Things just keep getting curiouser and curiouser in the NFL.
There have been no teams in the L.A. area since the Rams departed for St. Louis and the Raiders bolted to Oakland in 1995. For Roger Goodell and the rest of the brass, it’s imperative they locate an organization in the L.A. area to tap into that sizable market. Very sizable for televisions, ticket buyers, and merchandising.
The Chicago Bears have a tremendous tradition at Soldier Field and the Monsters of the Midway have a passionate following of die-hard fans who consistently brave the elements to support their squad. This is much like their brethren to the north at Lambeau Field. Even they wouldn’t appreciate any comparison to the Green Bay Packers.
The Chicago Bears are tapping the biggest market in the league because previous ownership has vacated the L.A. area for a substantial period of time and (obviously) there are two teams in the New York vicinity.
By Patrick Herbert
For a league that prides itself on innovation and resourcefulness, it is complete foolishness that they have nothing in Southern California for so long. Much like a work stoppage, the void left there will never be filled again for a plethora of fans who feel like they were abandoned by the two previous teams.
Fans in L.A. and Orange counties are fickle to the nth degree. There is clear evidence of this by looking at other local teams. UCLA is one of the top five major college basketball programs in history yet there are many nights with hundreds, if not thousands of empty seats in Pauley Pavillion.
Even after all of the issues over the last twenty years, UNLV still leads the western region in attendance. This is amazing considering that UCLA plays in a trendy neighborhood (Westwood) and they have had recent success with Final Fours and players heading on to the NBA.
The Dodgers had a down year with the McCourt family experiencing a very public divorce. Manny Ramirez just decided that he didn’t want to play this year, so his production fell off a cliff too. And Joe Torre had a hard time staying awake and alert in the dugout. With all of this said, this season was a complete aberration for the organization and their attendance fell off a cliff.
It is truly the town of, “what have you done for me lately?” The point of delving into this psyche of the Los Angeles fan in the area is to show that an expansion franchise wouldn’t be the best move. There would be a honeymoon period for a season, but then the majority would not be willing to sit through bad football.
Horrible news is imminent for one of the following teams: Vikings, Bills, Jaguars, Chargers, or Raiders. It is just a matter of which one and when.