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Big career move Elway meets with potential owners in L.A.
Posted: Friday May 14, 1999 01:43 AM
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- John Elway met separately with two potential owners of a Los Angeles NFL expansion franchise Thursday about the possibility of running the day-to-day operations of a new team as well as being part owner. Elway, 38, retired earlier this month after playing 16 seasons for the Denver Broncos, capping a record-setting career by quarterbacking the Broncos to two straight Super Bowl victories. "This is the most exciting news, that John Elway would consider being president of a team in Los Angeles," Mayor Richard Riordan said after the second meeting of the day attended by Elway and his wife, Janet. "That is the title being discussed." NFL owners voted 29-2 two months ago to award an expansion franchise team to the Los Angeles area, and set a Sept. 15 deadline for reaching agreement with whatever site and group they select to operate the team. "He's looking at all the options of football in Los Angeles," Marvin Demoff, Elway's Los Angeles-based lawyer, said after the Elways met with Riordan and billionaire developer Eli Broad for a little over an hour. "This is such a unique opportunity, it's important for him to explore it fully," Demoff said. "This is just the beginning of that." Said Broad: "We talked to him about being a part owner, absolutely. We have not made an offer. We said, 'We want you, we think you would be a great asset for this franchise.' We need someone of his caliber to run this franchise, if it is awarded to us." Demoff said Elway and his family enjoy living in Denver, but added, "It's not a stumbling block. If it wasn't Los Angeles and professional football, and the opportunity at management at a very high level and possibly being president, it wouldn't be a consideration." Elway starred at Granada Hills High in the nearby San Fernando Valley before attending Stanford and joining the Broncos in 1983. Demoff said Elway met for about an hour with former Hollywood agent Michael Ovitz, the other potential owner of the expansion franchise, earlier in the day. Demoff said no firm offers were made to Elway by either party. Elway didn't attend the 20-minute press briefing, and neither did Ovitz. Demoff wouldn't comment when asked whether Elway's loyalties lie with Broad or Ovitz. Riordan also said he wasn't endorsing either side, but added, "I happen to be a very close friend of Eli Broad and I think he certainly would be an excellent choice. As mayor of this city, I think it's important I don't take sides." Broad heads up the New Coliseum Venture, while Ovitz wanted to build a new stadium in nearby Carson. NFL owners said recently they are committed to a renovated Coliseum, but have made no decision as to ownership. Broad said his group has no plans at this time to join forces with Ovitz. Houston is waiting if a deal can't be reached in Los Angeles, but the inclusion of Elway would certainly seem to help Los Angeles' chances. "This is the first conversation we've had at any length," Broad said. "I'm hopeful there will be more in the near future. John's aware of the timetable." As things now stand, an expansion franchise would begin play in 2002. Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has offered Elway a chance to own a piece of that team, but as Demoff pointed out, Elway is attracted by the possibility of running the team in Los Angeles, an opportunity he wouldn't have in Denver.
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