In this Oct. 30, 1983 photo provided by the NFL, Los Angeles Raiders tight end Todd Christensen (46) runs with the football after making a catch during a football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Los Angeles.; Credit: NFL/AP
Two decades ago, the Rams and Raiders played their final season playing football in the City of Angels, and no teams in the NFL have called Los Angeles home ever since.
But it's not for the lack of trying. There had been numerous plans to bring the country's most popular sport back to Los Angeles, the latest attempt being the beleaguered Farmers Field project--the $1.5 billion football stadium that the L.A. City Council unanimously gave the go-ahead to build in 2012. But construction has yet to begin, because developer AEG hasn’t been able to find a NFL franchise willing to move to the city, the nation’s second-biggest market for the sport.
Still, hope springs eternal, and L.A. fans pining for a home team might finally have something to look forward to this season. Three teams--The St. Louis Rams, San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders--are seriously eyeing a move to Los Angeles.
And they all have the flexibility to do so--each team has just a year-to-year lease in its current venue.
Guest:
Sam Farmer, NFL writer for the Los Angeles Times who’s been following the story