NFL May Decide LA Situation January 12

By Mitch Chortkoff

Sports Editor

This could be it. Or maybe not. Well, they’re saying it is going to happen. So perhaps.

I’m writing about the possibility that on January 12 we’re going to find out if there’ll be a National Football League team or two in Los Angeles next season.

That’s the day a meeting of NFL owners is planned and various sources say a vote will be taken on the Los Angeles matter.

If we’re to believe what’s being speculated a team receiving the proper number of votes will have permission to move here for the 2016 season. It could be no teams, one team or two teams.

But if no team receives enough votes that will mean the NFL won’t be here next season. No future owner meetings on the subject are planned.

After about 20 years of guessing, LA fans may finally learn the outcome.

I would like to think that any column I write has a high degree of accuracy, but this could be the exception. After all, the NFL has fooled us many times since LA lost the teams it used to have.

So much remains a mystery. We know the Rams’ owner in St. Louis is serious about moving the team here. so serious that he bought LA property in order to build a stadium.

We also know the NFL wants to give St. Louis a huge amount of money so the city can build a stadium that would force the Rams to stay.

But I’m also hearing the man is so rich he may do what he wants regardless of how much he is fined.

The Raiders are in the picture too despite the fact Oakland is fighting to keep the team there.

Oakland is on the verge of losing the NBA champion Golden State Warriors, who are planning to move into a new San Francisco arena in two years.

Losing both teams would be quite a blow to that city.

The Oakland mayor said there is some opposition in San Francisco to the arena project, so we’ll have to wait to see what happens.

How about the Raiders and Chargers sharing a new stadium in Carson? That’s possible.

Even though the Chargers aren’t having a good season the fans there are loyal. Having worked in San Diego for a couple of years I observed the love folks there have for their team.

The fan support is excellent but the problem has been the failure of San Diego legislators to come through with funds for a new stadium. The Chargers have deserved one for a long time. Unfortunately, year after year of discussions have gone nowhere.

So what will happen? Maybe we’ll know in a few weeks. Maybe not. You can be optimistic but don’t count on it.