A few months ago it was reported that if the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers were to move to Los Angeles as part of a package deal in a Carson stadium proposal that one of the two franchises would potentially have to change conferences in the process.
Of course, this is all for naught if the Raiders and/or Chargers can secure public funding for stadiums in their current cities or if the AFC team balks at switching conferences and disrupting their own big rivalries.
Carmen Policy, a former president of the San Francisco 49ers, told a gathering of business leaders at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel that National Football League owners know the Carson group is “not only ready but… anxious to get started”.
Both projects were reportedly well-received by NFL owners, but the league plans to allow a maximum of two teams to relocate to Los Angeles.
Raiders owner Mark Davis didn’t comment on the news that the team could make a temporary home in San Antonio, has reportedly grown frustrated with the state of negotiations with the city of Oakland to build a new stadium and keep the team.
“There are some very interesting scenarios, depending on how all this turns out”, Policy said.
But placing one or more teams in Los Angeles, where fans have many other diversions, is no guarantee of success, and it would mean abandoning Oakland, St. Louis or San Diego, which have been solid, if less lucrative, NFL markets. The outside linebacker participated in walk-throughs and individual drills but did not do any heavy contact work, and the Texans aren’t sure when he’ll play in a game. Scandrick is close to a return from a sore knee, but Carr recently had surgery on a broken right hand.
Still, sending one team to Texas for a two- or three-year stay ultimately will do nothing to build a fan base in L.A., and it will infringe on turf already occupied by the Cowboys and Texans. He is to complement Andre Ellington, the starter who often lines up as a receiver.
He highlighted a quote from actor Kiefer Sutherland, who said the proposed $1.7 billion Carson stadium would be the “place to see and be seen”. The only ones available now are starter Russell Wilson and R.J. Archer.
“I believe we are still in the discussions for the Raiders moving here”, he said.
