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The memo from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell outlining guidelines for any team with designs on moving to Los Angeles was distributed league-wide.
However, the likely main intended target was one team in California with an inadequate stadium and the ability to easily vacate its current lease.
But the pre-emptive missive wasn’t aimed at the Chargers.
The message was being delivered to the Raiders, who are free to leave Oakland and have in the past made the Oakland-to-L.A. jump without a stadium deal in place.
That said, the Chargers are the most move-ready franchise, as they would meet virtually every requirement set forth in the memo. For that reason, among others, the time for action is upon us.
Of course, the time has been upon us for quite a while.
Fact is, we are nearer today to the Chargers leaving town than we were last week merely in the sense that each passing day without progress toward a new San Diego stadium brings us closer to Chargers President Dean Spanos raising his arms in surrender.
The memo that went public Friday and caused mild hysteria among Chargers fans over the weekend did nothing except make official some things that were already strongly assumed.
The memo, details of which were first reported by the L.A. Times, does not indicate a team in Los Angeles is imminent. What it does is make clear that any team moving to the nation’s second-largest city must work within the league’s parameters.
However, the likely main intended target was one team in California with an inadequate stadium and the ability to easily vacate its current lease.
But the pre-emptive missive wasn’t aimed at the Chargers.
The message was being delivered to the Raiders, who are free to leave Oakland and have in the past made the Oakland-to-L.A. jump without a stadium deal in place.
That said, the Chargers are the most move-ready franchise, as they would meet virtually every requirement set forth in the memo. For that reason, among others, the time for action is upon us.
Of course, the time has been upon us for quite a while.
Fact is, we are nearer today to the Chargers leaving town than we were last week merely in the sense that each passing day without progress toward a new San Diego stadium brings us closer to Chargers President Dean Spanos raising his arms in surrender.
The memo that went public Friday and caused mild hysteria among Chargers fans over the weekend did nothing except make official some things that were already strongly assumed.
The memo, details of which were first reported by the L.A. Times, does not indicate a team in Los Angeles is imminent. What it does is make clear that any team moving to the nation’s second-largest city must work within the league’s parameters.
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Article below was Chargers-related so I thought I'd throw it in this same thread too.
San Diego Chargers don't plan to apply for L.A. move
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The fire of speculation on the future of the San Diego Chargers was stoked again last week when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to all 32 NFL teams detailing the conditions of moving a team to Los Angeles.
With their stadium issues and close geographical ties, the Chargers have been viewed by many as a logical option for the move. According to Goodell's memo, any team interested in moving must file a relocation application between Jan. 1 and Feb. 15, 2013, meaning we'll soon find out how serious the Chargers are about leaving town.
Chargers special counsel Mark Fabiani was asked Monday during an interview with XEPRS-AM radio in San Diego if the team plans to submit an application.
"No. We are not planning on it, and obviously I'm not a fortune teller, I can't see into the future, but I would be very surprised if we were filing out an application a couple months from now," Fabiani said. "We're trying to get something done here in San Diego, and I'd be surprised if the result was anything other than that."
Ah, the classic denial/non-denial. Fabiani was asked if that stance could change in the next six months.
"I guess it could change, if the new mayor came into office and (says) 'I have absolutely no interest in working with you, San Diego, therefore, you can leave if you want to.' You know, we would have to look at something like that. I don't anticipate that will happen.
"But as we sit here today, I think it's not likely that we'll be filing any paperwork in January. I think I would be very surprised if that happened."
A good sign for Chargers fans in San Diego, but don't consider L.A. out of the picture yet. Not by a long shot.
With their stadium issues and close geographical ties, the Chargers have been viewed by many as a logical option for the move. According to Goodell's memo, any team interested in moving must file a relocation application between Jan. 1 and Feb. 15, 2013, meaning we'll soon find out how serious the Chargers are about leaving town.
Chargers special counsel Mark Fabiani was asked Monday during an interview with XEPRS-AM radio in San Diego if the team plans to submit an application.
"No. We are not planning on it, and obviously I'm not a fortune teller, I can't see into the future, but I would be very surprised if we were filing out an application a couple months from now," Fabiani said. "We're trying to get something done here in San Diego, and I'd be surprised if the result was anything other than that."
Ah, the classic denial/non-denial. Fabiani was asked if that stance could change in the next six months.
"I guess it could change, if the new mayor came into office and (says) 'I have absolutely no interest in working with you, San Diego, therefore, you can leave if you want to.' You know, we would have to look at something like that. I don't anticipate that will happen.
"But as we sit here today, I think it's not likely that we'll be filing any paperwork in January. I think I would be very surprised if that happened."
A good sign for Chargers fans in San Diego, but don't consider L.A. out of the picture yet. Not by a long shot.
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