L.A. VS. THE NFL; CITY SCRAMBLING FOR NEW FOOTBALL TEAM.Byline: Eric Noland Daily News Staff Writer Helmet down, the attempt is directed at the objective. Again. And yet again. No progress is made, but neither is there an inclination to call a different play. This, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. several pro-sports insiders, encapsules Los Angeles' attempts to secure a National Football League expansion franchise. In awarding an expansion franchise to Cleveland in March, the NFL NFL abbr. National Football League NFL (US) n abbr (= National Football League) → Fußball-Nationalliga created an imbalance - 31 teams - which will result in scheduling headaches when the Browns begin play in 1999. In order to return to an even number of teams, the league hopes to add another franchise for the 2001 season, and it hopes to award it by next spring, an NFL official said. It's a narrow crease of opportunity for Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , which will be competing with Houston, Toronto and possibly Mexico City Mexico City Spanish Ciudad de México City (pop., 2000: city, 8,605,239; 2003 metro. area est., 18,660,000), capital of Mexico. Located at an elevation of 7,350 ft (2,240 m), it is officially coterminous with the Federal District, which occupies 571 sq mi . The NFL is dispatching a delegation to review the candidates. It is expected to arrive in the city today and to be headed by commissioner Paul Tagliabue Paul John Tagliabue (born November 24 1940 in Jersey City, New Jersey) was the Commissioner of the National Football League. He took the position in 1989 and was succeeded by Roger Goodell, who was elected to the position on August 8, 2006. . Los Angeles has elected to throw its combined political might behind a single prospect - a reconstructed Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum For board track racing circuit, see . Present use The Coliseum is now primarily the home of the USC Trojan football team. During the recent stretch of its success in football, most of USC's regular home games, especially the alternating games with rivals UCLA and Notre as home for a new team - and the result has been stubborn head-banging. Futility personified? ``I think it's very problematic,'' said Buffalo Bills The NFL, meanwhile, has not helped in the matter, observers assert. The league, desiring a hotly competitive environment in Los Angeles in order to secure the sweetest arrangement possible, has fueled the quandary by failing to create a timetable that would serve as an elimination process. These issues figure to be sorted out during the next year, however. When the NFL delegation comes to L.A., what will the group find? Acute Balkanization. City government and some key business figures are doggedly pushing the Coliseum. Hollywood Park Hollywood Park may be several places:
The Dodger Stadium • • [ grounds are waiting on the fringe On The Fringe is a popular Pakistani television show on Indus Music. It is hosted and scripted by the eccentric television host and music critic, Fasi Zaka and directed by Zeeshan Pervez. , in the event the Coliseum plan falls through. Carson and entertainment mogul Michael Ovitz Michael S. Ovitz (b. December 14 1946, Los Angeles, California) is a former talent agent and Hollywood powerhouse who served as the head of the Creative Artists Agency from 1975 to 1995. are extolling the virtues of a former dump site. And, according to a league official, there are percolations from the area of the new Staples Center This article has multiple issues: * Its neutrality is disputed. * It may contain original research or unverifiable claims. * It does not cite any references or sources. downtown, from Irwindale, and from Anaheim. Whether the NFL can resolve this tangle will determine pro football's future in Los Angeles. Last chance for decades After the 32nd team is awarded, the league might not expand again for decades, which would force L.A. to play the role of earnest prom date for every team that grows dissatisfied with its lease. The city could have handled this differently. Rather than force-feed the Coliseum to the NFL, it could have sought the league's preference for a site, resting in the assurance that the entire region would benefit from the presence of an NFL team - as is the case with the Rose Parade and Disneyland. Instead, city government, led by Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas Mark Ridley-Thomas (born 1954) is currently a California State Senate where he chairs the Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee]]. He represents the 26th district which includes the communities of Vermont Knolls, Jefferson Park, Leimert Park, Hancock Park, Korean , in whose district the Coliseum lies, entrenched en·trench also in·trench v. en·trenched, en·trench·ing, en·trench·es v.tr. 1. To provide with a trench, especially for the purpose of fortifying or defending. 2. itself behind that one option to the exclusion of all others. This troubles league officials. ``The fact we haven't committed to it (the Coliseum) is a pretty good signal that we're not yet comfortable with it and we don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. if this is the right solution for us,'' said one. ``. . . It's going to be difficult to get the votes.'' (The NFL requires three-fourths' approval by its owners.) Territorial fight One local public figure decried the pettiness of Los Angeles' course. ``There is no one asking locally, Where is the best place in the region for football? There are people who claim to have the best site, but that's the problem. Regionally, we're all broken in all the geographic divisions. . . . People are saying, How do I get football back - to this piece of ground? Everybody's doing that. That's preventing the first question from being answered: How do we get it back here the fastest? ``It's like, if I can't have it on my piece of ground, then I'd rather you not