New: Latest on Kroenke, Rams and NFL in STL

[The Ripper]

That's a good point, I wonder if he ever thought about reaching out to Google or anything like that? Talk about landing a heavy hitter, would be huge for the Raiders.

This must be coming from Carol since it was reported that she never wanted Al to move the team to LA.

 

[bluecoconuts]

This must be coming from Carol since it was reported that she never wanted Al to move the team to LA.

All was just looking to get a jump on PPV wasn't he? When it didn't work out he went back, I don't think they ever really had a connection to LA.

 

[Moostache]

...I don't think they ever really had a connection to LA.

Ice Cube and Snoop seems to think otherwise....
http://espn.go.com/30for30/film?page=straight-outta-la
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/06/ice-cube-oakland-raiders-los-angeles-nfl

There is a lot of love for the Raiders:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxLkCXaEIPE

 

[Hacksaw]

Ice Cube and Snoop seems to think otherwise....
http://espn.go.com/30for30/film?page=straight-outta-la
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/06/ice-cube-oakland-raiders-los-angeles-nfl

There is a lot of love for the Raiders:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxLkCXaEIPE

How fitting. lol. In Oakland there is. You are not in touch with the LA scene apparently.

Since the owners are meeting this week all the 'sides' are putting on their happy face and selling their product. Positive spin everywhere. Let's see what holds up in the long haul.
Money > fairness in business every time! Not that that's fair.......

 

[Moostache]

In Oakland, You are not in touch with the LA scene it appears.

Not sure how you get "The Raiders were the first team to represent the 'real' Los Angeles..." and turn that into Oakland? That quote is from Plaschke in the clip linked above...
Watch the whole 30-for-30 episode and you'll see a lot more talk about how the Raiders were loved in LA...

 

[bluecoconuts]

Ice Cube and Snoop seems to think otherwise....
http://espn.go.com/30for30/film?page=straight-outta-la
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/06/ice-cube-oakland-raiders-los-angeles-nfl

There is a lot of love for the Raiders:

Well of course they did, they used the Raider image to help get rich and promote their music. That's part of the thug/gang culture that is why there's an image problem with the Raiders now.

However I'm sorry, but the Raiders and the gang culture that the NWA used to help promote their music don't represent "real" Los Angeles. There's about a 120,000 gang members in LA, a city of 4 million, that's a very small minority.

 

[blue4]

I don't think it's going to matter one little bit how many Rams fans or how many Raiders fans there are in LA. I don't think it's going to matter what income level those fans are, don't think it's going to matter what their gang status is or what suburb location they live in. This is 1 ultra rich guy vs 2 still rich but not that effin rich guys for the right to market to all those fans. The whole "returning the Rams/Raiders" nonsense is nothing more than positive spin to dull the fact that STL and Oakland will take it in the shorts. If London was where Stan thought the money was he'd be there and the other two wouldn't be scrabbling in self defense. To me it's as simple as that. people in LA and STL arguing about fan types in LA is like arguing whether it's partly cloudy or partly sunny. Either way it's going to make no difference in your day.

 

[beej]

There's about a 120,000 gang members in LA, a city of 4 million, that's a very small minority.

Spin that any way you want. That's too big of a number to discount. A little less than half the population of St Louis city.

 

[Pancake]

The NFL should buy the Raiders from Raggedy Andy and end the franchise. Then award a new team to St.Louis if the Rams leave. St.Louis doesn't want the castaway Raiders, nobody does. Time to finish them off they are an eye sore.

 

[bluecoconuts]

Spin that any way you want. That's too big of a number to discount. A little less than half the population of St Louis city.

You're joking right? You really think that the NFL should cater to gang members? Who again, are the minority, and not the ones who buy season tickets, or boxes, or probably even single game tickets?

 

[Angry Ram]

This thread now:

 

[Hacksaw]

Not sure how you get "The Raiders were the first team to represent the 'real' Los Angeles..." and turn that into Oakland? That quote is from Plaschke in the clip linked above...
Watch the whole 30-for-30 episode and you'll see a lot more talk about how the Raiders were loved in LA...

