Posted on 02/08/2011 8:07:14 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
In an image provided by AEG, a proposed NFL football stadium, to be named Farmers Field, was depicted next to Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. AEG president and CEO Tim Leiweke called the 30-year naming-rights deal with Farmers Insurance Exchange for the planned $1 billion stadium "the most significant step forward in the last 15 years in our efforts as a community, as leaders, to return the NFL to Los Angeles."
Sid Hartman: Vikings-to-L.A. threat is real one
With Los Angeles looking for two NFL teams to move to its new stadium, don't be surprised if the Wilfs look for one of the spots.
The Twin Cities lost the Lakers in 1960 and the North Stars in 1993 because of the lack of decent facilities being provided and because the political climate wasn't right for building those decent facilities. And we almost lost the Timberwolves in 1994, and the Twins were up for elimination in 2001.
The Lakers moved to Los Angeles, where they remain one of the NBA's showcase franchises. The North Stars won a Stanley Cup as the Dallas Stars in 1999. The Wolves remained at Target Center only because NBA Commissioner David Stern wouldn't allow the team to move to New Orleans, and a Hennepin County judge's injunction helped ensure the Twins would play the 2002 season.
Now it's pretty evident that with the Anschutz Entertainment Group having secured a $700 million naming deal from Farmers Insurance for the Los Angeles football stadium that AEG plans to build, there is greater danger than ever of losing the Vikings if a new stadium bill isn't passed by the current Legislature.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
LA has proven it isn’t much of an NFL town, and people really think they can manage TWO teams!?
These days LA is more of a basketball town. When the Lakers are in the playoffs, Laker banners on cars proliferate, and when you walk into a convenience store or fast-food eatery, chances are that staff and customers will be talking basketball. We're also a baseball town in which everyone is either a Dodgers or Angels fan (I root for the Dodgers).
Pro football may not generate much interest, but college football does, and even in the off-season, you'll see people of all ages and racial backgrounds wearing USC and UCLA baseball caps.
As for me, I can hardly wait until October 1, when I'll be in the Coliseum to watch the Trojans battle the University of Arizona in USC's home opener.
lol...
The Vikings aren't going anywhere any time soon.
Yep...It's just no biggy...In fact, I didn't know who was playing in the Super bowl until that day, but never watched the game..lol
In some states it's the biggest deal of the year....Just the way it is....
There must have been quite a few Californians watching the Super Bowl. I worked as a volunteer at a presidential library and museum in Southern California, and most of the visitors that afternoon hailed from overseas. When I drove home, the streets were empty of traffic.
I rooted rather tepidly for Green Bay, only because it's closer to California than Pittsburgh.
That’s very commendable...Go team.....
In West Los Angeles, there was a famous Chinese restaurant called the Viking's Table, so LA Vikings might work.
“Also not sure if L.A. captives (citizens) want another day
of impossile traffic in downtown l.a...but the city does
need a “center” cultures...so if Staples, the convention
center, and new football field, and the museums can get it
together, then downtown could become a day trip destination.
I.e. go to museum, or music venue, or go shopping, then catch
the late Lakers, or clippers game, or the Kings, or go to a
football game at USC (right downthe street), or UCLA about
10-15 miles away, or a pro football game., then catch a late
night dinner..then go home...
If Anaheim was smart,they would upgrade their stadium to
fully acommodate a team (san Diego?)...there would be disneyland, orange
county shopping, the Ducks...and no masssive traffic jams...
they would need to build dedicated roads to get to the stadium,
but that would solve the problem.....”
I was a Raider fan when they were originally in Oakland, so when they came to LA it was nice.
I attended a game in 1991 at the Coliseum, and noticed new condos across from the south parking lot. At the time, it looked like the area was upgrading very nicely.
Then a few months later in 1992, I watched those condos burning, on television.
This Orange County boy doesn’t go far into LA county very much.
LA is scheduled to burn again about 2019.
(1965 + 27 = 1992) (1992 + 27 = 2019)
We’ll have to agree to disagree on it being a boring game. I happen to love the combination of action, strategy, and drama. It’s definitely followed more than it was 25 years ago. A recent Harris Survey said 31% of Americans say pro football is their favorite sport which is 14 percentage points higher than 2nd place. In 1985, 24% had it as their favorite sport. As for not having a professional team, you essentially did for the better part of the last decade. They’re called the USC Trojans. At least they got paid like it.
I don’t disagree that much of pro sports is a marketing gimmick. I also agree that the owners and players don’t care about me except for how much money they can get from me. Guess what, I don’t really care about them either except for how many games they can help the teams I’ve always rooted for win. Is sports an illusion of importance? It almost certainly is. Being a sports fan is completely illogical and people who aren’t will never understand it. It’s an escape from reality, which some of us need considering how crappy life oftentimes is.
“Sid Hartman: Vikings-to-L.A. threat is real one”
And that means we get more football games on TV.
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