L.A. officially names their new NFL stadium!

[Garbageman]

Farmer's (Insurance) Field!

Of course there's no team... and zero guarantee the place will ever get built... but it's got a name. That's more then the new Meadowlands and Arlington can claim!

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/n ... id=6078709

LOS ANGELES -- If the NFL does return to a proposed stadium in downtown Los Angeles, the league's newest venue will be called Farmers Field, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the deal.

On Tuesday morning, AEG officials are set to announce they have reached a naming rights deal with Farmers Insurance worth $700 million over 30 years. The deal could potentially be worth more if the stadium were to attract more than one NFL team.

The announcement will take place inside the West Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center, a building AEG plans to demolish to build their proposed 64,000-seat retractable roof stadium, which would connect to the current convention center.

AEG president and CEO Tim Leiweke had said he needed this kind of "contractually obligated income" to make the proposed stadium a reality. It seemed like a daunting task when he first announced his idea for downtown stadium in April considering newly built stadiums such as Cowboys Stadium and the New Meadowlands Stadium have yet to secure naming rights deals.

Even with a naming rights deal in place, Leiweke and AEG still have several hurdles to clear before they can begin construction. The company must still pass an environmental impact review, complete the entitlement process and come to a long-term land lease agreement with the city. AEG is also asking the city to issue $350 million in bonds which would help build a new extension to the convention center that would replace the torn down West Hall and additional parking units. Leiweke has said ticket-tax revenue will pay off the debt and AEG would write a check for any shortfalls.

A competing proposal by billionaire developer Ed Roski of Majestic Realty to build a 75,000-seat open-air football stadium in the City of Industry is shovel-ready after getting two approved environmental impact reports. While Leiweke has promised no tax-payer dollars would be used in the proposed downtown project, his opponents in Industry are arguing otherwise.

"AEG is expecting taxpayers to dole out well over a billion dollars for a proposal that will compromise the City's general fund, the L.A. Convention Center, the new stadium and the financial success of any potential NFL team," said John Semcken, vice president of Majestic Reality, who has been working with Roski over the last 15 years to attract an NFL team back to Los Angeles.

Leiweke called the comments "fear tactics" and seems to have the support of city politicians, many of whom, such as Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, will be in attendance at Tuesday's press conference.

Earlier this month, Leiweke had hinted this agreement was forthcoming and that it would be the most significant sign yet that the NFL would finally be returning to Los Angeles for the first time since 1995.

"By the time we hit the Super Bowl we're going to have an announcement that proves to everyone once and for all that this project is going to happen," Leiweke said. "It's going to be private and it's going to be brilliant and it's going to happen."

Arash Markazi is a columnist and writer for ESPNLosAngeles.com.

[johnk5150]

Farmer's (Insurance) Field!

It's better than the Faggot Bowl I guess. Since it's in California is the Farmer's mascot Mexican?

[NeverSurrender]

When I lived out there, I couldn't believe how little people cared about football.

[djwill665]

<AEG is expecting taxpayers to dole out well over a billion dollars for a proposal that will compromise the City's general fund, >


Good luck with that.. Last I checked LA/The State is B R O K E!

[Garbageman]

When I lived out there, I couldn't believe how little people cared about football.

People were always apathetic about the Rams.

And when the vermin of the city adopted the Raiders, no one wanted to go to the LA Mausoleum.

When they did the last expansion, Houston were by far the more deserving city.

[yeahbuddy]

When I lived out there, I couldn't believe how little people cared about football.

People were always apathetic about the Rams.

And when the vermin of the city adopted the Raiders, no one wanted to go to the LA Mausoleum.

When they did the last expansion, Houston were by far the more deserving city.

To add more-
the Coliseum is the last place to see a football game. What is pathetic is how the members of City Council would keep pushing that piece of shit place for an NFL team to play in for years.
And as Garbageman said- once the dirt bag ganging banging morons and their behavior were shown on tv & news, that left a lot of people out of the mix of wanting to go to a football game.
I havent been following this story because I could careless about football, but has security been addressed by the group who wants to build a new stadium?

