NFL team doesn't interest Southern Californians

[RamWraith]

By JIM ALEXANDER
June 28, 2006

We now have heard from the other side.

After the tepid response to a Riverside Press-Enterprise Internet survey gauging how the public felt about the potential return of the NFL to greater Southern California, we asked for specific e-mail responses to the following question: "Do you care if the NFL returns or not?"

Again, we're dealing with a small sample size. But the folks who responded seem quite satisfied with televised football.

Ken White, of Corona, Calif. wrote:

"I hope that the NFL stays away ...

"It is difficult to support a specific franchise that is greedy and mercenary. They want the city or county to build them a stadium. They charge an exorbitant fee to go to the stadium along with parking and refreshment costs. Additionally they want to hold us hostage when they cannot fill their stadium by saying, 'NO TV.'

" ... I still have a mild interest in the NFL, but I have a better time and more interest in going to local high school games, although I haven't any children in school."

Brian Torsney, of Palm Desert, Calif. wrote:

"I enjoy watching NFL football on TV.

"I hope the NFL does not return to the LA/Anaheim (area). I will not be able to go to the games in either area.

"The ticket prices will be much too high. It makes no difference whether or not the team is expansion or a transfer team. My guess is good seats would be in the $100/game range. How many of us could actually get to go to the games?

"The seating would be in the 70,000 range; the population in the several million range. Only the connected get to see the game. The rest of us will be blacked out on TV. We now get four games each Sunday, three day games and the evening game. If the NFL comes back here we will get one game. Keep the NFL out ..."

Added Brian Weinstein, of Norco, Calif.:

"Personally I am 50-50 on an NFL team. Two years ago I changed from cable to dish. Now I have the NFL package, which costs me about $200 each season and I can see any game I want regardless of blackouts. This is really great when it gets close to the playoffs.

"Being a longtime Washington Redskins fan, the only reason I would want an NFL team in the LA area is so I can possibly have an opportunity to see my team in person if they are scheduled to play here. Fortunately, they do play the Chargers in San Diego every few years.

"On the other hand, with the price of two tickets for any game in any town, by the time you add parking, a beer or two, a hot dog and gas (especially gas), I have already matched the price of a full season of the NFL package. ... I can sit in the comfort of my own home, have more than my two-beer limit at sports events, eat good Hebrew National hot dogs and watch the game in my boxer shorts.

"I agree nothing beats going to a game in person. But to spend $200 for one game seems a little impractical, unless it's to see the 'Skins."

Kip Kruse, of Corona, Calif. went against the prevailing opinion:

"I would absolutely love to see a team back in Anaheim. I grew up in Anaheim and will always remember the games I attended with my dad and later with my son. Anaheim, with Angel Stadium, Disneyland, the Convention Center, the new Platinum Triangle project and the overall population and economic strength of Orange County, would make any team a sure winner.

"I would even support the San Diego Chargers moving to Anaheim, unless of course they called them the 'San Diego Chargers of Anaheim.'"

(Hey! Columnist tells the jokes here, all right?)

Darin Gray, saying he "wanted to make sure at least one Raiders fan responded," said he'd welcome a return of the NFL, with one request:

"Please, NOT at the Coliseum. I had season tickets for the Raiders, and going to the games was a nightmare. Not only was the traffic horrible and the location hard to get to, the parking was unreal. Where else do you have to pay to park on someone's lawn for an NFL game?

"... I hope the NFL likes the Anaheim area better. Angel Stadium is much easier to get to, and I don't think there is as much of a fear of being a crime statistic as there is at the Coliseum."

He also suggested that he was "not sure" how he'd feel about the Chargers moving north: "I would go to at least one game a year, when they play the Raiders, just as I do now. I think I would go to two or three games a year if the location was in Anaheim. I don't know that I would go to many games at the Coliseum at all, maybe one every few years, even if the team was the Raiders. The stadium and the area around it is that bad in my opinion."

Finally, 73-year-old Hugh Mendez of Moreno Valley, Calif. remembers the golden age of L.A. football. And I suspect he still holds a grudge toward Georgia Frontiere:

"I used to be an L.A. Rams fan back when the team was 'the L.A. Rams.' When they moved to St. Louis I lost my interest in the NFL, which I feel stands for 'Not For Long.'

"You can have L.A. and its new team, which will never replace Crazy Legs Hirsch, Bob Waterfield, Tom Fears, Norm Van Brocklin, Deacon Dan Towler, (Andy) Robustelli, Tank Younger and the rest of the 1951 champs. I hate it when a team moves to another city.

"Go L.A., 1951 NFL champs."

[r8rh8rmike]

Unless the Rams want to move back, I could care less about a team in LA.

[Bruce=GOAT]

Good cause we're not giving the Rams back:tongue:

[r8rh8rmike]

Good cause we're not giving the Rams back:tongue:

Hey, as long as there's an NFL Sunday Ticket, I'll manage!

[RAM-BO]

I need to get that sunday ticket boy!

