NFL Franchise in Los Angeles: Magic Says LA is Ready for Pro Football Team, But Will It Happen?

Fans have always puzzled over why Los Angeles, the nation's second largest media market, can't land and hold an NFL franchise. Los Angeles has been void of a football team for nearly twenty-years, after an angered Al Davis took the Raiders and stomped back to Oakland. Through the years, L.A. residents have gotten their hopes up, only to have city legislation fail at making the proper adjustments to lure in a team.

With reports coming out of Oakland that the Raiders might be seeking a new home, Magic Johnson took to the airwaves to voice his newfound faith in L.A.'s NFL dreams.   

"I think for the first time, I truly believe we're going to get a team. Finally," Johnson said. "Everybody is on board. The city is on board. The business community is on board. The NFL is on board. Finally we have momentum. In the next couple years, at least in the next 24 months, I think one team will be coming. I don't know what team that will be, but I believe in the next two years we'll have a team."

While Magic sounds definitive in his statement, unless he knows something we don't there doesn't seem to be much hope for L.A. An expansion team is out of the question, seeing as how another city would also have to add a team. Some names that have been floated around in the past are the San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars and the St. Louis Rams. These franchises are in poor market areas and would seemingly profit from the move to L.A. 

"It would be great to have the Raiders back in L.A., I would love for that to happen," Johnson said. "But that's going to be up to Mark and the Raiders and the NFL. But I would love to have the Raiders back in L.A. where they belong. We just want a team, we want a team in the worst way."

The L.A. community pulse has always been torn between those who want 'any team' and those who want to bring back 'past teams' like the Rams or Raiders. The Jaguars have been a cursed franchise since their inception. L.A. has no room for losers. The San Diego Chargers would be a logical move due to their dropping attendance numbers and archaic stadium.

It's hard to imagine what NFL franchise would turn down the opportunity to play in a brand new $1.5 billion stadium. There were rumors that the Raider's were looking at San Antonio for their new home.

"Mark knows there's only one place he can go -- that's L.A.," said Johnson. "San Antonio? Come on now. Come on."