NFL team could play in L.A. in 2016

The Associated Press is reporting today (May 20) that a National Football League team could be playing in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in the 2016 season. The window for applications would be moved up to very late in the 2015 regular season, and then the owners would vote shortly after that, according to Eric Grubman, NFL vice president who is handling the L.A. move issue.

The news came out of the NFL meeting in San Francisco yesterday and today. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said, "We're significantly farther than we have been on any relocation in the recent past."

Grubman said there has been enough progress "to the point where we think there could be at least one, and maybe two relocation proposals available to act on in time for the 2016 season. It's not done, so I don't label it as certain."

This may raise speculation in San Diego that the league is accommodating Chargers owner Dean Spanos. The Chargers and San Diego seem to be playing hopscotch. For example, the city task force that is trying to plan financing of a subsidized Chargers stadium put out its suggestions earlier than expected yesterday. Then the Chargers announced they were hiring Carmen Policy, a longtime NFL operative, to handle the joint plans of the Chargers and Oakland Raiders to build a stadium in Carson. The pushing of the L.A. date forward may be considered a way to deflate the task-force suggestions, which in many cases require time to pass muster and go into effect, particularly if there is an election, as mayor Kevin Faulconer wants.

The team or teams that move to Los Angeles might play temporarily in the Rose Bowl, the L.A. Coliseum, Anaheim (where the L.A. Angels play baseball), or Dodger Stadium, before a stadium is built, said the Associated Press.