Because they weren't. Maybe they are / were in Oakland.
Not saying that they don't have a following here. Some of my bud's are,, gawd help them, but they are not representative of the folks of LA. Even my bay area bro's tell me to watch my back when I'm in Oakland.

 

[Hacksaw]

Spin that any way you want. That's too big of a number to discount. A little less than half the population of St Louis city.

And that's just our thugs.

 

[Hacksaw]

The NFL should buy the Raiders from Raggedy Andy and end the franchise. Then award a new team to St.Louis if the Rams leave. St.Louis doesn't want the castaway Raiders, nobody does. Time to finish them off they are an eye sore.

 

[The Ripper]

Not sure how you get "The Raiders were the first team to represent the 'real' Los Angeles..." and turn that into Oakland? That quote is from Plaschke in the clip linked above...
Watch the whole 30-for-30 episode and you'll see a lot more talk about how the Raiders were loved in LA...

The Raiders were loved when the first go to town but by about 1988 the fans started to evaporate.

 

[dbrooks25]

Well of course they did, they used the Raider image to help get rich and promote their music. That's part of the thug/gang culture that is why there's an image problem with the Raiders now.

However I'm sorry, but the Raiders and the gang culture that the NWA used to help promote their music don't represent "real" Los Angeles. There's about a 120,000 gang members in LA, a city of 4 million, that's a very small minority.

Different topic, but NWA didn't use the Raiders and gang culture to promote their music. They wore Raiders gear to represent LA. They wore LA Kings items as well, but they mainly stuck to the black/white/silver colors. Anyway, NWA was more focused on "reality rap" and talked about police brutality, racial profiling, and things of that nature. Their lyrics were crazy brutal, and of course the gang bangers latched to them without getting the real message. There's a movie coming out about them soon that will better explain where they were coming from.

 

[dbrooks25]

Shit just got real in Carson (My apologies if this has been posted):

http://www.latimes.com/sports/nfl/la-sp-chargers-raiders-policy-20150519-story.html

Chargers, Raiders add heavy hitter Carmen Policy to Carson stadium bid

A look at the proposed $1.7-billion stadium in Carson lit up at night. It could be home to the Chargers and Raiders in the near future.

Chargers, Raiders hire Carmen Policy to spearhead the push for the proposed $1.7-billion NFL venue in Carson
Carmen Policy likes chances of Carson NFL stadium proposal because it solves two California issues
Backers of two competing NFL stadium proposals in Southern California will update statuses at owners meetings
In a move that adds muscle to their joint pursuit of a football stadium in Carson, the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders have hired a heavyweight in the world of NFL politics.

The teams have enlisted the services of Carmen Policy, former president of the San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns, and he will spearhead the push for the proposed $1.7-billion venue.

The Chargers and Raiders have hired Carmen Policy to spearhead the relocation and stadium projects for the two teams. Policy was previously the 49ers' CEO and Browns' President.

"I understand the league," said Policy, 71, whose last formal involvement with the NFL ended in 2004 when he sold his minority ownership stake in the Browns. "Even though I've been gone for awhile, the dynamic within the room is basically the same, although many of the faces have changed."

Policy, who still commands considerable respect among NFL owners, is expected to speak to them at the May meetings, which take place Tuesday and Wednesday at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in San Francisco.

Backers of the two competing stadium proposals — the other being the Inglewood project of St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke — will give the membership brief updates on their plans and progress in their home markets. League staff also will make a presentation.

In hiring Policy, the Chargers and Raiders were aiming for someone who could be a singular face and voice for the proposal, one they are simultaneously pursuing while independently trying to strike stadium deals in their cities.