[LAglamrocker]

why is it so small? 65,000

[yeahbuddy]

why is it so small? 65,000

my guess is to assure a sellout and lift the blackout rule.
Also, if the team is a shitty team L.A. sports fans will not attend. Just look at the Clippers before Blake Griffith came along, they couldnt sell any seats. The only time they would sell out is when they would play the Lakers. Now that they've got a player, people are showing up. Unfortunately that team wont make playoffs. They've got an 11 game road trip starting, and they are going to get smoked!
Also, also, there's always something else to do in L.A.

[Crazy Levi]

To add more-
the Coliseum is the last place to see a football game. What is pathetic is how the members of City Council would keep pushing that piece of shit place for an NFL team to play in for years.
And as Garbageman said- once the dirt bag ganging banging morons and their behavior were shown on tv & news, that left a lot of people out of the mix of wanting to go to a football game.
I havent been following this story because I could careless about football, but has security been addressed by the group who wants to build a new stadium?

I've seen interviews where LA Raiders players stopped having their family attend games there.

I love football but could care less if they have a team in LA. Doesn't seem like they really need one, and California already has three teams anyway. Building a stadium before they have a team seems like an odd proposition but it's been done before successfully. The Hoosier Dome was built to lure the Colts in from Baltimore.

[eddie lee roth]

<AEG is expecting taxpayers to dole out well over a billion dollars for a proposal that will compromise the City's general fund, >


Good luck with that.. Last I checked LA/The State is B R O K E!

I agree no way that's gonna happen plus I think the locals like having a little variety in what games they get to watch on tv.

[yeahbuddy]

To add more-
the Coliseum is the last place to see a football game. What is pathetic is how the members of City Council would keep pushing that piece of shit place for an NFL team to play in for years.
And as Garbageman said- once the dirt bag ganging banging morons and their behavior were shown on tv & news, that left a lot of people out of the mix of wanting to go to a football game.
I havent been following this story because I could careless about football, but has security been addressed by the group who wants to build a new stadium?

I've seen interviews where LA Raiders players stopped having their family attend games there.

I love football but could care less if they have a team in LA. Doesn't seem like they really need one, and California already has three teams anyway. Building a stadium before they have a team seems like an odd proposition but it's been done before successfully. The Hoosier Dome was built to lure the Colts in from Baltimore.

Los Angeles is a Laker town, pure and simple. It could be the Dodger's town but the McCourts have made sure to screw that up.
Interesting point about the Colts. I think there's a few more things to do in Los Angeles versus what to do in Indianapolis.

[Subhuman Yeti]

What is truly pathetic is how the members of Los Angeles City Council FUCKING SUCK TOTAL DOG ASS at EVERYTHING they do.

Where are all the government hating fucking reloaded nut jobs in LA?

[Garbageman]

<AEG is expecting taxpayers to dole out well over a billion dollars for a proposal that will compromise the City's general fund, >


Good luck with that.. Last I checked LA/The State is B R O K E!

I agree no way that's gonna happen plus I think the locals like having a little variety in what games they get to watch on tv.

I'm sure DirectTV and the people in the office behind their NFL package would love to see a team move here since they'd sell a ton of new subscriptions.

[Subhuman Yeti]

...and what if the stadium is built and LA doesn't get a team, expansion or relocated?

[cantstopthemusic]

NFL to AEG Group: KMA

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=A ... aeg_032912

[Tymaster]

I'd find it ironic if the Rams or Raiders move back to L.A. Hysterical if they both move back.

[Tommy]

Farmer's (Insurance) Field!

Of course there's no team... and zero guarantee the place will ever get built... but it's got a name. That's more then the new Meadowlands and Arlington can claim!

New Meadowlands has been MetLife Stadium since last summer.

[Hillbilly Idol]

Thats great I just moved to the LA area 4 months ago and I was wondering why they had no NFL team here.