Over the past few years, talk of the NFL returning to Los Angeles has kicked into high gear. With Los Angeles being the second biggest market in the country, it comes as no surprise that the most popular professional sports league in the United States would want to bring one or two teams back to the City of Angels. Unfortunately, bringing teams back to Los Angeles has been no easy task for the NFL. Farmers Field, which would be built right next to Staples Center in downtown L.A., seemed to be the best chance for an NFL team in this city, but nothing has come to fruition as of yet. On Saturday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell fielded questions about the NFL returning to Los Angeles and the league expanding to Europe while in London. Apparently, Goodell wants both the NFL in both locations according to Bill Williamson of ESPN.com:
Roger Goodell wants the NFL to return to Los Angeles and he wants to bring the league to Europe on a permanent basis.
It’s been no secret that the NFL has wanted to expand overseas for quite some time. The league has gone out of the way to play games in London, England on an annual basis indicating a desire to establish a presence in Europe while testing the waters at Wembley Stadium. NFL expansion overseas is a goal for a way down the road. At least, you’d think that is what Goodell is considering, but the commissioner made it seem as though a team may be in London before Los Angeles. In fact, Goodell doesn’t care which goal is achieved first via ESPN:
“It doesn’t matter,” Goodell said. “I’d love to be back in Los Angeles,” Goodell said. “But it has to be done the right way, we have to do it successfully. … “I want both (London and L.A.), but it doesn’t matter which one is first.”
With the Oakland Raiders currently in the last year of their lease with O.co Coliseum, owner Mark Davis is seriously considering moving elsewhere. The son of the late Al Davis wants to keep the team in Oakland and may ultimately be able to do so with the proposed Coliseum City still a possibility, but Los Angeles may be a more realistic destination. A few other teams around the league are also candidates to move to Los Angeles. The San Diego Chargers, St. Louis Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Buffalo Bills have been mentioned as candidates along with the Raiders. (h/t Raiders Tribune)
