L.A Falcons?
 

Report: Los Angeles wants Falcons
Jan 29, 2013 12:12 a.m.

FOX 5 has learned that the city of Los Angeles has expressed interest in acquiring the Atlanta Falcons.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed is warning city council members about business interests in Los Angeles who want to move the Falcons to the west coast. Team owner Arthur Blank shared that information with top city and state officials in their discussions about financing a new stadium in downtown Atlanta.

Two council members who met with Mayor Kasim Reed told FOX 5's Morse Diggs about private discussions the mayor hosted at City Hall.

Reed called in council members one at a time to tell them that the city needs to take a more aggressive lead in the public financing portion of the proposed open air stadium.

The Falcons would foot most of the $1-billion bill for the new stadium, but the state would have to come up with $300 million, most of which would come from an extension of a current hotel-motel tax. The move would require the state legislature to increase the World Congress Center's debt limit by $100 million.

Earlier, Gov. Nathan Deal said the climate at the state Capitol would not be favorable for the state to take the lead.

Council members also reported the mayor described Blank as being willing to increase the percentage the Falcons might pay to make the billion dollar deal possible.

The city of Los Angeles has been without an NFL franchise for almost two decades. In 1994, the Rams moved to St. Louis. A year later, the Raiders relocated to Oakland. Los Angeles remains the largest metropolitan area without pro football, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reportedly wants a team in the city.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

Are you sure this ain't the Onion? I don't think Atlanta even wants the Falcons, :lol:.

Just spotted the headlines.
Sounds like somebody trying to get from the city for stadium improvements.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

Playin the old LA card are we?

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

"NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reportedly wants a team in the city."

This REALLY scares me.

I'll be pissed and sad if this happens... :(

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

LOL!

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

Dont fret. You will not be losing too many years as a vested Falcons fan.

PS... The waiting list to be a Saints fan is very long so that probably wouldn't be an option for you for another 237 years if the Falcons leave.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

The FalClowns aren't going anywhere

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

^But just thinking of it makes me uncomfortable...

No matter where, they suck anyways

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

if they go, and stay in our divison, the commish will reek havoc on our schedule for the west coast game...back and forth back and forth...lots of frequent flyer miles

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

They wouldn't be able to hang in the West having to play SFran & Seattle each twice every season anyway. There's 3 or 4 losses right off the bat.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

This discussion came up in the 1980s of Falcons leaving Atlanta, not sure where the destination would of been back then though.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

Sounds good to me... The Failcons join the NFC West and maybe the Rams join the NFC South.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

All I know is that the same folks that gave me hell all year when the Falcons were winning are now saying that they will pack the Falcons up and move them themselves before they approve a new overpriced stadium for them.

I don't think they are going anywhere though, sadly. This is just spin and BS.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

you said exactly what would happen CXVI

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

I'd do a happy dance same time every year....
Even when I'm old because that would be the best time to do a happy dance

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

Why not? it would be a similarly apathetic fan base but with a larger TV market.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

They, the NFL, The Powers That Be, sure want a team back in L.A.

AtlFal owner is really wrong, as they all are, for bullying cities into , "Give me a new stadium or I will move."
We here know and remember Tom Benson pulled that for a few years running.

The Superdome is the one thing this state got right. Looking at the NFL Net every morning this week, the SDome still looks good. Yes, upgrades and renovations are a must a for anything. The deal with Mercedes for funding and upgrading ,ehh, took me a while to get used to to but I understand why and how this is done by so many stadiums.

Sine the NFL wants a team there so badly, why not make a good offer to have the Davis Company m,ove the Oakland Raiders back to L.A.
Really, they have moved back and forth and the whole Oakland/Radiers thing fits with L.A.
There would have to be changes from AFC league, name, and things.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

Can the suckage be bigger in L.A.?

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

I think it's wrangling to force the city into a new stadium.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

Wouldn't that be a testament for in how little regard the professional leagues hold the city of Atlanta as a market area. They already lost the NHL franchise to Canada a year a go - which was the second time that has happened to Atlanta - and now they'd lose their NFL franchise.

