USC Reportedly to Allow Two NFL Teams to Play at LA Coliseum

USC will allow Los Angeles’ two new NFL teams —  the Rams and presumably the Chargers — to play at the LA Coliseum starting in 2016.

UPDATE 1/13: In his State of Troy for January, Pat Haden indicated that in order for the Coliseum to host two NFL teams, the Coliseum Commission and the California Science Center Board will need to approve an amendment to the master lease.

"USC’s lease with the Coliseum Commission only allows one NFL team to play in the Coliseum at any given time, so in order for two teams to play in the Coliseum, both the Coliseum Commission and the California Science Center Board would need to approve a second team by amending our lease."

NFL owners voted to move the Rams back to Los Angeles from St. Louis on Tuesday with an option for the Chargers to join them at the stadium planned in Inglewood. For the first time in 21 years, NFL games will be played in Los Angeles in 2016.

While the stadium is being built at the old Hollywood Park, both of the teams will be hosted at the LA Coliseum, according to Daniel Kaplan of the Sports Business Journal.

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports confirmed the report as well.

One question about the relocation of two teams was where they would play during construction. The Rose Bowl declined to open their doors for a team, leaving the Coliseum as the lone football venue with the facilities to handle hosting in LA.

However, a clause in USC’s master lease allowed for just one team to play at the Coliseum on a temporary basis. It appears that hurdle seems to have been cleared with the university and the Coliseum Commission apparently agreeing to an exception should the Chargers opt in. There was also talk of the second team playing at either Angel or Dodger Stadium, though that now seems unnecessary.

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• USC Podcast: RoT Radio Ep. 396 on the Football Season’s Fallout
• Talanoa Hufanga named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, USC football with five first-teamers

USC recently revealed plans to renovate the Coliseum with $270 million of upgrades. The financial windfalls of hosting not one, but two NFL teams would go a long way towards paying for those upgrades. It is not clear how the NFL move might affect construction planned for the start of the 2017 season however.

The Rams return also heralds the return of former USC safety T.J. McDonald, who was drafted by the team in 2013. UCLA’s Akeem Ayers and Cory Harkey are on the Rams roster as well. Interestingly enough, the Chargers roster features no Trojans or Bruins.

If the Chargers decide to stay in San Diego, the Raiders will be given the option to move back to Los Angeles in their place. Former Trojans Malcolm Smith and Taylor Mays are currently on the roster in Oakland while head coach Jack Del Rio is a former USC player.