The NFL has used Policy in its L.A. dealings before. In 1994, then-commissioner Paul Tagliabue appointed Policy and owners Jerry Richardson (Carolina) and Pat Bowlen (Denver) to negotiate on behalf of the league for the Raiders to play in a proposed Hollywood Park stadium. That deal fell through at the last minute, and owner Al Davis moved the Raiders back to Oakland.

Football stadium follies: How the NFL will pick San Diegans' pockets
In the years that followed, Policy served on several of the league's L.A. committees.

Both of the proposals have their strengths and weaknesses, and both sites are entitled for stadiums.

Kroenke is the league's second-richest owner — he has nearly 300 acres to work with on the site of the former Hollywood Park racetrack — and his Rams have a deep and nostalgic connection to the Los Angeles market.

The Chargers and Raiders have countered with a plan to build on a 168-acre site that wouldn't have the same type of ancillary retail and housing development as Kroenke's proposal. The site is a former landfill that would require additional cleanup work, and the clubs are still in the process of buying the land (although they say they are within days of closing that deal.).

Where the Chargers and Raiders have an advantage is that theirs are the NFL's two worst stadium situations, whereas St. Louis appears more willing to spend public funds to keep its team than San Diego or Oakland do.

NFL owners' agenda at meetings includes Deflategate, L.A. situation
On Monday, a mayoral task force aimed at keeping the Chargers in San Diego unveiled a financing plan for a $1.1-billion stadium. That proposal calls for $300 million from the Chargers, $200 million from the NFL, $173 million in construction bonds, $121 million from the city of San Diego and $121 million from San Diego County.

Policy said a stadium in Carson would be a "silver-bullet solution" for two bad stadium situations.

"I think the league is really committed to having two teams in the Los Angeles market," he said. "Especially when they have two of their teams in the largest state in the union, in the worst facilities, one of which [the Raiders] are at the bottom of the competitive ladder from a financial standpoint.

"So with one great financial commitment, you're solving two problems for two teams that were born in California and are staying in California."

Policy, who has spent the better part of the past decade living on and developing his Casa Piena vineyards in Yountville, said he only took on this challenge because he believes the Carson proposal has a good chance of coming to fruition. He has five Super Bowl rings from his days with the 49ers, with the first coming when he was the personal attorney to then-owner Eddie DeBartolo, and the next four when he was the franchise's top executive.

"I believe Carson is a great site," he said. "I don't want to have the whistle blow at the end of this game and lose."

 

[Hacksaw]

crap just got real in Carson (My apologies if this has been posted):

http://www.latimes.com/sports/nfl/la-sp-chargers-raiders-policy-20150519-story.html

Chargers, Raiders add heavy hitter Carmen Policy to Carson stadium bid

A look at the proposed $1.7-billion stadium in Carson lit up at night. It could be home to the Chargers and Raiders in the near future.

Chargers, Raiders hire Carmen Policy to spearhead the push for the proposed $1.7-billion NFL venue in Carson
Carmen Policy likes chances of Carson NFL stadium proposal because it solves two California issues
Backers of two competing NFL stadium proposals in Southern California will update statuses at owners meetings
In a move that adds muscle to their joint pursuit of a football stadium in Carson, the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders have hired a heavyweight in the world of NFL politics.

The teams have enlisted the services of Carmen Policy, former president of the San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns, and he will spearhead the push for the proposed $1.7-billion venue.

The Chargers and Raiders have hired Carmen Policy to spearhead the relocation and stadium projects for the two teams. Policy was previously the 49ers' CEO and Browns' President.

"I understand the league," said Policy, 71, whose last formal involvement with the NFL ended in 2004 when he sold his minority ownership stake in the Browns. "Even though I've been gone for awhile, the dynamic within the room is basically the same, although many of the faces have changed."

Policy, who still commands considerable respect among NFL owners, is expected to speak to them at the May meetings, which take place Tuesday and Wednesday at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in San Francisco.

Backers of the two competing stadium proposals — the other being the Inglewood project of St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke — will give the membership brief updates on their plans and progress in their home markets. League staff also will make a presentation.

