On Tuesday, the NFL voted to send the St. Louis Rams back to Los Angeles, which means Inglewood will be getting a very glossy and elaborate and billboardy new stadium complex come 2019. But the Rams will begin playing in LA this fall, which means they'll need a temporary home somewhere in the region. The Rose Bowl and the StubHub Center have already turned the NFL down flat, which leaves only the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and it is thirrrrrrrsty for pro football. The historic venue is run today by USC, which plays its football games there, has many Rams connections, and, most importantly, is hoping to give the old place a $270-million renovation. And the NFL will have to pay the school "unspecified monies" in rent, according to the LA Times.
USC Athletic Director Pat Haden, a former Ram himself, says "some details need to be finalized," but everyone is basically assuming the NFL will end up there; he adds that he's talking to the Rams about "how can we be a great partner for them as they plan their 2016 season." Right off the Coliseum will have to upgrade its lighting and field maintenance to league standards.
One possible snag: USC's Coliseum deal only allows them to host one NFL team, and the league has given the Chargers (and eventually possibly the Raiders) the option to join the Rams in LA. If they end up moving before 2019, they'll have to hash out a deal with the Coliseum Commission and the board of the neighboring California Science Center.
· Haden, USC ready to welcome NFL's Rams back to Coliseum [LAT]
· The Coliseum is the Only Venue That Definitely Wants to Host the NFL [Curbed LA]
· USC Wants to Give the Coliseum a $270-Million Restoration [Curbed LA]