Last week, AEG’s Tim Leiweke told the Orange County Register that discussions have occurred with five teams regarding the possible purchase and relocation of a team to Los Angeles.
The real number is even larger than that.
Albert Breer of NFL Network reports that AEG has been communicating with more than five teams, and that the full list are receiving monthly briefings regarding the project.
In the wake of last week’s declaration from Leiweke that the Vikings, Chargers, Raiders, Rams, and Jaguars have been targeted, several of those franchises said that a move isn’t happening. Thus, in hindsight, it feels like Leiweke uncorked a Hail Mary pass in the hopes of kicking a potentially sputtering project in the ass.
Other possibilities include the 49ers, Bills, and maybe one or two others whose fan bases would go bonkers if we’d throw them into the mix based only on a hunch.
Breer write that there is no “slam-dunk” candidate. Without at least a short list of clear possibilities, it may be impossible to get the latest L.A. proposal off the ground.
That said, the next CBA will likely place a premium on the ability to maximize revenues from all suites and seats, non-premium and premium alike. At some point, then, shifting a team that can’t sell out its stadium and/or max out the major revenue streams eventually will become that “slam-dunk” candidate to land just down the street from where the transplanted Minnesota basketball franchise does a lot of literal slam dunking.