The Rams are expected to bring a psychological and economic boost to L.A.
We have the Lakers and the Kings and the Clippers and the Dodgers and the Angels and the Ducks.
But for many sports fans in Southern California, the lack of professional football has been something of a black mark on the region.
With the Rams now slated to come to Inglewood, that stain may well be lifted. And the boost might be economic as well as psychological.
Jeff Fellenzer, a senior lecturer at USC who teaches classes related to sports, business and the media, said that for the last several years, Los Angeles has been “missing the biggest sports party” and the “sizzle you feel in other markets,” especially around this time of year, when the NFL playoffs are in full swing.
It seems “almost incomprehensible,” he added, that the country’s second-largest media market doesn’t have a team.
“Whether [or not] you think that L.A. doesn’t care as much as other markets do about their NFL team, there should be a team in this market, and there are plenty of people who will passionately support a team in Los Angeles,” Fellenzer said. “Sports are part of a fabric of a city -- and this is the most popular sport in the country by far.”
Mayor Eric Garcetti said the move cements Los Angeles as “the epicenter of the sports world.”
“We cannot wait to welcome the Rams, and perhaps others soon, as they join a storied lineup of professional franchises, collegiate powerhouses, and sports media companies,” Garcetti said in a statement. “With the return of the NFL, there is yet another reason for visitors to come to Los Angeles, and for Angelenos to love calling this city home. I look forward to seeing the players out on the field.”
L.A. City Councilman Joe Buscaino, who represents a district that stretches from Watts to the L.A. Harbor, said an Inglewood stadium would provide an economic boost to the region.
“We were pulling for Carson because Carson is practically in my council district,” Buscaino said, referring to a rival proposal that was rejected in the South Bay city. “But I still feel that having our beloved Rams in Los Angeles is a win not only for Inglewood, but for this entire region, which has been thirsting for a football team for decades.”
Fans gather in Inglewood to celebrate the decision by the NFL to relocate the Rams from St. Louis.
But Los Angeles City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson, who represents parts of South L.A. near Inglewood, said he was worried about how a stadium there could affect traffic congestion in his district.
“We’re very concerned,” Harris-Dawson said. “To get to the stadium, you’re going to have to go through our district.” That could mean heavier traffic and a parking crunch while most of the benefits of the stadium go to Inglewood, the councilman said.
“This is typically an area not used to having any traffic on a Sunday at all,” he said. “You’ve got to give that a look.”
Twitter: @ByMattStevens, @LATvives and @sarahparvini
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