Are The Rams Really Coming To LA?

Are the Rams really coming to Los Angeles? We have heard so many stories in the past that even after it is announced, we still wonder. Now that they have collected $100.00 deposits for season tickets from thousands of fans, most think it is a done deal. I still need to see when and where they will play to feel confident that the team is here. Of course this whole process is to make money for the team owners and not about any fan base in any city. I have many questions about the entire situation.

1. What happens to the interest on all of the deposits? If the person gets the tickets, is the interest included in the credit. Do the people getting refunds get the interest?

2. Don’t the fans remember how badly the Rams treated the people when they left?
a. They left with no regard for Los Angeles
b. Nothing was done to make the any sense of the departure to a smaller market.

3. How expensive will it be to attend a game in Los Angeles?
a. Season ticket prices are always out of reach of most people.
i. You need a license to even buy a ticket?
ii. People buy tickets without knowing the price or what kind of ticket.
iii. Think about the suites and who will be getting those. Not really the fans.

4. Then you have the start of the real costs of attending a game.
a. Parking. They have made it almost impossible to get to a game without driving and who knows how expensive parking will be or how many will need to find parking outside of the stadium at an even higher rate.
b. Can you imagine what a season parking pass will cost?
c. It may be easy to get into the parking lot but how about getting out
i. Have they actually driven on game day at a major stadium?
ii. No one notices why people leave events in LA before they are over.

5. Drive on the 405 Freeway on any day of the week and you know that traffic is a mess.
a. You have airport traffic
b. You have people to and from Orange County
c. Add people going to San Diego – maybe to a football game
d. They say that it is only on Sunday but that is a big travel day

6. What about the prime games that the teams want because they draw the TV ratings.
a. Sunday night prime time games.
b. Monday night football?
c. New Thursday night prime time games.
d. Then after the college season ends you have games on Saturday.

7. Now add in the other events at a large stadium, the other events and the rest of the proposed development that will also produce traffic.
a. The mayor of Inglewood had already started the process to have a Super Bowl for the stadium that doesn’t exist yet.
b. They want a final four college football, yet another event that draws large crowds and many from schools that are not in LA.
c. Will they have a major hotel with convention facilities and that could lead to large conventions maybe a national political convention.

Yes they have given us vague assurances and they claim a lot but it will take a long time before we know what to expect. Think about it they still have the big announcements to make like who is buying the naming rights to the stadium and where are they getting the rest of the money to build this area out. Loans, revenue bonds or hope for enough attendance.

So, with all of the questions that remain I think that we must wait for more information before we start to celebrate.