Three NFL teams–the Chargers, the Rams and the Raiders–filed separate applications to the league on Monday in pursuit of relocation to the Los Angeles area.
The NFL confirmed that each of the teams had sent in proposals, according to ABC7 local news.
Last week the NFL received the proposals from each of the team’s current hometowns–San Diego, St. Louis and Oakland, respectively–to keep the teams from leaving. While Oakland hasn’t finalized a proposal for a new Rams stadium, St. Louis and San Diego did include stadium proposals in their pitches to the NFL.
League staff and the Committee on Los Angeles opportunities are expected to review the materials from each of the teams and each of the cities. The 32 NFL owners will meet in Houston January 12 and 13 to vote on which team or teams will be given the go-ahead to move. Approval by at least 24 owners is required for a team to secure approval to move.
The NFL is seeking a $550 million relocation fee from any team that is approved and does end up relocating to Los Angeles, according to ABC7.
Two stadiums have already been proposed for the Los Angeles area between the three teams. The Rams have pursued a $1.86 billion project in Inglewood that some say could become a joint Rams-Chargers facility. A $1.7 billion stadium proposal for Carson has been billed as a joint Raiders-Chargers facility.
The Raiders posted to their website regarding their filing for relocation, “In accordance with the relocation policies, the Oakland Raiders submitted a relocation package to the NFL. The matter is now in the hands of the NFL’s owners. An owners’ meeting is scheduled to take place in Houston, Texas on January 12 and 13, 2016.”
The Rams announced, “The St. Louis Rams informed the National Football League today that the Rams propose to relocate to the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. The relocation would be effective for the 2016 NFL League Year.”
During an October town hall style meeting held by the NFL in San Diego, Chargers fans lobbied NFL leaders with calls to “Save Our Bolts!” L.A. resident and leader of “Bring Back the Los Angeles Rams” Tom Bateman showed up to tell the contingent of NFL executive staff of his disappointment that they didn’t hold an L.A. meeting to ask it’s residents which of the three teams they want back in their town.
Town hall-style meetings with NFL leadership were also held in St. Louis and Oakland.
The Rams and Raiders left the L.A. market in 1994 for their current homes. The Rams spent 49 years in L.A. and the Raiders 14 years. The San Diego Chargers have spent over 50 years–essentially the entire life of the team–in the city.
Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana
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