In hiring Policy, the Chargers and Raiders were aiming for someone who could be a singular face and voice for the proposal, one they are simultaneously pursuing while independently trying to strike stadium deals in their cities.

The NFL has used Policy in its L.A. dealings before. In 1994, then-commissioner Paul Tagliabue appointed Policy and owners Jerry Richardson (Carolina) and Pat Bowlen (Denver) to negotiate on behalf of the league for the Raiders to play in a proposed Hollywood Park stadium. That deal fell through at the last minute, and owner Al Davis moved the Raiders back to Oakland.

Football stadium follies: How the NFL will pick San Diegans' pockets
In the years that followed, Policy served on several of the league's L.A. committees.

Both of the proposals have their strengths and weaknesses, and both sites are entitled for stadiums.

Kroenke is the league's second-richest owner — he has nearly 300 acres to work with on the site of the former Hollywood Park racetrack — and his Rams have a deep and nostalgic connection to the Los Angeles market.

The Chargers and Raiders have countered with a plan to build on a 168-acre site that wouldn't have the same type of ancillary retail and housing development as Kroenke's proposal. The site is a former landfill that would require additional cleanup work, and the clubs are still in the process of buying the land (although they say they are within days of closing that deal.).

Where the Chargers and Raiders have an advantage is that theirs are the NFL's two worst stadium situations, whereas St. Louis appears more willing to spend public funds to keep its team than San Diego or Oakland do.

NFL owners' agenda at meetings includes Deflategate, L.A. situation
On Monday, a mayoral task force aimed at keeping the Chargers in San Diego unveiled a financing plan for a $1.1-billion stadium. That proposal calls for $300 million from the Chargers, $200 million from the NFL, $173 million in construction bonds, $121 million from the city of San Diego and $121 million from San Diego County.

Policy said a stadium in Carson would be a "silver-bullet solution" for two bad stadium situations.

"I think the league is really committed to having two teams in the Los Angeles market," he said. "Especially when they have two of their teams in the largest state in the union, in the worst facilities, one of which [the Raiders] are at the bottom of the competitive ladder from a financial standpoint.

"So with one great financial commitment, you're solving two problems for two teams that were born in California and are staying in California."

Policy, who has spent the better part of the past decade living on and developing his Casa Piena vineyards in Yountville, said he only took on this challenge because he believes the Carson proposal has a good chance of coming to fruition. He has five Super Bowl rings from his days with the 49ers, with the first coming when he was the personal attorney to then-owner Eddie DeBartolo, and the next four when he was the franchise's top executive.

"I believe Carson is a great site," he said. "I don't want to have the whistle blow at the end of this game and lose."

Isn't Policy the same guy who cooked the books in San Fran back in the day and got fined $1mm bucks for it? I guess he is famous and seems like an apt and appropriate figurehead for anything that is Raiders,,,,,


or will put him on the map again.

 

[ChrisW]

Riverfront stadium in MLS configuration.

 

[RamBill]

NFL to expedite relocation timetable
• By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_53011a7b-4835-50c2-97e6-29e46eb60a58.html

SAN FRANCISCO • As first suggested at the March owners meeting in Phoenix, the NFL is prepared to move up its timetable on relocation to Los Angeles.

Although exact dates won’t be set, team owners will leave San Francisco on Wednesday at the conclusion of a day and a half of meetings with the understanding of an expedited schedule. More precisely, that there will be a shortened window to file for relocation to Los Angeles as well as a shortened time frame between the end of that filing period and an actual vote, according to league sources.

Current league guidelines call for a Jan. 1 through Feb. 15 period in which to file for relocation, followed by a vote at the league’s March meetings traditionally scheduled for the third week of March.

But the revised timetable is expected to shorten the relocation-filing period by several weeks from the current six-week period (Jan. 1 through Feb. 15) and also shorten the approximately five-week gap between the end of the filing period and a league vote on relocation.

