Robert Kraft’s talking up London, but Roger Goodell’s sending out word he thinks Los Angeles might be closer to hosting an NFL team.
Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times obtained a memo sent to all 32 teams outlining requirements for a move.
“Although substantial uncertainties remain,” Goodell wrote in the two-page memo, “stadium development in Los Angeles has advanced to the point where the prospects for a new facility are better than they have been in many years.”
The memo serves as a set of ground rules for teams considering such a move (and the plugged-in Farmer mentioned the Chargers, Raiders and Rams specifically), with the league pointing out that it controlled the process, not individual teams.
The memo also mentions the 2013 season, a clear indication that they’re thinking sooner rather than later. If a team wanted to apply to relocate, they’d have to file paperwork between Jan. 1, 2013 and Feb. 15, 2013, although the memo said no vote was likely to be taken before March 2013.
“The overall goal, as we have frequently said, is to ensure that any league re-entry to the Los Angeles market is as successful as possible, both for the club or clubs that will play there and for the league as a whole,” the memo read.
At a time when the Rams are doing everything evident to get out of a lease (or cut a sweetheart deal with St. Louis), it’s a clear sign that the league doesn’t mind reminding everyone who’s in charge.