Football is America’s number one sport for one reason: there is simply no other sporting event quite as exciting! From the excitement of scoring a touchdown to quarterbacks launching an inch perfect pass to a forward runner, the intensity and passion keeps fans hooked.
Fans become so hooked to their team, that an emotional bond is formed between city and franchise. This leads to the topic in question, a somewhat strange phenomenon that does happen occasionally- the relocation of NFL franchises. Yes, this actually does happen! It’s a little bizarre, seeing as how a franchise spends time building a fanbase in their city. Can they simply pick up new fans and discard the old?
We have composed a list of the biggest NFL franchises that ended up moving away from their home base. Whether the relocation was the result of new ownership, a new stadium or something else, we have all the answers you’re looking for. Continue on to discover exactly which franchises relocated!
The NFL Franchises That Completely Relocated
Oakland Raiders To Los Angeles (1982)
In 1980, Al Davis, the owner of the Oakland Raiders, unsuccessfully attempted to make improvements to the franchise’s home stadium, the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum. In a defiant response, he signed an agreement to move the franchise from Oakland to Los Angeles! Despite the move initially being defeated by NFL owners (22-0), a second jury eventually ruled in favor of Davis and approved the move. They formally moved in 1982 and began to play their games at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Oakland Raiders To Los Angeles
Baltimore Colts To Indianapolis (1984)
The Baltimore Colts were founded in 1953 and existed up until 1984. They played their games at the Memorial Stadium in Baltimore until a chaotic move ensued. After rejection from the city over acquiring a new stadium, the team set on leaving for pastures new. The city of Indianapolis didn’t want the Colts to leave, so after unsuccessful negotiations, attempts were made to get the state legislature to disapprove of the move entirely, giving ownership to a group who wouldn’t relocate the franchise. To prevent any interference, the franchise moved to Indianapolis in the middle of the night in March, 1984- blindsiding everybody. Despite the shock and disapproval of fans, former players and the city of Baltimore, the franchise moved and is now known as the Indianapolis Colts.
Baltimore Colts To Indianapolis
St. Louis Cardinals to Phoenix (1988)
Having already moved to St. Louis from Chicago in 1960, the Cardinals were on the move again in 1988 when they relocated to Arizona. This move wasn’t quite as chaotic as other teams’, but was still disapproved of by fans. So why move? Well it was a combination of an average player roster within the Cardinals, an old stadium and low attendance. Despite receiving approval from owners for the move (and the NFL), owner Bill Bidwell still avoided all home games for their final season as a safety precaution.
St. Louis Cardinals To Phoenix
Los Angeles Rams To St. Louis (1995)
It was a long process of downfall for this franchise. They had poor standard of play for years, a lack of support and a crumbling stadium. Additionally, the stadium was primarily suited for baseball, meaning the sightlines for football weren’t so good. Blame was constantly passed around, but in reality the club was an absolute train-wreck in all aspects. After initial rejection from league executives, owner Frontiere responded with threat of a lawsuit, and in the space of a month the vote changed from a majority ‘no’ to a resounding ‘yes’.
Los Angeles Rams To St. Louis
Los Angeles Raiders Back To Oakland (1995)
Back so soon? That’s right, we’re back with the Raiders and their ‘re’-relocation to Oakland. Perhaps the move was a little hasty? Initial attempts to return from Davis were quashed in 1990 when they experienced many delays in the deal. At this time, Davis signed a new deal to stay in L.A. However, in 1995 things started moving for the Raiders. Despite receiving approval to build a $200 million privately financed stadium on property owned by Hollywood Park for the franchise, Davis disapproved. He didn’t want to share the stadium with a second NFL team and consequentially signed a letter of intent to move the team back to Oakland. The move received approval and had a great reception with fans.
Los Angeles Raiders Back To Oakland
Houston Oilers to Memphis, to Nashville (1997-1998)
Having been founded in 1960, the franchise joined the NFL in 1970. The team were entertaining to watch and had a good following. However, the stadium was not at a high enough level for the standard the Oilers required. In 1987, owner Bud Adams threatened to move the franchise unless renovations were done to the Astrodome stadium. At the time of the request the Astrodome had a stadium capacity of 50,000 fans- the lowest in the NFL. Despite Harris County responding with $67 Million improvements, Adams’ demands only increased.
Once the deal to move the franchise to Nashville was announced (with promises of a new stadium), support for the Oilers dwindled to an all-time low. Eventually they left their lease a year early, moving to Memphis temporarily. After this, they finally made the long awaited move to Nashville. In 1999 the franchise was renamed ‘Tennessee Titans’.
Houston Oilers To Memphis, To Nashville
St. Louis Rams Back To Los Angeles (2016)
Stadium issues ran riot again with the St. Louis Rams here! Following the city of St. Louis not fulfilling promises under their lease in terms of renovations; the Rams were free to nullify the lease. To try and keep the team in St. Louis, a multipurpose stadium, National Car Rental Field, was offered in 2015 at a cost of $1.1 billion. In January 2016 however, the NFL released a report to team owners calling the St. Louis stadium plan “unsatisfactory and inadequate” regarding keeping the franchise in St. Louis. Owner Stan Kroenke subsequently purchased 60 acres of land in California, signaling his intent to move the team back to L.A.
St. Louis Rams Back To Los Angeles
San Diego Chargers To Los Angeles (2017)
Dean Spanos, the owner of the Chargers, had advocated for years for San Diego to build a new stadium. As a consequence of a lack of success in this area, a planned construction of a new stadium was announced in Carson, California. The Chargers gained approval to move in a year’s time, as long as they negotiated an agreement with the Rams. Eventually. the Chargers and Rams came to an agreement in principle on sharing the planned City of Champions Stadium, commencing on January 29, 2016. In 2017, Spanos formally announced that the Chargers would be moving back to L.A. for the 2017 season.
San Diego Chargers To Los Angeles
Oakland Raiders To Las Vegas (2020)
Despite having only moved back to Oakland in 1995, the Raiders were on the move again. Owner Al Davis died in 2011 and his son Mark Davis was given the task of finding a new stadium for the Raiders. After over 10 years of disappointment in trying to secure a new stadium in Oakland or nearby to replace the decaying coliseum, the NFL granted the team permission to move formally to Las Vegas. The team was officially declared ‘Las Vegas Raiders’ on January 22, 2020.
