NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell admitted at his annual press conference Friday that getting a naming rights deal is a positive development for getting football back in Los Angeles.
Still, he cautions that it’s hardly the most important step in getting football back to L.A.
“The financing of a stadium is a very difficult proposition,” Goodell said. “It needs to be smart investment.”
The issues surrounding a L.A. stadium symbolize the current disagreements between the owners and players. Goodell mentioned the need to recognize the costs associated with building a stadium and the need to incentivize owners. The NFL has mentioned repeatedly that no new stadium projects have started since the last CBA started.
Ultimately, Goodell said that a collective bargaining agreement is the first step necessary towards any new stadium. And the league is going to push for the CBA to include significant changes that they believe will help owners and the league invest more money in growing the game, including new stadiums.
The feeling from some here in Dallas believe it’s almost inevitable the Chargers will be the team to move to L.A. Goodell insisted he wanted to keep teams where they are when asked about a possible Chargers move.