Broad, Ovitz Decide It’s Time to Meet

Thirteen days after Commissioner Paul Tagliabue’s pronouncement that the next 36 days--leading to the start of his vacation--are critical to Los Angeles’ landing of an expansion NFL franchise, Tagliabue has been nowhere in sight.

He has been heard only from afar, urging Houston to keep the faith, a suggestion that Los Angeles isn’t doing its job in gaining NFL favor.

Jerry Richardson, chairman of the NFL’s expansion committee was here a week ago, met with Peter O’Malley, who has nothing to do with the Los Angeles football process, but made no contact with Eli Broad, leader of one of the two groups seeking NFL favor.

Roger Goodell, the NFL’s vice president of football operations and responsible for shaping a plan to bring the NFL back to Los Angeles, has been on the mend after a model of the Coliseum fell on his heel, leaving a wound that required stitches, and from unrelated shoulder surgery.

That has left Broad and rival Michael Ovitz flailing for direction, a situation so desperate they actually agreed to meet Sunday--in the same room.

Broad, joined by partner Ed Roski, sat down with Ovitz at the home of Ovitz’s partner, Ron Burkle. Broad had invited Ovitz in a recent letter to join forces, but Ovitz wanted further dialogue before altering any of his plans.

“We had a meeting and we discussed a number of things on a preliminary basis,” Broad said. “We all have the same goal in mind and we indicated we would work with them on [stadium] design and a [financing] package that both elected officials and the NFL should be happy with.

“I can’t tell you we will be together [as owners], but we’re going to continue to meet and talk.”

As long as NFL guidelines insist on one principal owner there is probably no way Broad and Ovitz--no matter how many meetings they conduct--will unite their ownership efforts. Broad might endorse Ovitz’s stadium design for the Coliseum and Ovitz might follow Broad’s financing plan that includes a parking solution, but both want the role of managing general partner.

“We’re prepared to meet anywhere at any time with anyone to generate a positive environment around a very difficult and complicated process,” said Ovitz, who said he had telephone contact with Tagliabue. “But even though we’re meeting, our ownership group is proceeding on the process, meeting with the appropriate constituencies in the city to move this project along.”

The NFL, moving toward a Sept. 15 deadline for a workable plan in Los Angeles, will bring all 31 owners together in Chicago July 28 for a Los Angeles status report.

Presumably, Tagliabue will be there.