
Major League Soccer (MLS) has always had their sights on expanding their league to 24 teams by the end of the decade. Atlanta and Los Angeles will be the first cities to bring in new team. As Inglewoodians are being shown drawings of a new multi-purpose stadium, that could accommodate any sports team, are residents dreaming of “football” and not “futbol”? MLS officials and the team awarded the Los Angles expansion team, are preparing to announce actual stadium locations soon.[adsenseyu2]
During L.A. Coliseum negotiations, USC won the rights to operate the site for the next 99 years and where also given rights to the Sports Arena. USC immediately looked into the possibility of tearing it down to accommodate a soccer stadium. Soccer games are currently being played at the Coliseum on Saturdays.
In an excerpt from ESPN from December 2013:
In February this year the Daily Breeze discussed the shortage of MLS stadiums in California:
Today, with multiple potential NFL stadium sites being thrown around in Inglewood, Carson and elsewhere and a new MLS club with the working name of LAFC also seeking a suitable tract of land somewhere in the greater L.A. area, Anshutz’ choice of location for the Galaxy venue underlines the constraints developers and sports team owners face in densely populated Southern California.
At the same time, it was reported St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke, who owns shares in Arsenal, a Britain MLS team, is creating a 2nd soccer team in Los Angeles. From NBC Sports:
At the April 23, 2015, annual State of the City of Inglewood, Mayor James Butts told the crowd of over 800 attendees, and reiterated on The Fred Roggin Show on Beast 980 AM, that a stadium was being built in Inglewood no matter what. One of the owners of the Colorado Avalanche, was also in attendance. Raiders owner Mark Davis attended last years address but was notably missing this year.
Related article: Inglewood Mayor Butts reiterates NFL stadium will be built no matter what
The Champions Initiative calls for a multi-purpose stadium to be built to house one or major professional sports teams or franchises (Blackhawks) in Inglewood.
Read the full Champions Initiative Text
The biggest difference, in 2 Urban Girls opinion, between the proposed stadium projects in Carson and Inglewood, lies in the mouths of the owners. Mark Davis and Dean Spanos have openly and publicly declared they are moving the Chargers and Raiders, if their stadium demands aren’t met. Stan Kroenke has never made such a claim about the Rams, the media has.
Residents ponder if one team is enough to justify the building of the stadium. Will that question be resolved if the NFL, MLB and MLS come to the town of nearly 100,000 residents?
MLS awarded the MLS franchise to the LA Football Club (LAFC) who is actively seeking a stadium to play in come 2017. LAFC is also just the “working name” for now. From Daily Breeze:
The teams leadership/owners is composed of 24 individuals, including Earvin “Magic” Johnson, the only African-American, Mia Hamm Garciaparra, the only woman, Tony Robbins and other notables in the entertainment industry. LAFC is also seeking fan input on where they shall play.
If they are building a stadium from the ground up, that becomes a destination, and feels like your home…is Inglewood ready for some futbol (football)?