Los Angeles, America’s “entertainment capital,” had gone more than 20 years without one of America’s most important entertainment businesses- the National Football League.

After the 1994 season, both the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Raiders abandoned the country’s second largest city, moving to St. Louis and Oakland, respectively.

Over the next two decades, many teams threatened to move to the city (ESPN counted 13), but in the end Los Angeles had to wait 22 years for the league to return.

On September 18, over 90,000 fans packed the historic Los Angeles Coliseum to witness the Rams return to a city they called home from 1946-1994.

It was the first relocation of an NFL team in almost 20 years, and it wasn’t without controversy. St. Louis had a lucrative proposal to keep the Rams, which included a $1.1 billion new stadium. NFL owners, however, were wowed by Rams owner Stan Kroenke’s proposed stadium in Inglewood, California, which is currently under construction. They overwhelmingly approved the relocation.

The Rams are moving into an already crowded Los Angeles market, which includes two NBA, MLB, and NHL teams. In a city where fans are notorious for being fair-weathered, it will be important for the Rams to establish themselves before the novelty factor wears off.

The Rams will need to win, and win quickly, to keep the attention of the city’s fans. If not, they will always remain behind the Dodgers and Lakers on the Los Angeles sports totem pole.

It helps that the team had previously played in the city for almost 50 years. Many estranged fans have recaptured their love for the team, and early season ticket sales have been very high.

It also helps that the Rams were the only team who were allowed to move. The San Diego Chargers and the Raiders had a combined proposal that competed with the one the Rams made. The league preferred the Rams proposal, but gave the Chargers an option to join the Rams next year if a San Diego stadium vote fails.

The Raiders, who had left Los Angeles with the Rams, are currently flirting with a move to Las Vegas.