Murphy: L.A. market 'crucial' for NFL's future

For two decades, the nation's second-largest city has been without a franchise in its most popular sport.

The NFL has flourished despite the St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders departing from Los Angeles in 1995. Entering the 2015 season, the league has never been more popular.

Regardless, with rumors swirling that multiple teams could be heading back to L.A., Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy said the market is "crucial" for the league's sustainable success.

"It's very important," Murphy said following the team's annual shareholders meeting Tuesday. "It's the second-largest market in the country, and we don't have a team there. So I think that's been a priority for the league for years. Now, quite honestly, it does help to have a market like L.A. open so that there's always an option or chance that teams could move there.

"I think you've got three teams that are really looking at it. They all have, quite honestly, frustrating or disappointing stadium situations. They're all trying to get to improve their current situations in their home market. Whether or not that's achievable, we'll see."

The Rams, Raiders and San Diego Chargers – each of which are on the Packers' 2015 schedule – have been rumored to have interest in relocating to Los Angeles. Raiders owner Mark Davis, Chargers owner Dean Spanos and Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti met earlier this month, a sign that relocation is a real possibility.

Murphy said there will be a "special league meeting" next month to discuss the Los Angeles market.

"At the league level," Murphy said, "we've talked about L.A. for many, many years. There's really a sense that this is much more of a priority. In fact, we have a special league meeting coming up in August, focused solely on L.A., an update there. So it's obviously a high priority for the league."

-rwood@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @ByRyanWood