Los Angeles wants an NFL team. If new reports are true, the second largest media market in the US could be targeting the Atlanta Falcons for relocation.
A number of teams have been rumored to be heading to Los Angeles to bring football back for the first time since 1995. The difference between those teams and the Atlanta Falcons is that he Falcons just played in the NFC Championship game and almost made it to the Super Bowl.
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed sat down with FOX 5 on Tuesday to discuss the situation. He says:
“There are multiple business groups, ownership groups, in Los Angeles that are actively trying to place a team in Los Angeles and they’re willing to pay a heck of lot more than $200 million for that opportunity.”
The $200 million he refers to is the amount of public funding that would be needed to help build a proposed $1 billion, open-air stadium in Atlanta. The Falcons would pay the remaining $800 million.
Reed believes the city of Atlanta needs a “reality check” on what it may take to keep the Falcons. Still, he claims there is nothing contentious between the team and the city:
“We have an owner who is committed to the city of Atlanta and when I met with Council, I never said anything but that he was committed to Atlanta.”
According the NFL , Falcon’s owner Arthur Blank is not seriously considering relocation. He has even offered to increase his investment in the team to stay in Atlanta and is hoping to have a new stadium to move into by 2017.
Are you surprised by the news that the Falcons are on LA’s radar for a new NFL franchise?
[image via Chrisjnelson at en.wikipedia ]