St. Louis Rams Could Be Moving To Los Angeles, How Does This Affect The Cardinals?
Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network was on Arizona Sports 620's Doug and Wolf Show yesterday to discuss a variety of NFL topics. One of the things that came up was the city of Los Angeles, specifically, which NFL team could make their home there.
La Canfora noted that there are realistically only two teams that could find themselves playing eight games a year in the City of Angels- the San Diego Chargers and the St. Louis Rams. So if the Rams were indeed the team that was selected, how would this affect the Arizona Cardinals and their fans? Let's find out after the jump.
When speaking about the possibility of a team actually moving to L.A., La Canfora had this to say:
"This is going to happen, there's too much money at stake and there's too much interest. Especially if you are talking about a state of the art downtown stadium that's going to be hardcore in the Super Bowl rotation and would be able to host national championship games and college football and everything else."
It's shocking that there is not a team already there, honestly. With a city the size of L.A. and people that crave various forms of entertainment, putting an NFL team there is a no brainer. La Canfora noted that it won't be easy for the Rams to break their current lease at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, but that it's not impossible. It may be worth it if it means a ticket to L.A.
So what does this mean for the Cardinals? Well, the biggest thing is travel- both for the team and the fans. If the Rams end up in L.A., travel time would be cut down immensely, making it one less long trip back east that the Cardinals have to make per year. It also means that we might see more red jerseys filling up the new stadium.
I know that for me, if the Cardinals were to start playing some games in L.A. at least once a year, I might make the trip out there to watch them in enemy territory. The drive time from the Phoenix area is relatively short and travel expenses could be kept at a minimum when plane tickets and car rentals aren't involved. Filling up the opponent's stadium with birdgang fans would truly be a great thing to see.
One last thing to note is that if the Rams do move to L.A., not only will we see Cardinals fans invade their new stadium, but unfortunately, it would work both ways. Once the Rams get a big enough following, we may see something reminiscent of all the Dodgers and Lakers games that are played in Arizona. This is good for ticket sales, but not for the home field advantage.
What do you think, fans? Would it be a good thing if the Rams moved to L.A.? If you live in Arizona, would you drive to California to watch your beloved team play? Tell us in the comments below.
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For me
It’s a horrible idea. I’m an Arizonan who lives in KS and look fwd every year to wear my Cardinal red in the Rams house relatively close.
by defense_dad on Jan 19, 2012 11:39 AM MST via iPhone app reply actions
It would make travel a hell of a lot easier for the Cards
Until the Rams leave LA after a couple of years like every other team they get that is….
Arizona Cardinals/Chicago Bears fan
Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Coyotes, Arizona Rattlers fan
[I have always lived in Arizona, dad is from Chicago].
Leading the NFL in swagtangibles
I live near LA
And you’re right, it’s not a terrible trip (about 5 hrs). I make that trip for about 7-8 Cards games per year. Little bit of a boring drive through the desert at spots, but straight interstate and pretty smooth.
However, a team in LA is not the no-brainer that it sounds. Remember, there’s a reason the Raiders and Rams couldn’t survive long-term out here in the first place, and why the Dodgers/Angels/Clippers/Kings etc. have trouble drawing. It’s a very “success or nothing” town, and unless the team has sustained success it will have attendance issues, especially if they try to draw from an existing fanbase (which means an AFC team would be a bad idea – they don’t want to compete with the Chargers or Raiders for fans out here). From that aspect the Rams wouldn’t be a bad idea. But the problems with the Rams would be success, as I mentioned, and the fact that the Rams have been out here before. LA is also very “trendy”, meaning that the Rams could have a “been there, done that” feel to them that could hurt attendance.
From a Cardinals perspective, I think it’s very positive. Less travel for the Rams game, no time-zone issue, easier ability to attend, deeper rivalry as you’ll have more overlapping fan areas in eastern CA and western AZ. The home field in AZ situation is a non-issue, IMO, as they already sell out that game every year and unless the Rams get REALLY good, no one’s going to pay a premium price to see the game in AZ like they do for Pitt or Dallas.
I was thinking the same thing about LA
The Rams would have to be instantly good. It’s possible, but not probable.
Joe Saunders: "They Giants played a really good game, so hats off to us"
Rams "couldn't survive long term out here?"
I don’t know what you consider to be “long-term” but to be in a location from 1949 to 1985 (36 years) seems pretty long-term to me. A dis-attached female owner was the problem before.
Not in NFL terms
And not for the market size. Think about this – 36 years is nothing compared to how long NY and Chicago (the only two cities comparable to LA) have had NFL teams, and they’ve had no problems whatsoever keeping their teams, two in NY’s case. LA’s had two and couldn’t keep either one.
