Goodell: NFL is not considering expansion for Los Angeles

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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, in his annual Super Bowl news conference Friday, explained his comments from an interview with NBC’s Bob Costas that were widely misinterpreted.

The league has no plans to expand beyond its current 32 teams to put a franchise in L.A. In the interview, Goodell had said that if the league were to expand, however, it would probably do so by two teams so as not to be left with an odd number of 33.

‘We have not discussed expansion with the membership,’ Goodell said. ‘I don’t see it on the agenda, even for this March’s meeting. It’s not something we’re focused on as a league.’

Asked if there is a sense of urgency among league owners and executives to return to the nation’s second-largest market, Goodell said: ‘I don’t characterize our efforts. I think it’s important for us to make smart decisions. We would like to be back in Los Angeles, if we can do it correctly.’

Goodell said that with a 10-year labor agreement and TV contract extensions in place, ‘We have a runway of 10 years. We know what our labor situation is. We know what our television situation is. That should give us the foundation to make smart decisions and try to find a good solution in Los Angeles.’

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