New Stadium in L.A.: Let the Bidding Begin for a New NFL Franchise

It appears that construction will be approved for a new 75,000 seat stadium in Los Angeles.  This is the news that the NFL has been waiting to hear for almost 15 years. 

There is a website set up showing images of the new stadium.  It will be similar to Buffalo's stadium with the playing field below surface level. 

It is almost certain that the NFL will come calling within the next couple of years if the stadium is built.  Whether they approve the owner of the new stadium as the owner of a new Los Angeles franchise remains to be seen.

This expansion will be the first step to a 40 team league.  But except for the emergency situations of Cleveland and Houston, the NFL usually likes to expand in pairs.  So there is a good chance a second city will be chosen as well.

Ideally, the NFL wants two franchises in the large market of Los Angeles, one in each conference.  But for now the league will move cautiously and choose another city to be paired with Los Angeles (assuming they add two teams at once) and put another team in there later.

So if any cities have NFL aspirations, there will never be a better time than now to make a pitch for a franchise.

Here is a list of possible candidates:

1.    Oklahoma City

They already wrested an NBA team away from Seattle and have bid for an NHL franchise.  They also served as a temporary home for the New Orleans Hornets.  They would be a strong candidate for any team.

2.   San Antonio

They have the Alamodome, which surpasses the 65,000 seat requirement for an NFL stadium.  They have an NBA team and have also been a temporary home for the New Orleans Saints. 

They would also be a great rival for Houston and Dallas.  This is another strong candidate for NFL expansion.

3.   Birmingham

They have been candidates several times for an NFL franchise and had one stint in the extinct WFL.  They would probably have to use a local university stadium at first before building one specifically for the new team.

4.   Milwaukee

Two teams in Wisconsin?  Unlikely at present.  But Green Bay now plays exclusively at Lambeau Field, so a second franchise in the state is a possibility.

5.   Portland, Ore.

They have an NBA team and would be a great rival for all the NFL west coast teams.  They would probably have to use a local university stadium until one for the new team is built.  A strong contender.

6.   Hartford, Conn.

The NFL is unlikely to put a second team in the New England area.  But the mayor of Hartford has already expressed willingness to build a new NHL arena to get back the Whalers as part of a revitalization project.  With such ambitions, why not make a pitch for an NFL team too?

7.   Memphis

They have the stigma of being a failed WFL franchise, and their NBA team does not draw very well.  They would be a great rival for Tennessee, but would the Titans want to share the state market with them?  Unlikely to get an expansion team right now.

8.   Salt Lake City

They have an NBA team and would have to use a local university stadium at first.  But they would be a strong candidate for an NFL team.

9.   Orlando

Four teams in Florida?  But Disney has got involved in sports before with the Anaheim Ducks and would probably find an NFL team more attractive.

10.  Las Vegas

There has been more talk about getting a hockey team than a football team.  But football is more attractive in the United States than hockey, so a bid for the bigger fish might occur.  The NFL might be wary of putting a team in a city known for gambling.  But a good contender.

11.  Toronto

When Pete Rozelle and Paul Tagliabue ran the NFL, they were adamant about preserving the CFL.  Roger Goodell seems less pious.

Buffalo is already committed to playing one game in Toronto for the next several years and there is talk that the Bills will move there permanently when Ralph Wilson dies.  If the NFL wants to go international, this is the city they want. 

Toronto is the biggest and wealthiest market after Los Angeles without an NFL team.  The NFL already does heavy marketing there and there are investors interested in getting a team.

Drawbacks include the small size of its stadium, a clash with above Buffalo deal, and the fact that American TV can't count a Canadian city in its ratings.  The NFL may want Toronto, but not the equivalent of the successful playoff Blue Jay team.  A strong contender, but unlikely at this time.

So there are some possible candidates to be paired with Los Angeles.  It is just a matter of waiting for the new Los Angeles stadium to be approved, and then the speculation and floodgates will open.