try to pull their political might to prevent that.

4 - Money. There is no owner who will want to spend their own several hundred million to knock down the Coliesum and build a new one or upgrade the Coliesum (which I don't think is a viable option). Additionally, there is no way the pubilc will approve any bond/tax break issue.

[Stilger]

if finding a site for a new stadium is so difficult then why can't they just renovate the LA Coliseum or knock it down and build a new stadium right where it used to be. If Soldier Field can be completely renovated to look brand new why can't the same be done to The Coliseum

1.) Because renovating the coliseum would cost just as much as building a new stadium.

2.) That is the idea the City of LA has been pushing on the NFL for the last 10 years and the NFL has clearly and repeatedly stated they wont put a team there.

The only way we are getting a team is if an existing one moves here, and they aren't coming here to play in the Coliseum or the Rose Bowl.

If I remember right, when LA was awarded the expansion team (on the grounds that it find a plausible stadium plan) that eventually went to Houston, Peter O'Malley, the owner of the Dodgers, wanted to build a stadium in the Dodger Stadium parking lot. The city of LA told him to drop his bid and to support the remodeling of the Coliseum.

Soon after the Houston Texans became the 30th and maybe final NFL franchise. :(

[suppitty]

The NFL is fine as it is. i dont think there will be aqny more expansion. 32 teams is enough, and why would anyone want the chargers franchise to be their home team.

[Stilger]

The NFL is fine as it is. i dont think there will be aqny more expansion. 32 teams is enough, and why would anyone want the chargers franchise to be their home team.

I sure don't, but I'm desperate and will take them over what we have now, which is nothing.

At least if we got the Chargers, SD fans could still follow the team, and if committed enough make the drive to see them play.

Having lost 2 NFL teams I wish that pain on no one. Well, no one except Oakland and St. Louis.

[jshecket]

I may be mistaken, but it seemed like every time I saw a USC home game on TV there were entire sections of empty seats. That would never happen in this part of the country with a team that good.

Nevermind the whole thing about college town / pro town. Football fans are football fans and when given the opportunity to watch the best college team in the country for $35 per game, they'll come in droves. There are plenty of football fans in LA but most would rather spend the money on boob jobs for their wives and girlfriends.

[Stilger]

I may be mistaken, but it seemed like every time I saw a USC home game on TV there were entire sections of empty seats. That would never happen in this part of the country with a team that good.

Nevermind the whole thing about college town / pro town. Football fans are football fans and when given the opportunity to watch the best college team in the country for $35 per game, they'll come in droves. There are plenty of football fans in LA but most would rather spend the money on boob jobs for their wives and girlfriends.

USC Averaged over 70,000 a game last year. If you saw large patches of empty seats it's because they play in a 90,000 seat stadium. Also keep in mind there's UCLA in the same city that draws 60,000 for it's games.

I think LA does all right as a college football town.

[soccernutter]

Nevermind the whole thing about college town / pro town. Football fans are football fans and when given the opportunity to watch the best college team in the country for $35 per game, they'll come in droves.


You wouldn't be talking about you own team, would you?

There are plenty of football fans in LA but most would rather spend the money on boob jobs for their wives and girlfriends.

Um, yeah, that's why both teams left, and why nobody will return.

[ZeekLTK]

USC Averaged over 70,000 a game last year. If you saw large patches of empty seats it's because they play in a 90,000 seat stadium. Also keep in mind there's UCLA in the same city that draws 60,000 for it's games.

I think LA does all right as a college football town.

70,000 is pretty low for a college football game. Michigan State averages 72,000 per game, and the only reason it's not more is because our stadium only holds 72,000. Michigan and Ohio State constantly draw over 100,000 fans per game. 70,000 is terrible attendance for USC, especially when their stadium can hold a lot more.

That's probably why you guys don't have a pro team. You have the national champions of college football and they can't even sell out their home games. I can't even remember the last time we didn't have a sellout at Michigan State. I know it's been at least 6 or 7 years.

