RAIDERS WIN, EVERYONE LOSES AL DAVIS HERO, VILLAIN TO FELLOW NFL OWNERS IN COURT FIGHT FOR L.A.Byline: David M. Carter LOCAL VIEW CLOSING arguments were heard last week in Oakland/Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis' $1 billion lawsuit against the NFL NFL abbr. National Football League NFL (US) n abbr (= National Football League) → Fußball-Nationalliga . A perennial thorn in the side of NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, Davis claims the NFL left him no choice but to vacate the second-largest media market in the country and steadfastly believes he deserves to get paid for having to leave Los Angeles. The NFL contends that the Raiders decided to simply relocate to Oakland rather than wait for the new stadium to be built. A jury of eight men and four women is now determining whether Davis is a savvy businessman and keen litigator lit·i·gate v. lit·i·gat·ed, lit·i·gat·ing, lit·i·gates v.tr. To contest in legal proceedings. v.intr. To engage in legal proceedings. or merely a cagey ca·gey also ca·gy adj. ca·gi·er, ca·gi·est 1. Wary; careful: a cagey avoidance of a definite answer. 2. Crafty; shrewd: a cagey lawyer. opportunist and carpetbagger carpetbagger Epithet used during the Reconstruction period (1865–77) to describe a Northerner in the South seeking private gain. The word referred to an unwelcome outsider arriving with nothing more than his belongings packed in a satchel or carpetbag. who is looking to be reimbursed for his own poor decision-making and scorched-earth policy Scorched-earth policy Often used in risk arbitrage. Any technique a company that has become the target of a takeover attempt uses to make itself unattractive to the acquirer. . The 12 jurors hearing the case in the Los Angeles Superior Court are poised to fundamentally reshape the business of professional football. This is somewhat ironic since the NFL is but a distant memory to most Angelenos, as Los Angeles has been without a team since 1995 and remains largely detached from the sport. However, the real irony lies with the NFL and its owners, as their collective ambivalence demonstrates the complexities of team ownership. A large unserved football market like Los Angeles is a valuable asset to team owners who can use the threat of relocation to extort To compel or coerce, as in a confession or information, by any means serving to overcome the other's power of resistance, thus making the confession or admission involuntary. To gain by wrongful methods; to obtain in an unlawful manner, as in to compel payments by means of threats of public subsidies from their current cities to build them state-of-the-art stadiums that become cash cows for the owners. The revenue generated from the sale of stadium naming rights, luxury suites and club seats significantly contributes to a franchise's value. These revenue streams, when combined with the NFL's $17.6 billion television contract, make team ownership a lucrative proposition and have allowed franchise values to soar: the average value of NFL teams stands at $423 million. It is because of these circumstances that NFL owners are attentively following the developments in this trial. Owners covet cov·et v. cov·et·ed, cov·et·ing, cov·ets v.tr. 1. To feel blameworthy desire for (that which is another's). See Synonyms at envy. 2. To wish for longingly. See Synonyms at desire. the leverage they possess by having a lucrative market like Los Angeles open. Simultaneously, they realize that not having a team in Los Angeles reduces the revenue they can collect from the sale of the NFL's television rights. Herein lies the rub. While many owners may respect Davis' tenacity and gumption, had he been successful in moving the Raiders from the 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 to a state-of-the-art privately funded stadium next to the Hollywood Park racetrack Hollywood Park is a thoroughbred racecourse and poker cardroom located in Inglewood, California, USA, about 3 miles (5 km) from Los Angeles International Airport and next door to The Forum. History The track was opened in 1938 by the Hollywood Turf Club. in Inglewood, it would have been a costly blow. Not only would the threat of relocation to a more lucrative market be taken off the table, but a privately financed stadium would put pressure on other cities to forgo publicly financing stadiums. Each of these developments would be a drag on individual franchise values. Conversely, a stable team in Los Angeles would certainly benefit the league and its owners. Increased television coverage, an ability to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in corporate support, and an enhanced NFL brand resulting from a reduction in franchise relocation and subsequent fan backlash, all positively contribute to franchise values. Some team owners might want Davis to prevail, as doing so would suggest that Davis has somehow protected their right to relocate. But, should Davis win, the financial hit taken by the NFL, a governing body that represents and negotiates on behalf of all franchise owners, will no doubt negatively impact every team, including the Oakland/Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders. It is these dynamics that make what otherwise might have been just another piece of sports litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. an intriguing case that is sure to produce nothing but losers when the jury reaches its verdict. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: AL DAVIS |
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