Well, they still have basketball and baseball, but I guess with time those can be sold and moved as well.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

This is exactly what happens when you have a fickle fan base. They sell seats to the games, where people arrive 45 minutes late, but they have little penetration into the market beyond the stadium -- you go up there to Atlanta and you simply don't see Falcons jerseys or caps on every third person walking by on the street, the way you do with Saints jerseys in New Orleans or Ravens gear in Baltimore. Even with all these winning seasons, you hang around Atlanta on game day and you can't even tell the team is playing. Then go to a city like Baltimore or Buffalo or New Orleans, where the whole city grinds to a halt on Sundays.

It may just be talk to get a new stadium, but L.A. would actually be an extremely good move for them. They are the perfect team for that market, given that they have hit their financial plateau in Atlanta and it's still not enough of a loyal fan base for them to be competitive with other fan based markets around the NFL. Moving to LA they could sell Falcons tickets and jerseys and gear and corporate sponsorships etc to a whole new market, starting over from scratch, in one of the biggest cities in America, which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I think on some level Blank has to be looking at that. They would be a good fit in the NFC West, playing San Francisco and Seattle twice a year which would be really competitive, exciting games that the league would love. This has a lot more upside to it than a lot of the other standard rumors about moving teams.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

Atlanta is a big market and I don't think the NFL wants to lose Atlanta. Don't see it happening.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

Maybe benson can help this happen?

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

If it results in a new stadium for Atlanta, then the threat is worth the risk. We may want to take notes.
On the other hand if they did end up going to LA, that would be great too.
Sounds like a Win-Win for Saints fans.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

Trust me. In the ATL you'll know when a game is being played if you live near the the Dome or Phillips Arena. There's always a HUGE traffic jam when the Falcons play. That's part of the reason people arrive late.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

atltillide, it is odd to us to imagine people would arrive late for their home game. When I was young and my parents and their club had Saints tickets, they and other fans arrived early.

Monday night games, those working downtown, did not leave downtown and all met up and ate dinner dowtown and arrived early.
I remember there was a time I went with them and there was a Saints buffet dinner special at the Hyatt.
No biggie because restaurants /hotels knew having dinner specials was a big thing for a Saint's Monday night game.
My point is and I agree with Saintsbro, Saints has a fanbase. Always did even during the really , really bad years.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

:rolleyes: ... it's called 'lack of infrastructure', who you think you're kidding?

"Trust me", :rofl:.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

To be honest I don't want to see the Falcons move to the West Coast.
I like them in thier red headed step child role they're in now.
It's just simply not as fun to beat up on the Panthers and Bucs alone

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

This is just another example of Godhell cutting one teams throat to appease the other teams.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

Has Atlanta ever closed its City Hall an hour early because of an important night game? Does Atlanta have Falcons logos all over its airport? THAT'S a fan base, son. You have no idea. We have huge traffic jams around our Dome, too, dude, except we want to see our team so we all get into our stadium on time!

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

Can we get someone further away to take them ... the Moon maybe?

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

**** Los Angeles! They don't deserve an NFL team....even the Falcons.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

I can see it know, L.A. gets a team and the seats behind the bench becomes the new, popular place for celebs like Spike Lee, Jack Nicholson & the Kardashians to be seen. I'd almost rather see 'em stay in Atlanta.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

L.A. doesnt deserve a team. A bunch of transplants, from all over the country. They are also bandwagon fans. Have u watched a laker game this season? They only show up when their team is winning. Thats why the rams and the raiders bailed. Screw L.A.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

If there is always a traffic jam, common sense tells you to leave earlier!
Oh wait.... never mind!

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

The falcons arent goin anywhere. I still dont get why Vegas cant have a team. They deserve a shot more than LA. Jacksonville doesnt deserve a team either.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

I have been pondering why Jacksonville isn't the top candidate for LA.

Re: L.A Falcons?
 

The NFL needs to get off of this L.A. team idea... it just isn't meant to be. Why not San Antonio, Las Vegas, Honolulu, etc??