Tim Leiweke's departure is bad news for the NFL's future in Los Angeles. (ericrichardson, Creative Commons)

AEG owns valuable properties including Staples Center and L.A. Live, along with sports franchises such as the Los Angeles Kings, the Los Angeles Galaxy and a partial stake of the Los Angeles Lakers. Additionally, AEG owns the rights to Farmers Field, which is AEG's plan to get football back in Los Angeles. 

Leiweke was the leader in negotiations for football returning to LA and the building of a downtown stadium. His departure is a bad sign regarding the future of an NFL franchise moving to Los Angeles. Anschutz, who plans to have a bigger role in the company, has not been nearly as cooperative with the NFL and its owners in his proposals for football in Los Angeles. 

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Leiweke served as the CEO and President of AEG since 1996. AEG's chief financial officer, Dan Beckerman, will be taking over both of Leiweke's positions. While Beckerman will continue with AEG's football in LA project, the company will certainly miss Leiweke's experience.

"We appreciate the role Tim has played in the development of AEG, and thank him for the any contributions he has made to the Company," Anschutz stated. "We wish him well in his new endeavors."

Anschutz took AEG off of the market because the offers he was getting from the bidding parties were lower than his $8 billion asking price. Colony Capital LLC, billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong and Guggenheim Partners, who bought the Los Angeles Dodgers last year, were the major bidders for the company. AEG was available for purchase after it was put up for sale this past September.  

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