have it at all.'' Ridley-Thomas, who recently reveled in the ability to ``attract the Lakers back to Los Angeles from Inglewood'' after they committed to the Staples Center, strongly defended his regional perspective. Seek out the NFL's preference for a site? ``I don't think it's reasonable for them to request public participation and (expect) the public's representatives (to) have no say-so whatsoever in terms of the venue where it's played,'' said Ridley-Thomas, who also cited his duty to protect public assets. ``There are no blank checks here.'' Dodgers president Bob Graziano Bob Graziano is a former president of the Los Angeles Dodgers of American Major League Baseball. He is currently Managing Director for the Western Region of Northern Trust, an investment management company. , who conducted the feasibility study The analysis of a problem to determine if it can be solved effectively. The operational (will it work?), economical (costs and benefits) and technical (can it be built?) aspects are part of the study. Results of the study determine whether the solution should be implemented. for a football stadium in Chavez Ravine, said the communal approach to the NFL would have been unlikely because of ``pre-existing prejudices that people feel may exist with respect to the various sites.'' In other words Adv. 1. in other words - otherwise stated; "in other words, we are broke" put differently , longstanding NFL aversion to the Coliseum. But there is precedent for such a strategy. Regional cooperation Several years ago, after Southern California's three fractured bids for a Super Bowl were denied by the NFL, the region marshaled its efforts, presenting the league all three options (Anaheim Stadium, Coliseum, Rose Bowl) and letting the NFL choose. A Super Bowl - in the Rose Bowl - was promptly secured for January '93. David Simon David Simon can refer to:
No timetable There has been no establishment of a timetable - one which might eliminate undesirable options and bring a favorable site to the fore. The NFL says it has been reluctant to do that until now because it had no expansion franchise to offer if the process was successfully completed. But now that the Cleveland question has been settled, the league is expected to accelerate the process of gathering details on such issues as stadium financing, composition of ownership groups . . . and prospects for a site's prosperity. ``We want to have a franchise in Los Angeles, a successful franchise, and we think a stadium is a key component of that,'' said Roger Goodell Roger S. Goodell (born February 19, 1959, in Jamestown, New York[1]) is the Commissioner of the National Football League, having been chosen to succeed the retiring Paul Tagliabue on August 8, 2006. , NFL executive vice president for development. ``It's critical at this state to return to Los Angeles in a successful situation and not fail.'' That is why the NFL is so uncomfortable with the Coliseum. The league feels optimal fan excitement and maximal revenues can be generated only in a new, start-from-scratch stadium. Coliseum proponents haven't been convincing about the potential of a newly built stadium within the historic walls of the historic facility. The NFL's disaffection with the Coliseum is commonly attributed to the mean streets that surround it. But Inglewood and Carson are hardly urban oases of tranquillity. In the case of the Coliseum, the problem doesn't center entirely around the neighborhood. League insiders said other factors are significantly more germane ger·mane adj. Being both pertinent and fitting. See Synonyms at relevant. [Middle English germain, having the same parents, closely connected; see german2. : In this era, a key to a team's success is the marketability of premium seating - club seats, of which a rebuilt Coliseum proposes to have 8,000. Will affluent fans be willing to plunk down Verb 1. plunk down - set (something or oneself) down with or as if with a noise; "He planked the money on the table"; "He planked himself into the sofa" plonk, flump, plank, plump, plump down, plunk, plop $2,000 for one of those at a stadium with a haggard reputation? The NFL is uneasy that not one but two other teams failed to be profitable here and opted to flee - the Rams in '80, the Raiders in '95. There were multiple plans to upgrade the Coliseum during the tenancy of the Rams and Raiders, and none got off the ground. The Coliseum backers' response is to trumpet their project's viability. A survey last year of sports-viewing adults in Los Angeles County, conducted by Lawrence Research of Santa Ana Santa Ana, city, El Salvador Santa Ana (sän'tä ä`nä), city (1993 pop. 129,873), W El Salvador. It is the second largest city in the country and the commercial and processing center for a sugarcane, coffee, and cattle region. , concluded that 61 percent strongly favored the Coliseum as the site for an NFL team. However, the wording of the survey question presented no other option. In building its case with the NFL, the Coliseum group will present business backing almost as impressive as its political clout. The point man is Edward Roski Jr., co-owner of the Kings and developer of the Staples Center, with backing from fellow Kings owner Philip Anschutz Philip Frederick Anschutz (born 28 December 1939 in Russell, Kansas) is an American businessman and supporter of Christian causes. With an estimated current net worth of around $7.8 billion, he is ranked by Forbes as the 31st richest person in the USA. , Ticketmaster's Fred Rosen Fred Rosen (May 25, 1930 - May 21, 2005) was a paediatrician and immunologist at Harvard Medical School, Harvard Center for Blood Research, and Harvard Children's Hospital. He was also an expert in antique furniture. and attorney/soccer booster Alan Rothenberg Alan I. Rothenberg (born April 10, 1939 in Detroit, Michigan) is a graduate of the University of Michigan's law school, and an influential administrative figure in the