Chargers, Raiders, Rams all file L.A. relocation applications

The three teams that have been connected with the NFL’s future in Los Angeles — the San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders and St. Louis Rams — all filed relocation applications with the league in an expected procedural move.

Here’s the NFL’s official statement on the filings:

Monday was the first day teams could apply for relocation.

Although the Chargers and Raiders have joined forces in an effort to move to L.A., the situation remains fluid and unclear, with two potential sites in Carson (Chargers and Raiders) and Inglewood (Rams).

Each of the three teams have faced roadblocks in trying to fund new stadiums in their current cities, but the irony is that the team with the strongest and most viable effort to keep the team — the Rams — has an owner in Stan Kroenke who seems most eager to leave.

But in league circles, the belief is that the Chargers moving two hours up the coast is the most preferred choice. The team issued its own statement after the filing:

“Today the San Diego Chargers submitted to the National Football League the team’s application to relocate to Los Angeles.

“We have tried for more than 14 years, through nine separate proposals and seven different mayors, to create a world-class stadium experience for fans in San Diego. Despite these efforts, there is still no certain, actionable solution to the stadium problem. We are sad to have reached this point.

“What happens next is in the hands of the NFL’s owners, who will meet in Houston on January 12-13. The Chargers have pledged from the outset to respect whatever decision the League ownership makes.

Those owners meetings next week could go a long way toward determining which, if any, of the teams move to Los Angeles, starting as soon as the 2016 season.

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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm