[Elvis]

[RamsFanSince82]

When the NFL to LA became I big topic again at the start of this year, I enjoyed reading Farmer's articles and listening to his interviews. However, for at least the last few months, it seems like his articles and interviews are worthless. He rarely, if ever, says anything worthwhile that someone that's been following this story doesn't already know.

[RedAlice]

One of the problems with both us and the St. Louis posters is that we follow everything so closely right now that no one can report much of anything that we don't already know. And, sometimes we know more than them.

I notice when discussing the relocation with Charger fan friends who are NFL fans, but not so deep into this - I talk about something that is common knowledge IMO, and they have no idea what I mean. It's become impossible to discuss with any causal fan.

[Elvis]

Welcome aboard Dick, looking especially forward to your input/knowledge on what's going on in San Diego...

My situation specific information is getting thinner and thinner.

We're at the point, in my opinion, where the only thing that matters about any of this is what the NFL wants. If owners don't know what they want based on teams, stadium project proposals, financing plans, and market research... then it's really a mystery.

I'd guess Stl comes in 3rd on the long-term market health.. but I don't know that.

If so..... I don't see how Stan doesn't end up in Inglewood.

Moved this to the Rams forum.

Seems like the business play is pretty clearly for the Rams to move to Inglewood.

The political play isn't as clear.

What's your take on where the Chargers end up when the dust settles?

[Elvis]

Honestly?
No idea.
My hopeful play is Rams in Inglewood paying a 500 Million relo fee and 300 of that used to sweeten pot for new stadium here.

We'll see.

Where do you think the stadium would be? Is Mission Valley the only possible location?

[Elvis]

It's the only solution I see at this point.
If the NFL puts in another 300 million.. could you maybe start talking about downtown?
Maybe. Unlikely, though. Very unlikely.

Nobody's getting behind that citizens initiative... no one trusts Briggs.

These are certainly interesting times...

[Elvis]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/nfl/la-sp ... story.html

Meetings with fans of NFL teams eyeing L.A. move have lots of passion, little sway

By Sam Farmer

Joey Seimas, an air-traffic controller who made the three-hour drive from Fresno, stood at a lectern Thursday night in the elegant and cavernous Paramount Theater. On stage sat four of the NFL's top executives, in their Park Avenue business attire, listening intently to every word.

Seimas wore his Sunday best — the jersey of his beloved Oakland Raiders, his hair and face painted silver, and bulky shoulder pads adorned with upright bullets that served as spikes.

"I'm pleading with you guys and the NFL owners," said Seimas, who goes by the nickname Maniac. "This is our team. We have spent years fixing it. It was messed up. They came back and we repaired the damage, not fully, but everybody loves coming to the Raider games now. We sell out even when we don't win any games."

With the Raiders, the San Diego Chargers and the St. Louis Rams eyeing a relocation to Los Angeles, the NFL took the unprecedented step this week of holding public hearings in those cities to give fans the chance to voice concerns and frustrations, and show support of the teams.

Mark Davis
Raiders owner Mark Davis reaches to shake a fan's hand during an NFL hearing where fans pleaded to keep the franchise in Oakland. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The three-hour meetings, held on consecutive nights in downtown theaters, were more listening sessions for the NFL than back-and-forth exchanges with fans, who registered online for free passes to the events. The league also streamed the hearings online.

"What I got from the crowd was the passion and emotion," said Eric Grubman, the NFL executive vice president who arranged the hearings. "There were a couple of ideas to think about. But this is not the time to negotiate. We weren't trying to negotiate with the crowd. What we were trying to do was give them a voice, and be able to carry that voice back, and that happened pretty effectively.

"For them, I think it was very cathartic, and you heard that in their voices in three cities."

Onstage with Grubman were Cynthia Hogan, senior vice president of public policy; Chris Hardart, vice president of corporate development; and league attorney Jay Bauman.

Attendance numbers are a point of contention because some fans believe those could influence NFL owners. After the second night, the league reported there were 800 attendees in St. Louis and 450 in San Diego, and that no one had been turned away at the door.

The report angered fans in St. Louis who argued there were closer to 1,500 people at the Peabody Opera House for their hearing. Unable to retroactively check the St. Louis number, reporters counted by hand in San Diego and the NFL's estimate checked out. A hand count of the attendance in Oakland was 382, and the league said about 60 more trickled in during the meeting.