history of North American soccer who is credited with greatly contributing to the growth of the game in the United . The group would like nothing more than to plead its case in a formal presentation to the entire NFL ownership. To date, such a presentation has been made only to a handful of members and executives in a stadium committee meeting last fall. The alternatives In the meantime Adv. 1. in the meantime - during the intervening time; "meanwhile I will not think about the problem"; "meantime he was attentive to his other interests"; "in the meantime the police were notified" meantime, meanwhile , the NFL has held the door ajar for challengers like Hollywood Park and Carson. ``That's why the league keeps saying they don't want the Coliseum, because it's in their best interest to create as much competition as possible,'' said John Semcken, executive vice president of New Coliseum Partners. ``Frankly, any smart businessman would do the same thing.'' If the league does want to eliminate any particular option, the process of the coming months figures to accomplish the objective. In the meantime, the NFL gets its desired competition. Still in contention Through all of this, the Coliseum shows no signs of going quietly. Said Ridley-Thomas: ``I don't know what people are talking about (the Coliseum being out of contention). We're still in it. There's no one who has been able to show more progress to date than we have. And the NFL knows that. . . . We're prepared to compete and we welcome all comers all who come, or offer, to take part in a matter, especially in a contest or controversy. - Bp. Stillingfleet. See also: Comer .'' The ones who will come next will be assorted NFL owners and executives. During the next year, the league will survey the myriad proposals, begin demanding particulars and start weeding out the weak - or the simply undesirable. Working in Los Angeles' favor is the relatively weak nature of the field of expansion cities. None can match Southern California's television market (second-largest nationally) or desirability for future Super Bowls. But it would be unwise of the region to assume the NFL can't resist the opportunity to return. The league, despite warnings the TV networks wouldn't pay handsomely for rights if there were no team in L.A., recently signed contracts that were staggering in their scope: eight years, $17.6 billion. The NFL is recognized as one of the most exclusive clubs in the world of commerce. It makes its own rules. It makes a lot of money. It is not accustomed to being dictated to. ``If the NFL doesn't think something is the best deal, right or wrong you've got to live with it,'' said John McKay, the former USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. and NFL receiver, who is a downtown attorney representing Hollywood Park in its effort. ``. . . I would hope nobody's looking at it so myopically in terms of, If we can't have it here, we don't want it (in L.A.) at all. ``If there are 65,000 coming to those games, somewhere between 45,000 and 55,000 will be the same, regardless of the site. If that is the case, why don't we do it wherever we can do it best and the quickest?'' asked McKay, the son former USC and Tampa Bay Buccaneer buccaneer: see piracy. buccaneer Any of the British, French, or Dutch sea adventurers who chiefly haunted the Caribbean and the Pacific seaboard of South America during the latter part of the 17th century, preying on Spanish settlements and shipping. coach John McKay. That seems reasonable enough. Almost simple. Simple as changing your plan when the same running play fails to net any yards. WHAT'S IN A STADIUM The NFL would like to add an expansion team by 2001, and L.A. is one of the cities that could get a franchise. Although there are certain intangibles the stadium must include, just where the facility will be located is still undecided. The key elements to having a successful - and profitable - stadium. LUXURY BOXES AND CLUB SEATING Owners have figured out by selling these to corporations, they can make a financial killing. And in L.A., finding enough businesses to purchase this seating is hardly a problem. PERSONAL SEAT LICENSES A great way for owners to pay off construction costs. Make people pay for the right to buy season tickets. This worked well in St. Louis, but failed miserably in Oakland. It will be a tough sell in L.A. ACCESSABILITY With limited mass-transit options, it's critical that the stadium has ample parking and good freeway access to the entire region. THE CHOICES: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum The city's politcal forces are behind this plan, which calls for a remodeling remodeling /re·mod·el·ing/ (re-mod´el-ing) reorganization or renovation of an old structure. bone remodeling of the stadium. However, two teams have already fled the Coliseum, and the NFL doesn't consider this its No. 1 choice. Dodger Stadium area A start-from-scratch stadium in a location with a proven track record is very appealing to the NFL. But, with the city backing the Coliseum proposal, this location is a longshot. Hollywood Park The league favors this plan, which could also play host to UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX football games. However, some may question having the NFL linked to a racetrack and gambling. Also, this plan is upsetting to city government people, since the site is not in L.A., but rather Inglewood. Carson Former Disney exec Michael Ovitz has the ideal profile to own a professional team. His Hollywood ties are enticing to the NFL. However, the site, part of a former dump, is tied to the development of an outlet mall. This would make for a traffic nightmare on weekends. CAPTION(S): drawing, 3 photos, box Drawing: What's in a stadium Jon Gerung/Daily News Photo: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (2) Dodger Stadium (3) Hollywood Park Box: What's in a stadium? 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