Magic Johnson: No discussions about NFL Stadium at Chavez Ravine

By Vincent Bonsignore

While admitting it was a compliment to hear NFL commissioner Roger Goodell say kind things about Chavez Ravine as a potential site for a new football stadium, Dodgers minority owner Magic Johnson said nothing is happening on that front.

“Have we explored that? No.” Johnson said Friday on a Spring Training stopover in Arizona to visit the Dodgers.

And Johnson doesn’t expect anything to happen until the NFL makes a decision on the Anschutz Entertainment Group’s downtown Farmers Field project, which is cleared for construction pending a team moving there.

AEG head Phil Anschutz recently pulled his company off the sale market and has promised a re-energized effort to bring the NFL back to Los Angeles. Until that quest sorts itself out, Dodger Stadium is not a focus.

“I think the first thing (the NFL) wants to see is what’s going to happen with the downtown site,” Johnson said.

Meanwhile, the football fan in Johnson is eager for the return of the NFL to Los Angeles, having been a fan of both the Rams and Raiders during his Lakers playing days.

“All I want is football back in L.A., how about that?” Johnson said.

And it sounds like he’s rooting for Farmers Field – although the situation changes if AEG and the NFL can’t come to an agreement.

“If (you’re asking) if we want football back in L.A., we hope it’s downtown,” Johnson said. “But if they ever approach us, I’m sure that (Dodger ownership) will deal with it at that time.”