How much sway these meetings have with the league's owners is open to debate. They are trying to decide whether to give the green light to move to Rams owner Stan Kroenke, who is pursuing a stadium on the old Hollywood Park site in Inglewood, or the combination of Chargers owner Dean Spanos and Raiders owner Mark Davis, who are jointly backing a competing concept in Carson.

See the most-read stories in Sports this hour >>
If all continues on its current track — and little has gone according to plan in this 20-year saga of the NFL's returning to L.A. — the owners will be prepared to cast a vote on a solution by mid-January. It would require a three-quarters majority of 32 votes to pass, but it's expected the league will have quietly negotiated a decision with owners before any vote is taken.

Many of the people who attended the hearings believe they were a mere academic exercise, an exit interview of sorts, while others were hoping a strong showing could tip the scales in favor of a city trying to keep its team.

Grubman said he believes NFL owners were paying attention.

"I've gotten emails from owners, including owners that are on the [L.A.] committee, just reflecting the fact that they watched part of it," he said. "We've had requests for the material to be presented in a way that makes it easy for them to see it. We've had requests from owners for the comments to be summarized. We've had questions from the commissioner on ways that it could be put together. So I have lots of evidence that people are watching."

There were unique aspects to each of the events.

The one in St. Louis felt at times like a courtroom, with several speakers questioning Grubman and looking to pin him down on whether Kroenke had satisfied the relocation guidelines and exhausted all stadium solutions there. The proceeding was orderly but passionate, with attendees shushing the occasional catcalls so they could hear every word.

The NFL wasn't sure what to expect, so security was ramped up for the first hearing — including metal detectors and an explosives-sniffing dog — but it was increasingly relaxed the next two nights.

In San Diego, the hearing felt more like sitting in the stands for a game. Fans cheered, chanted "No way L-A!" and almost booed Chargers special counsel Mark Fabiani off the stage when he made his welcoming comments.

Renan Pozo
San Diego Chargers fan Renan Pozo, also known as "The Mask," fires up Chargers fans before the start of an NFL hearing about possible relocation to L.A. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)
Oakland was unique in that Davis attended, the only owner to do so, and received a standing ovation when he greeted the crowd to kick off the event. He later stood at the lectern and said he was doing everything he could to keep the team in the market, and stuck around afterward for photos with many of the fans.

In each of the cities, the speakers were variously angry, nostalgic and sometimes even tearful. Most were applauded and supported by the crowd.

"Standing here feels like speaking for an innocent defendant in the sentencing segment of a trial," a woman at the St. Louis hearing told the league representatives. "The St. Louis Rams fans are the defendant, and we've done nothing to have this death threat hanging over our heads since January."

The NFL executives were bleary-eyed after nine hours of hearings in three nights.

"To hear from these people how much these teams mean to them is pretty unbelievable," Hogan said. "And it's pretty moving. From our perspective that's great, that's what we're trying to create. But obviously if you're a fan who thinks your team could move, that threat of loss is palpable."

Even with that ominous possibility in the air, there was humor. That was unquestionably the case with one dedicated Raiders fan who was mindful of the long line of speakers behind him at the lectern.

"I'll try to keep things quick; I know a lot of people want to talk," he said. "Plus, my wife's been waiting outside in the car for two and a half hours."

sam.farmer@latimes.com

[Ramfan46]

STL crying about a proper head count for a townhall meeting. How about you get to the actual games?! This team's D would be worth those cheap tickets alone. No sympathy for that section of the fanbase at all. The worst supported team in the league and they cry like everything is perfect. I want them outta there because I think it's a dead market. If they were still selling out, I'd be fine.

[Ramfan46]

STL crying about a proper head count for a townhall meeting. How about you get to the actual games?! This team's D would be worth those cheap tickets alone. No sympathy for that section of the fanbase at all. The worst supported team in the league and they cry like everything is perfect. I want them outta there because I think it's a dead market. If they were still selling out, I'd be fine.

[Hacksaw]

His interview is useless. Common sense will prevail. What does Dean give a great hummer? The dude is a loser according to his track record. This who thing is lame. Stan ought to just cut out..