Is Los Angeles Really A Premier Market

@"ThunderGod" said: https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2017/9/17/16322710/rams-chargers-attendance-usc-texas This marked the second straight week where Rams players were greeted by a sea of empty seats. Tickets for last week’s game against the Colts were as cheap as $6, but there were few interested buyers.

I expect that 1 or both of those teams will be looking for an exit strategy by about year 10-15 of that new stadium.   they will get fans for the first few years because it will be the big new place to be in sunny LA,  but once the shine has worn off they will be back to the same town that lost the NFL not once but twice previously.

Saturday’s Texas-USC had more in attendance than Sunday’s Rams and Chargers games. Combined.
https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2017/9/17/16322710/rams-chargers-attendance-usc-texas
"The Rams hosted Washington on Sunday in front of a mostly-empty stadium, casting doubt on whether the City of Angels is a premier market for one NFL franchise, let alone two. The red and white seatbacks of Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum were plainly visible throughout the first quarter as a smattering of fans took in the action live."


Too many discretionary dollar distractions in LaLa Land. One team maybe...but two???  Goodbye LA...Hello Mexico City! ;)

Nope. It's ridiculous that 2 teams are there.

San Diego made a HUGE mistake!! I would not be surprised if after this year - perhaps next season - we hear talk about them going back to SD. Hell, they're only going to be renting their locker room at the new stadium. Wont own anything about it other than the ticket sales on game day from what I understand. I feel they will realize the error of their ways, as well as the NFL, and get them back to SD in a few years.

It is valuable, but they are very funky.  They supported the Rams well years ago, and then the Raiders, but it has been 20+ years, and this community is about doing things outside and in good weather.   They may like football, but most have adopted teams from other cities.  When the new stadium arrives, they will be a trendy place to go, but these fans really don't care about having a full-time team right now.  If they win, they will come.   But, there is a lot of things to do with your entertainment dollar in Southern California.

In a word...NOPE.  Lived in So Cal for about 30 years and honestly can't think of too many people who gave a damn when the NFL left.  LA is a Dodgers and Lakers town.  I doubt the NFL will do well in the long run, whether it's one or two teams.

I was thinking that maybe Spanos figured he'd play up there for a few years and when he does his lease with Kroenke he'd put an out clause in so if he can convince San Diego to build him a stadium he'll go back.   Because the move never made any sense to begin with.   As for the Rams, they aren't much to get excited about but probably will do better once they are in a new stadium and have been around for a few years.... maybe.

1VikesFan is correct. Lived in So. CA my whole life.

People here go to games to take selfies, and post to Facebook to show how much better they have things than the "Jonses"
Going to games here is just used to reinforce their social media status.

The ONLY NFL fans you can find here are in the upper decks.

Fair weather fans, if "LA TEAM X" is winning they're all "fans"  if they suck ass it's baseball and wait for basketball.

Where the Chargers play this year seating is like 22,000....and there looked to be lots of seats available yesterday.
No one can fill the Coliseum, it fits like 95,000.

The nicest venue in So. CA. IMO is the Rose Bowl, not a bad seat in the house.

The new stadium looks beautiful, and it'll draw for a while, like any new shiny toy, then attendance will turn to crap when Rams & Chargers S the bed every year.

 

So much truth in everything posted here. 

LA is absolutely a Dodgers and Lakers town. If they put a winner on the field, we'll see the socialites attending because it's a hot ticket... Otherwise, LA has as much to do as any city I've ever seen...

One note about Spanos... I know a guy that grew up next door to him, and he tells me some crazy stories! Like... his ball would go into Spanos' yard, and it would be thrown back over the fence a week later popped! Guy is smart, and came from nothing, but is kinda the crazy neighbor that scares the crap out of kids.

@"Vanguard83" said: 1VikesFan is correct. Lived in So. CA my whole life.

People here go to games to take selfies, and post to Facebook to show how much better they have things than the "Jonses"
Going to games here is just used to reinforce their social media status.

