NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed last nightthe decision for the Rams to head back to Los Angeles this year after the league'sownersvoted 30-2 to approve the team's move. “The NFL owners approved the return of the Los Angeles Rams,starting with the 2016 season," Goodell said.The Rams called Los Angeles home from 1946 to 1995 before moving to St. Louis.
Their new stadium will be built on 298 acres of the old Hollywood Park racetrack in Inglewood, in what will be the league’s biggest stadium with a projected opening in 2019.The San Diego Chargers, that once called L.A.
home too, will have the option to join the Rams in the$1.86 billion Inglewood project."In 2019 they will be opening in a new stadium which we are all, as ownership, very excited about — the kind of facility that we believe will be extraordinarily successful in the Los Angeles market. It’s more than just a stadium, it’s an entertainment complex," Goodell said.
"Today, with the NFL returning home, Los Angeles cements itself 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," celebratedLos Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. On the other hand, Roger Goodell recognizes that the relocationhas its challenges."Relocation is a painful process.
It's painful for the fans, for the communities, for the league in general," Goodell said. "In some ways a bittersweet moment because we were unable to get the kind of facilities we wanted in their markets."
It's not confirmed yet where the team will play while they wait for the Inglewood complex opening.Steve Tisch, New York Giants co-owner, said that the most likely temporary home is theLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum, buthe's uncertain where the Chargers would play if they join.
The L.A. Coliseum is the Raider's former home and current home of USC football and ithas already agreed to host one team.The Rose Bowl, Dodger Stadium, Angel Stadium, and the StubHub Center in Carson could be optionstoo.