And “dis-attached female owner” aside, if the NFL team was doing well enough moving would never have been a consideration.
by CardsFan1976 on Jan 20, 2012 12:27 PM MST up reply actions
And yes, I realize the Cardinals left Chicago
But that was long before the NFL became the popular powerhouse it is today and because they couldn’t compete with the Bears, not because Chicago couldn’t support the NFL.
by CardsFan1976 on Jan 20, 2012 12:32 PM MST up reply actions
Ram Fan
The Rams aren’t going anywhere Stan K. waited a long time for full ownership of the Rams and he would have to sell part of the team to move to LA. He likes to own his teams stadium(which WILL get built for us) and that can’t happened in LA either. This is all a way for Stan K. to get $$$ to help build a new stadium in St. Louis. Plus Stan K. is from Missouri so there’s reason he’d want to keep the team here.
by jmo53 on Jan 19, 2012 12:28 PM MST via Android app reply actions
I don't know about that..
L.A. is a hell of a lot closer to Colorado than St. Louis. Time is money and Stan K. could spend a lot less time in the air if the team was in L.A. As far as his being from Missouri, heck, I’m from Seattle and I don’t care if I ever see the place again! Another thing…L.A. is a much bigger media center than St. Louis. Money talks. That’s why Al Davis wanted to move there.
Why would he have to sell part of the team to move to L.A?
Yeah, but...
St. Louis is a hell of a lot closer to Columbia, MO, which is where Stan still owns a huge house and returns to on a VERY regular basis.
by St.Louis4ever on Jan 20, 2012 9:48 AM MST up reply actions
I thought I heard somewhere that Fisher took the job only with the assurance that the team was not moving to LA b/c he had no interest in living/coaching in LA?
by Steamin' Beamin' on Jan 19, 2012 12:32 PM MST reply actions
Verbal assurances are only as good as the paper they’re printed on. Getting around that is as simple as the old “well, that’s what I thought at the time, but the situation has changed”. If they move it won’t be for 3 years or so at the minimum anyway, so there’s no guarantee Fisher would even still be the coach at that point.
by CardsFan1976 on Jan 19, 2012 12:34 PM MST up reply actions
Still an odd way to start a relationship with a coach that I'm sure they at least hope will be around for a decade
although I guess this is just the speculation of an NFL network guy and not anything from the Rams organization.
Go big or go home!! Bet big to win big!!
by Steamin' Beamin' on Jan 19, 2012 1:14 PM MST up reply actions
I would prefer to see the Chargers move
They are already in California as it is.
"If Gortat pulls off a real Dream Shake in-game this year I will shave my head.
Mark my words." Piotr Szczesniak 12/12/11 2:12 PM
Cardinals, Suns, D-backs for life!
That would be the option most likely to succeed. They’re moderately successful, they already have some fans there, and they’d draw fans from San Diego (which is only about 2 hrs away) up for the games.
by CardsFan1976 on Jan 19, 2012 1:23 PM MST up reply actions
Yeah
As far as moving a team goes, it seems like the perfect situation. Keep the team instate and don’t have to ruin a fanbase in another part of the country.
"If Gortat pulls off a real Dream Shake in-game this year I will shave my head.
Mark my words." Piotr Szczesniak 12/12/11 2:12 PM
Cardinals, Suns, D-backs for life!
Agreed
Three teams in California is more than enough anyway. I don’t even think states should have more than two teams.
Arizona Cardinals/Chicago Bears fan
Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Coyotes, Arizona Rattlers fan
[I have always lived in Arizona, dad is from Chicago].
Leading the NFL in swagtangibles
Really?
Pretty sure CA deserves to have another team being the second largest state excluding Alaska. And there are multiple states with 2 teams… Texas, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, AND Missouri. Aside from Texas, none compare in size to California. Florida even has 3 teams. Plus there are about 3 times as many teams on the East side of the U.S. as there are on the West side. Only 6 teams lie West of the Dallas Cowboys.
Why would the Rams ever move to LA?
They’d just end up in STL again (or somewhere else) after a few years anyway. LA had 2 teams when I was a kid. Why didn’t it work out the other 2 times?
Bring it on!
I hope this move happens. I would love seeing a PHX/LA rivalry. Owners would be making more money from it AND it would be easier for both team going to each other’s stadium. I would definately make the drive to LA to support my team. I’m sure many Cardinal fans are already in LA, so I would be no problem having a couple of red jerseys in their homestadium.
Keep it real!!
Hasn't LA had like three teams before?
There has to be a reason it didn’t work out.
It would be good for the team travel-wise, but bad because more of their fans would come down here. But I think there’s enough Cardinals fans that go to the game to not worry about that.
Joe Saunders: "They Giants played a really good game, so hats off to us"
LA seems like that really hot girl that everyone knows is absolutely bat-S crazy
But she’s so hot that you keep going back every once in while only to regret it later.
Go big or go home!! Bet big to win big!!
by Steamin' Beamin' on Jan 20, 2012 9:10 AM MST up reply actions 2 recs

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