Feb. 1, 2011
RATTO ARCHIVE
49ERS PAGERAIDERS PAGE
Ray Ratto
CSNBayArea.com
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So how did the 49ers not find out that Farmers Insurancehas that much money to burn? 700 million for the naming rights to astadium with no teamdamn, thats some serious denial-of-coveragemoney.The Super Bowl has been dominated so far by an ice storm that has shutthe town and the AEG press conference in which Los Angeles unveiled itsnew development in the 17-year search for an NFL team to replace theRams and Raiders.
Its the Farmers angle, one which if real is so lucrative that AEGswears it wont need a dime of public money to make it happen, thuswinning the battle for L.A. and reducing City of Industry to . . .well, a city of industry.
RELATED: Naming deal reached for proposed L.A. stadium
In addition, Ed Roski, who led the City of Industry deal, held a pressconference today to show his interest in building an off-campus stadiumfor UNLV in, yes, Las Vegas. Sounds like surrenderpragmatism to me. But if this stadium is a for-real deal, maybe the 49ers will suddenlyre-warm to the idea of leaving. Or, richer yet, maybe the Raiders willget back on their high horse re: Oaklands issues. These are relative longshots, to be sure; the Chargers and Vikings lookthe front runners in this one, though it being Super Bowl Week, nothingis quite so prevalent of walkless talk.
NEWS: NFL headlines
But the L.A. deal also squeezes the 49ers and Raiders shoes if therevenue sharing regulations remain as they are, at least insofar as theChargers would become a bigger cash cow and the Vikings, who doubtlesswould leave the NFC North and replace the Rams, would do the same.Hence, Al Davis and Jed Yorks compelling interest in fighting foruniversal revenue sharing. The kind that includes luxury suites, localradio-TV money and all other income.
RELATED: S.F. mayor wants to build relationship with York
The NFL was quick to say, Nothing can happen until theres a new labordeal, which is your basic duh, but the labor deal cant happen untilthe owners who want revenue sharing extended can be appeased, whichmeans that what L.A. just did was the following:1. Endanger San Diego and Minneapolis as NFL cities, as well asput San Francisco, Oakland, Jacksonville and a few others into theargument as well.2. Make the revenue sharing issue even more acute.3. Make Al and Jed very cross indeed.4. Distract a few people from Inez Sainz outfit for Media Day.And you wonder why Super Bowl Week matters even when your team cant get a sniff of it.What's on your mind? Email Ray and let him know. He may use it in his Mailbag.