LA has been without an NFL team since 1994 (I guess they figured when I left there was no point in having one). Since then, though, they've been a standard bogey-man when it comes to the NFL persuading existing football cities to build pretty new stadiums on the public dime or else … well, y'know, LA might end up stealing your team …
What's remarkable is the cognitive dissonance here: "That team your people love so much, are so passionate about, that they scream and yell and jump up and down for? They'll drop you like a dead fish if thy get a better deal from somewhere else." I.e., the loyalty is all from one side, and you'd best keep buying them shiny things if you want them to stick around.
It wouldn't be considered a healthy relationship if we were talking about people, but apparently it's how business is done when it comes to cities and professional sports.
How The NFL Is Using Los Angeles As A Bargaining Chip
Amid threats of losing their teams to Los Angeles, St. Louis and San Diego have unveiled hastily-crafted plans to publicly-finance new stadiums.