Under the revised timetable, it’s possible the relocation filing period could begin as early as late December, according to the league.

Why the move-up?

“It’s good for everybody,” said a league official speaking on the condition of anonymity. “It’s not only good for the clubs. It’s good for the league. And frankly, it’s better for the home markets to know where they are.”

Better for the home markets?

“If you’re going to keep your team, you want to know sooner,” said the source. “If you’re going to lose your team, why continue to be aggravated?”

Commissioner Roger Goodell, who will address reporters here Wednesday but was not available Tuesday, said at the NFL’s March meetings that an expedited timetable would give the team (or teams) moving to Los Angeles time to move and get settled in the new market.

And in terms of filing for relocation, there no longer is any mystery on who might be doing so. Barring an unexpected turn of events over the next several months, the Rams, Oakland Raiders, and San Diego Chargers all will be filing for relocation.

Rams owner Stan Kroenke has aggressively worked on a plan to build a stadium in Inglewood, Calif. Meanwhile, the Chargers and Raiders have joined forces on a rival LA plan in the Carson area.

The league’s thinking, then, is that it won’t take six weeks for those three clubs to file for relocation. In addition, much more is known about the Inglewood and Carson plans than was the case even months ago.

The same can be said for plans in the so-called “home markets” of St. Louis, San Diego and Oakland, all of which are attempting to keep their NFL franchises.

Before the league meetings conclude Wednesday, there will be brief updates by representatives of each of the three home markets — with the updates expected to take less than an hour combined.

What’s interesting is that these updates will be made by team officials of the Rams, Raiders, and Chargers, not by local political or civic leaders. In the case of St. Louis, that means no update by Dave Peacock or Bob Blitz but by Rams executive vice president of football operations Kevin Demoff instead.

“We’re going to provide an update on the St. Louis home market,” Demoff said Tuesday. “The (three) clubs are each responsible for giving a home market update. The league will have an overview from their perspective, but it’s really a general update. This is really more focused on the home markets than any potential markets.”

In fact, the expectation is that the Inglewood and Carson plans won’t really be discussed in any detail at these May meetings.

It’s no secret that the NFL had to do some initial arm-twisting to get the Rams to engage with the St. Louis task force on its plans for a $985 million riverfront facility on the north edge of downtown. So the prospect of Demoff speaking on the topic may make those wishing for the Rams to stay in St. Louis nervous.

But the updates will deal more with the history of trying to get a stadium built in each of the three markets, and an assessment on the probabilities of getting a stadium built, according to league sources. This isn’t expected to be a setting where architectural designs or artists’ renderings of stadium plans are showcased.

In that vein, conspiracy theorists might say that Wednesday’s update is more a chance for the Rams, Raiders and Chargers to state their cases for meeting the league’s relocation guidelines than to trumpet the cause for staying in their current markets.

Speaking of the stadium plan spearheaded by Peacock and Blitz, Demoff said Tuesday: “I’ve said countless times, they’ve made great progress since November, when they first started meetings, and since January, when they announced the plans. I think if you look at their actions over the past few months, their work speaks for itself.

“We’ve all been involved in these discussions, and where the process has been over the past few months beginning in November. We’ve been involved in the meetings with them. We’ve been involved in the design process.

“It’s our job to understand everything that’s going on in St. Louis, what the options are, and make sure we work with Dave (Peacock) to achieve the best possible outcome.”

At a public speaking appearance last week in St. Louis, Peacock raised the possibility that Kroenke may not be the Rams owner over the long haul, fueling speculation that Kroenke might sell the team if the league pushes for the team to remain in St. Louis.

Demoff laughed off a question regarding a team sale.

“I wouldn’t answer any questions that are speculative,” Demoff said. “My goal here is to answer questions on the St. Louis process. That’s all I’m focused on.”

It’s not known whether Kroenke is attending these meetings. He wasn’t seen Tuesday.

— Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis says he has ‘absolutely no interest’ in moving to St. Louis. STORY ON B3