Broad Denies Any Friction in NFL Talks

Los Angeles suitors vying for an NFL expansion franchise appear close to signing off on a unified site plan for a new football stadium at the Coliseum, which still includes plans for 25,000 parking spaces on game day.

At the same time there appears to be mounting friction between billionaire Eli Broad, the NFL and others working to bring football back to Los Angeles.

“There’s absolutely no friction between myself, Ed Roski, Michael Ovitz, Ron Burkle or the NFL,” Broad said. “It’s all a fabrication of [The Times].”

Ovitz and Roski met in Los Angeles on Thursday with Roger Goodell, the NFL’s vice president of football operations, and Bill Chadwick, Gov. Gray Davis’ appointee. Broad was not in attendance, in part because he irritated the others by writing an opinion piece for The Times over Chadwick’s objections.

“Chadwick did not want any stuff going to the press until after we had our [first] meeting last week,” Broad said. “It’s true he didn’t want it submitted until after the meeting. That’s what I did.”

Chadwick has asked all participants in the pursuit of an expansion franchise not to discuss their plans publicly with the intention of making a big splash next week with the unveiling of a stadium design and parking solution.

Once presented, it will be the fourth different look for the Coliseum in less than a year.