Detroit on the move?

[inkfreq]

Was thinking about Jerry Jones comments this morning that the NFL was closer than ever to moving a team to L.A.

And then I started thinking about the string of blacked out games, the city declaring bankruptcy, the loss of millions of jobs and residents in recent years...

Why not Detroit? I mean, it's obviously a team that has not been mentioned in previous discussions about L.A. like the Vikings and Jaguars have. And it certainly makes more sense for an Oakland or San Diego to move into a larger market in the same state.

But honestly, I can't imagine why Bill Ford Jr. wouldn't consider a move like that. A lot of retired folks just lost their pensions. They won't be buying tickets. A lot of other folks are out of work, and they haven't been buying tickets. Games are still under near weekly threat of a blackout. The city is in deep trouble, and I'm sure no one knows what happens if they end up taking it on the chin over the portion of Ford Field the city financed.

I'm not anywhere near in favor of it, but from a business point of view, you have to admit, it's a move worth considering.

 

[boogerlovejoy]

Was thinking about Jerry Jones comments this morning that the NFL was closer than ever to moving a team to L.A.

And then I started thinking about the string of blacked out games, the city declaring bankruptcy, the loss of millions of jobs and residents in recent years...

Why not Detroit? I mean, it's obviously a team that has not been mentioned in previous discussions about L.A. like the Vikings and Jaguars have. And it certainly makes more sense for an Oakland or San Diego to move into a larger market in the same state.

But honestly, I can't imagine why Bill Ford Jr. wouldn't consider a move like that. A lot of retired folks just lost their pensions. They won't be buying tickets. A lot of other folks are out of work, and they haven't been buying tickets. Games are still under near weekly threat of a blackout. The city is in deep trouble, and I'm sure no one knows what happens if they end up taking it on the chin over the portion of Ford Field the city financed.

I'm not anywhere near in favor of it, but from a business point of view, you have to admit, it's a move worth considering.

You see the Tigers still pack in 35,000+ a night right? Lions aren't going anywhere.

I see your point though.

 

[jrange378]

Detroit (really the surrounding area) supports their teams. Jacksonville doesn't. Detroit is in trouble, not Michigan, which has been running a surplus I believe. If the lions win, or are at least exciting, they will sell out.

 

[inkfreq]

Probably true. There are plenty of teams that are in worse shape than the Lions.

But from a business perspective, there is plenty of uncertainty to go around in Motown, and on the other hand, you have the world's largest football market.

Just makes ya wonder.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Detroit (really the surrounding area) supports their teams. Jacksonville doesn't. Detroit is in trouble, not Michigan, which has been running a surplus I believe. If the lions win, or are at least exciting, they will sell out.

This. If I had to guess I would say 95% minimum of the fans that go to games are s'urbs.

 

[Mitchrapp]

And if I had to take another guess, bankruptcy is a good thing for Detroit sports teams.

 

[jswain]

Jacksonville is the obvious team..they can't sell out. But then again what kind of market is LA..Two teams have left and I don't hear the fanbase screaming for a team in the last 20 years

 

[LKP]

Detroit has a ton of debt from their part of ford field. No way in hell they move and get more debt for a new la stadium. Lions will be in Detroit for a long time

 

[cheeno]

Correct me if I am wrong but the tv dollars are split evenly so that is why there hasn't been a team in LA again sooner. Bigger pie for everyone if a team moves there but not much incentive to move an existing team there unless it would boost in stadium revenues, which it may/may not. Plus I think most of Cali is near broke as well, not sure about LA but I don't think the city wants to front too much of a stadium deal.

 

[Mitchrapp]

LA doesn't deserve a team. They had their chances.

 

[tonyballs]

I'll murder soneone

 

[tonyballs]

i'll kill someone

 

[tonyballs]

lol

 

[Mitchrapp]

:nuts:

:nod:

 

[mhughes0021]

Correct me if I am wrong but the tv dollars are split evenly so that is why there hasn't been a team in LA again sooner. Bigger pie for everyone if a team moves there but not much incentive to move an existing team there unless it would boost in stadium revenues, which it may/may not. Plus I think most of Cali is near broke as well, not sure about LA but I don't think the city wants to front too much of a stadium deal.

I don't think they've had a stadium to attract a team....I think they finally approved a build last year.

 

[johnny2x2x]

Lions are going nowhere. Sure Detroit lost a million+ people, but they didn't move far, they moved just outside of the city limits to the suburbs. Metro Detroit has actually grown. Kind of scewed the city though as having an infrastructure for 2 million people to maintain with a tax base of 700,000 bankrupted Detroit.

 

[Chef]

Lions are going nowhere. Sure Detroit lost a million+ people, but they didn't move far, they moved just outside of the city limits to the suburbs. Metro Detroit has actually grown. Kind of scewed the city though as having an infrastructure for 2 million people to maintain with a tax base of 700,000 bankrupted Detroit.

Not to mention the crooked mofos that are constantly elected/placed in charge...,but you almost have to blame the voting populous for decades of that. Public school system? Yikes.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Not to mention the crooked mofos that are constantly elected/placed in charge...,but you almost have to blame the voting populous for decades of that. Public school system? Yikes.

If Kwame was out of prison and ran again those fools in Detroit would still vote for him.

 

[tomdalton22]

Lions are going nowhere. Sure Detroit lost a million+ people, but they didn't move far, they moved just outside of the city limits to the suburbs. Metro Detroit has actually grown. Kind of scewed the city though as having an infrastructure for 2 million people to maintain with a tax base of 700,000 bankrupted Detroit.

Tax base of 700K but probably over 1/2 of those don't even pay taxes due to their income levels.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Tax base of 700K but probably over 1/2 of those don't even pay taxes due to their income levels.

True that. In fact I'd say its closer to 80%