NFL owners voted Jan. 12 to allow the St. Louis Rams to move to a new stadium just outside Los Angeles, and the San Diego Chargers will have an option to share the facility.
The Oakland Raiders, who also wanted to move to the area, were left out of the deal, but could move to Los Angeles if San Diego doesn’t, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said.
The moves end the NFL’s 21-year absence from the nation’s second-largest media market.
The compromise – the Chargers and Raiders wanted to share a new stadium in Carson and the Rams wanted to move to nearby Inglewood – was approved 30-2 after the other options did not get the 24 votes needed for approval.
The Chargers can continue to negotiate with San Diego for a new stadium deal, while keeping the option of joining the Rams and owner Stan Kroenke at the $1.8 billion complex he is building.
The Rams – based in the LA area from 1946-94 – will play in a temporary facility – probably the Los Angeles Coliseum – until the new stadium is ready, most likely for the 2019 season
In a released statement, Dean Spanos, San Diego Chargers team president and CEO, said: “My goal from the start of this process was to create the options necessary to safeguard the future of the Chargers franchise while respecting the will of my fellow NFL owners. Today we achieved this goal with the compromise reached by NFL ownership. “The Chargers have been approved to relocate to Los Angeles, at the Inglewood location, at any time in the next year. In addition, the NFL has granted an additional $100 million in assistance in the event there is a potential solution that can be placed before voters in San Diego. “I will be working over the next several weeks to explore the options that we have now created for ourselves to determine the best path forward for the Chargers.”
The Rams issued the following statement on their relocation to L.A.
“This has been the most difficult process of my professional career,” said Kroenke. “While we are excited about the prospect of building a new stadium in Inglewood, this is bitter sweet. St. Louis is a city known for its incredibly hard-working, passionate and proud people. Being part of the group that brought the NFL back to St. Louis in 1995 is one of the proudest moments of my professional career. Reaching two Super Bowls and winning one are things all St. Louisans should always treasure.
“This decision is about what is in the best long-term interests of the Rams organization and the National Football League. We have negotiated in good faith with the Regional Sports Authority for more than a decade trying to find a viable and sustainable solution. When it became apparent that we might not be able to reach an agreement, it was then and only then that we looked at alternatives.
“We would like to thank the National Football League, its owners, and the Committee on Los Angeles Opportunities for their diligence and dedication. We look forward to returning to Los Angeles and building a world-class NFL entertainment district in Inglewood.” The Associated Press contributed to this report