L.A. Benched / Week 13 : Disney’s NFL Land Attraction on Hold

Disney is interested in adding an NFL franchise to its wonderland collection, and the NFL has talked to Disney, but forget it--for now. NFL rules prohibit Disney’s involvement because of its corporate identity, but of course those rules wouldn’t mean a thing if the NFL took a real fancy to Disney.

Disney wants to put a football team in Orange County, and the NFL wants a team in Los Angeles. Disney has scouted a site for a new stadium in El Segundo, but the NFL doesn’t seem all that interested. Disney could easily pave the way for another team moving here, but Disney values public relations, and the folks in Seattle might frown on Mickey and Minnie if they sold the Seahawks.

Disney is a tough negotiator, and the NFL does not like tough negotiators. The NFL prefers to extort huge sums of money from cities hellbent on getting football.

So, for now, Disney appears to be the NFL’s last resort in Southern California. A better role for Disney might be that of partner, lending its marketing expertise and overseas identity to someone such as Dodger owner Peter O’Malley, who would oversee the acquisition of an expansion franchise.

O’Malley said this week he has not spoken with Disney or any of Disney’s representatives, but he’s studying his options with becoming involved in the NFL, and he said he has not ruled out the possibility of working with a partner.

*****

* At 1 p.m. in Los Angeles it was 78 degrees as the morning haze cleared to warm afternoon sunshine. There was 0% of rain and 0% chance of professional football.

* On this date in 1984, the Raiders beat the Indianapolis Colts, 21-7, at the Coliseum, giving them a 9-4 record and clinching their 19th winning season in 20 years.

* This may be an NFL first, a team traveling less distance for a road game than a home game. The Raiders, who still train in El Segundo, will travel to San Diego tonight, which is less than half as far away as Oakland.

* The Rams lost to the 49ers for the 11th time in a row but still lead the series, 48-43-2. The 49ers have scored at least 26 points in each of the 11 victories.