[Garcia]

70,000 is pretty low for a college football game. Michigan State averages 72,000 per game, and the only reason it's not more is because our stadium only holds 72,000. Michigan and Ohio State constantly draw over 100,000 fans per game. 70,000 is terrible attendance for USC, especially when their stadium can hold a lot more.
USC, for their place in college football, could do better, but that is good for LA crowds.

[Levante]

LA is just a different town and Football just doesn't do well there...........

[Stilger]

70,000 is pretty low for a college football game.

Um, no it's not. It's was actually 16th best out of 117 DIV 1 schools last year. That's with competition from number 32 less then an hour away.

http://www.kenn.com/sports/football/ncaa/

Considering USC has competition from 6 other pro teams who all draw very well, they do fine as a college town.

There were only 21 schools that averaged more then 70,000 a game last year.

[kenntomasch]

Not sure how incredibly relevant it is, but...USC's numbers the last several years (national rank in parentheses):


1998... 60,899 (24)
1999... 57,515 (26)
2000... 57,339 (27)
2001... 57,744 (27)
2002... 66,853 (22)
2003... 77,804 (16)


2003 Pac 10 Attendance leaders

Southern California....77,804
Washington.............71,906
Oregon.................57,701
UCLA...................56,636
Arizona State..........54,248
Stanford...............44,870
Arizona................42,765
California.............38,305
Oregon State...........36,142
Washington State.......33,331


Back on topic, I think the single biggest impediment to an NFL team in LA is that the folks in LA just can't seem to get their act together.

[Levante]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/football/nfl/05/25/bc.fbn.nflmeetings.ap/index.html


If the Colts move to L.A. I will kill Jim Irsay.

Consider their move motive, consider this post evidence.

[kenntomasch]

I think Irsay is safe. The fine people of Indianapolis will pony up (no pun intended) for the Colts when push comes to shove. Heaven-for-fricking-bid they lose a franchise and have to live with the terrible stigma of not being a "big league" town.

[Levante]

I think Irsay is safe. The fine people of Indianapolis will pony up (no pun intended) for the Colts when push comes to shove. Heaven-for-fricking-bid they lose a franchise and have to live with the terrible stigma of not being a "big league" town.


I hope so. The current mayor, Bart Peterson, will need to be in the helm. A new stadium will also have to be built, and there are already two possible sites in the works. One downtown and one on the way out of town, but still in the city.

The Colts made that town. Downtown was nothing until The RCA Dome (The Hoosier Dome then) and it revitalized the city and made it what it is today.

[LATL]

4 issues.


USC. There is no way the Trojans will want to play in the same stadium as UCLA, and they will try to pull their political might to prevent that.


very true

[Stilger]

very true

For many years the Rams, USC and UCLA all played in the same stadium.

[Anthology]

Um, no it's not. It's was actually 16th best out of 117 DIV 1 schools last year. That's with competition from number 32 less then an hour away.

http://www.kenn.com/sports/football/ncaa/

Considering USC has competition from 6 other pro teams who all draw very well, they do fine as a college town.

There were only 21 schools that averaged more then 70,000 a game last year.


I'm sorry, but 70k is terrible for a team in the 2nd largest market in the country. You're telling me out of the tens of millions in the LA area you guys can only draw 70k with UCLA getting 60k. Gainseville has a population of less than 100k IIRC and we get 90k for every game. And it's not like G-ville is anywhere near a large city. FSU and Tallahassee are in the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE and they get 85k+. And it's not so much that an NFL team would mind sharing with a college team, but The Rose Bowl and The Coliseum are both total sh!t by NFL standards. No NFL team will touch that until there's a new stadium in la la land.

[kenntomasch]

I'm sorry, but 70k is terrible for a team in the 2nd largest market in the country. You're telling me out of the tens of millions in the LA area you guys can only draw 70k with UCLA getting 60k. Gainseville has a population of less than 100k IIRC and we get 90k for every game. And it's not like G-ville is anywhere near a large city.
Having gone to school there, I can tell you (and you probably know) that people come from all over the state and surrounding states to Gainesville on Saturday afternoons in the fall. How many people Gainesville has is irrelevant, just like how many people are in LA is fairly irrelevant to how many people UCLA and USC can draw. Look at the list - 70k is pretty good for a college program. You expect them to get 100,000 a game like Michigan?