The ONLY NFL fans you can find here are in the upper decks.

Fair weather fans, if "LA TEAM X" is winning they're all "fans"  if they suck ass it's baseball and wait for basketball.

Where the Chargers play this year seating is like 22,000....and there looked to be lots of seats available yesterday.
No one can fill the Coliseum, it fits like 95,000.

The nicest venue in So. CA. IMO is the Rose Bowl, not a bad seat in the house.

The new stadium looks beautiful, and it'll draw for a while, like any new shiny toy, then attendance will turn to crap when Rams & Chargers S the bed every year.

 

Pretty much word for word what I was gonna post. You beat me to it.

NFL owners got greedy. This was such an unbelievably dumb idea to move not one but TWO teams here. My demographic doesn't give a shit about football out here. Not in the least. Meanwhile, all my friends back in MN where I grew up are constantly buying jerseys, getting tattoos, etc.

The true fans out here, I've noticed, seem to slant more toward minorities. I've seen a lot more excitement from Hispanics towards the Rams out here, but seeing as the NFL is so overpriced now, it doesn't surprise me that they're having trouble getting that demographic into the stadium on game days. They'd much rather watch at a bar or at home for 1/8th the price.

So let's say in the middle of the night your wife sneaks out on your and moves out to move to another city to be with another man.  For the next 20 years she does everything that the two of you dreamed about, kids, nice home, success.  Then after her husband no longer appreciates her and the relationship grows old, she packs up and comes back to you.  If you do not care to be with her again, does that make you a bad ex-husband?  Are you suppose to jump at the chance to be with her again just cause she now wants you?

Seems like everyone loves to bash the fans in LA and also how they love to stereotype everyone who lives in LA.  Apparently, the only people who live in LA are the ones who sit in the first 3 rows of Laker games.  If anyone would bother to look in the upper decks, they'd see that they are the same type of passionate fans in every other sports city.  

What do you think fans in LA have doing the past 20 years, just waiting the Rams to come back?  A lot of the fans weren't even born or were two young to even remember.  The rest either found other teams to adopt as their team or went on to other interests.  Fans not flocking to overpay to watch the NFL are not bad fans, they are just smart fans.  

What if the Rams had moved to Minny?  The stadium would be half full if that.  Would that make Minny a bad sports city?  I live in LA, I love LA and have thoroughly enjoyed attending both professional and college sports here with awesome fans!

@"ThunderGod" said: https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2017/9/17/16322710/rams-chargers-attendance-usc-texas This marked the second straight week where Rams players were greeted by a sea of empty seats. Tickets for last week’s game against the Colts were as cheap as $6, but there were few interested buyers.

They've lost how many football teams over the decades?  I'm sure there are some die-hards, but it's just different culturally in SoCal as it is in Cali as a whole. Also way more to do with the entertainment $$ than football. 

And I love California fwiw. IT fits me like a glove politically and weather-wise too.  Our son has lived there for 5 years now and I love visiting - everything but the traffic.

MN winters are too long and taxes too high. I could see us retiring on the West Coast for sure. 

@"purplefaithful" said:

@"ThunderGod" said: https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2017/9/17/16322710/rams-chargers-attendance-usc-texas This marked the second straight week where Rams players were greeted by a sea of empty seats. Tickets for last week’s game against the Colts were as cheap as $6, but there were few interested buyers.

They've lost how many football teams over the decades?  I'm sure there are some die-hards, but it's just different culturally in SoCal as it is in Cali as a whole. Also way more to do with the entertainment $$ than football. 

And I love California fwiw. IT fits me like a glove politically and weather-wise too.  Our son has lived there for 5 years now and I love visiting - everything but the traffic.

MN winters are too long and taxes too high. I could see us retiring on the West Coast for sure. 

Just proves how out of touch the NFL is with their fan base...LA simply is not a football town, at least where the pros are concerned... These guys continue to make money hand over fist despite themselves...Chargers will be back in SD before too long...