Definitely a valid question! I think it's hard to define what "worse off" means here, mostly because it's hard to put a number on the value of entertainment to people (other than the obvious ones: ticket prices, etc.).

I get what you're saying, though - cities often give up a lot (and probably too much) to keep franchises happy.

I'm mostly just pointing out the major power disparity between LA and other cities: Major sports teams want to be in LA far more than LA wants a major sports team. That's not true of, say, Seattle or St. Louis or San Diego.