Goodell: The NFL would probably expand to 34 if LA gets team

[I-10east]

Make no mistakes about it, ANY NFL expansion team would need a new stadium. I can't think of one city that's ready to go with a suitable stadium that's already in place. I agree with yall that San Anton definitely has it's work cut out for them esp with Jerry, and the strong Cowboy region and all. I wonder what's the timeline (roughly) for the two teams to come into existense?

[downtownjag]

L.A. Nomads (because they will move after that unencouragable market gives up in 10 years)

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

I guess call me the stick in the mud on this one.  I don't want the NFL to expand to any more teams.

If it ain't broken, keep fixing it until it is?  Right now the set-up is about as perfect as you can get:  2 Divisions, 4 Conferences each Division, 4 teams each conference.

Personally, LA doesn't deserve another team and they shouldn't even be in the discussion until AFTER the stadium is built.  The majority of the other NFL cities had the infrastructure in place before attempting to acquire a team and LA shouldn't be any different.  I mean, the however many millions of TVs that the market already has, are you saying that because they don't have their own team, they don't watch the NFL? 

I'm OK with the 1 game a year in London.  I'm fine with a game or 2 in Toronto to help keep the Bills in Buffalo.  I would be fine with a game in Mexico City, Munich, Rome, Bejing, Pakistan, Cairo, Perth, Singapore - I don't care if each team has 1 home game in another country every other year to expand the brand, but I don't want to expand the number of teams.

[I-10east]

^^^I can't disagree with yall, I never said that I like the idea of expanding two teams, I guess the reason I didn't react to it was the relief from Jags 'move-a-phobia' talk. I would like to know what timeframe is Goodell talking about; For all we know it could happen 2020.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

While I was posting something on BCC, this thought popped in my head - If we're discussing adding two more teams, the logistics as is don't make much sense.  If we added two team and expanded to 18 regular season games, then that allows each team an extra game to play the added teams.

Hmmmmmm.

[cline]

I agree with the fact that LA doesn't really deserve another shot at an NFL team.  However, the NFL views it as a cash cow that is just waiting to be milked.  There is way too many people in that market to ignore it in the NFL's eyes.

[duvaldude08]

Cline, you beat me by seconds on that 'two teams in LA' thing, I totally agree that shouldn't happen.

I'm just glad that they're talking about expanding rather than moving teams.  That bodes well for the future of the Jags.

I'm not gonna lie and say, 'I never bought into the Jags moving to LA' thing because it was scary in 09' when Weaver complained about the ticket sales (One of the few things that I really disagreed with Weaver about esp with a 5-11 team in a bad economy) and Goodell addressed Jax's blackouts etc, but lately (2010 on, with sellouts and all) I didn't buy into that Jags to LA crap. That news definitely bodes well for my blood pressure, with all of that incessant never ending 'move-a-phobia' as Shad Khan put it.

Well when Goodell talk to us about blackouts that the didnt bother me, but he went to Oakland and gave them the same speech. And last season he gave Tampa the same talk. But at the end of the day, I dont think he's really pushing for a team in LA. He has already shot down both of their proposals. But I will say this, Goodell is kool with Jacksonville. Hell he actually gave WW advice and pointers to help get a team in Jacksonville during the expansion race.

[duvaldude08]

Im not sure if anyone noticed, but the NFL has a " new stadium fund" now. ( part of the new CBA) They are loaning the 49er's 200 million to help build their stadium. I think this is a great idea. Because honestly, as bad as the economy is, getting a publicly funded stadium has a fat chance of passing with most cities. And being that the NFL is the one requiring these stadiums, they SHOULD help with some of the cost.

[KenFSU]

I'm not really up to date on NFL stadium requirements.

Is Everbank good for another decade or so?

[Tacachale]

I'm cool with the NFL expanding, as due to their monopoly over professional football, it's literally the only way cities that want a team could get one short of stealing someone else's. It's pretty silly to think that this league and this sport couldn't support more teams.

As for where they go, LA is clearly the obvious choice for one; the second one will depend on whoever wants to build a stadium. This will be an interesting expansion round, as for the first time ever, other than LA, there will be no more "old NFL cities" - every other city that has ever had an NFL team since 1950 has one today.

I doubt they'd ever put two entirely new franchises in LA - they'd basically be cannibalizing each other for fan loyalties. And the London thing has always seemed like a stretch. I expect we'll hear rumors about the usual suspects - San Antonio, Vegas, Toronto - but it would really come down to who put together the money for a stadium.

[Wacca Pilatka]

I expect we'll hear rumors about the usual suspects - San Antonio, Vegas, Toronto - but it would really come down to who put together the money for a stadium.

That's for sure.  The Alamodome is closest of the 3 to a real NFL stadium, but it still doesn't quite work.  Toronto only seats 50,000 and I think Sam Boyd in Vegas is even less.

[Wacca Pilatka]

I'm not really up to date on NFL stadium requirements.

Is Everbank good for another decade or so?

I think with occasional upgrades to things like the sound system, we could wring well over another 10 years out of it.  Vic Ketchman suggested a few times that it ought to survive until the end of our lease term.

Of course, it's not always necessary to build a new stadium either; you can go the substantial-upgrade route like Soldier Field and Arrowhead did.

[Tacachale]

I'm not really up to date on NFL stadium requirements.

Is Everbank good for another decade or so?

There's literally no way to know. Sports stadium "needs" and "requirements" are decided by voodoo magic made possible by corporate sports monopolies that receive vast public subsidies to operate as they do.

Some stadiums last a really long time; others start getting called "obsolete" after only about 30 years or so. This is often determined by when contracts come to an end (rather than when a stadium is actually obsolete) as well as whether there are other cities willing to shell out money of their own to attract one of the artificially limited number of sports teams.

FWIW EverBank Field is probably a ways away from acquiring the "aging stadium" black mark. Expect this to become big news as we approach the end of the Jaguars' contract.

[I-10east]

Now Goddell says that he has no plans to expand any teams in the foreseeable future. Well, the mandatory 'Big Bad Bully' that is Los Angeles was tamed for one day, now it's back to steal 1/4 of the teams in the NFL with stadium issues, and attendance problems. The Jags aren't going anywhere, so I'm not worried about it. That gliding vulture (LA) is looking to swoop down and prey on some carrion. The Big Bad Bully (unfortunately) is back! Sometimes I get a lil' chuckle outta LA being this overhanging cloud that looms over the weak, and my Jags are NOT weak, NOWAYLA!!!

[Tacachale]

^To me, that is what sucks most about the monopoly. It plays the cities off each other by artificially restricting the number of teams. If they chose not to expand, there's literally no way a city can get a team besides stealing someone else's. There aren't even any real (stable) minor leagues beyond arena football, which is really an entirely different sport. It's not a matter of who "can" support a team, it's a matter of who the monopoly allows.