[KentuckyHawk]

Hey, as long as there's an NFL Sunday Ticket, I'll manage!

thank god for the sunday ticket. the only games i could watch if not for the ticket are bengals, colts, packers and browns.

[Bruce=GOAT]

thank god for the sunday ticket. the only games i could watch if not for the ticket are bengals, colts, packers and browns

I am in the same boat man except I get stuck with the lousy Titans as well. Sunday ticket is only $240 but is worth $1000 to me.

[Large_Ant]

Good article. I actually live in Corona, CA where the Press-Enterprise is the primary paper and I missed that survey.

Personally, I DO want the NFL back in LA, even if it means I'll get some blackouts. Since my loyalty will remain with the Seahawks, I don't suppose it will impact me too much anyway (being that I'm obviously not in their area). Kind of my pipe dream on it is that they'd move the Rams into a division that better suited their time zone. If they moved the Vikings or Saints to L.A. (for example), it would make sense to move the Rams to trade the Rams into the division they vacated, putting them in a division with teams that share the same or a close time zone. Then they could move the transplanted franchise into the NFC West and "Voila!", I get to attend a 'Hawks game once a year locally.

I know it's not all about me and most Rams fans would hate that idea but I can dream.

[bigredman]

Good article. I actually live in Corona, CA where the Press-Enterprise is the primary paper and I missed that survey.

Personally, I DO want the NFL back in LA, even if it means I'll get some blackouts. Since my loyalty will remain with the Seahawks, I don't suppose it will impact me too much anyway (being that I'm obviously not in their area). Kind of my pipe dream on it is that they'd move the Rams into a division that better suited their time zone. If they moved the Vikings or Saints to L.A. (for example), it would make sense to move the Rams to trade the Rams into the division they vacated, putting them in a division with teams that share the same or a close time zone. Then they could move the transplanted franchise into the NFC West and "Voila!", I get to attend a 'Hawks game once a year locally.

I know it's not all about me and most Rams fans would hate that idea but I can dream.

Rams will NEVER be taken out of the NFC West. As far as the LA area getting a team....THEY DON'T WANT ONE....PERIOD. Yes, its the second biggest TV market in the nation...and yes...the NFL will probably all but subsidize a team going there...however...local support will be lousy except during years when the team is winning and contending in the playoffs. LA residents are the worst of the worst fans for band wagon jumping in the nation. Frankly, they don't deserve a team.

[r8rh8rmike]

LA residents are the worst of the worst fans for band wagon jumping in the nation. Frankly, they don't deserve a team.

This is true to some extent, but to be honest, the entire area is made up of transplants who remain loyal to their home team, most notably when it comes to football. Even when the Rams were filling up the Big A in the eighties, half the crowd was always rooting for the opposition.

[HUbison]

If they moved the Vikings or Saints to L.A. (for example), it would make sense to move the Rams to trade the Rams into the division they vacated

Well, let's see here. Currently, we have two Pacific TZ's (Hawks, whiners), one Mountain TZ (Cards, or whatever weird time thing they do in AZ), and a Central (Rams). If the Vikes went west, that puts us with.....

Chicago (Central)
Green Bay (Central)
Detroit (Eastern)
St. Louis (Central)

or if the Saints move....

Atlanta (Eastern)
Carolina (Eastern)
Tampa (Eastern)
St. Louis (Central)

Hmm, if those were my choices, I'd take the move to the Black and Blue division. I know that won't set well with the traditionalists among us, but personally, I'd welcome a move to the NFC North. Yes, we'd have two more cold-weather games, but we'd also have one more dome game each year. Of course with Martz gone, and Holt and Bruce both out of their 20's, and Curtis nearly out of his 20's, I don't know that the offense will be centered around a track team anyway.

I'd love the division switch.......but that's just me.

[rams_fan81]

thank god for the sunday ticket. the only games i could watch if not for the ticket are bengals, colts, packers and browns.

I have seen so many Bengals, colts, packers, and browns games.

[RamsFan4ever]

thank god for the sunday ticket. the only games i could watch if not for the ticket are bengals, colts, packers and browns.

if we didnt have NFL sundy ticket, my dad and i would see so many stupid Falcon games

[LA Rammer]

This is pretty much a correct statement. I was born and raised in L.A. and its true L.A. doesn't need a team. NFL ticket is great for us Rams fans. As for L.A. and the Rams lets face it when they were here people didn't really support us unless we were winning and even then there wasn't much support. The Raider came for a few years and pretty much took over the local thug market. Other than that I would much rather see my team yearly with no blackouts for $200.00

[laram0]

Yeah, the Sunday ticket is nice but there's nothing like being at the DOME with 60,000 other fans screaming when the oppostions offense is on the field.
Not to mention when the Rams make a big play either offense/defense.

I live in Massachusetts and look forward to my annual St. Louis trip to be with the fans. As I've learned from my trips there are alot of Rams fans from all over the world that make that annual trip just like I do. Support your RAMS !