Rams Stadium Negotiations

[cprice12]

It's painfully obvious now that this was his plan all along. To step in front of Khan and steal the Rams from him after Khan thought he already had the team bought and then to move the team when the lease was up.

Let's just call this exactly what it is...he is stealing this team from St. Louis.

I really hope the new stadium proposal from St. Louis will be a kick ass one and force him to turn down (ignore) a great offer. This will villain-ize him even more and increase the odds that the league will say he can't relocate (which he says he will do anyway...which means he will sue to do so).
What a dick.

The thing that pisses me off the most about Kroenke, is that he doesn't talk to anyone about any of this. He is silent and smug...and doesn't give a rat's ass about the St. Louis fans.

Kroenke is approaching owning the Rams like owning any other piece of land...it's all about making the most money he can and screw anyone else. When you own a sports team, money is an important part of it...obviously you have to make money. But like most sports franchises, the people of this city are deeply invested on an emotional level in what he owns. He shouldn't just be able to pick up, leave town, and take that away from the people of this city and the surrounding areas just to make more money somewhere else. He has a civic responsibility as an owner of a sports franchise to do everything he can to make it work in the city the team is currently in. But he isn't trying at all.
It would be different if St. Louis wasn't supporting the Rams or if he just wasn't making any money here, but he is making a ton of money here and this town really, genuinely supports this team (that has been very, very bad for a long time now).
And the emotional attachment aside, this is going to really hurt St. Louis economically. We'll have a hard time absorbing the lost revenue.
Kroenke is just being a selfish prick. He doesn't give a shit about the city or the fans. He just wants to make even more money.

So I guess this is the thanks we get for supporting the worst team in the NFL over the past 10 years?? For cheering on a horribly bad team? For lining Kroenke's pockets while the team completely sucked ass year after year after year?

(Frank) you Stan Kroenke. (Frank) you and the mountain of cash you rode in on.

I guess the best case scenario if the Rams leave would be for us to lure another team here and then root like hell against the Rams when we play them. That is my first reaction...to stick it to Kroenke. But obviously he doesn't really care about winning since the Rams haven't done any winning in a long ass time. So what would he care?

[JesusNEVERexisted]

Since the Rams are a lame duck team now there are already some rumblings that there is no point playing here in 2015 since it will be so hard to sell tickets to a team that is moving. So there still might be a small chance the Rams play in 2015 at the Rose Bowl or some Socal stadium. Just repeating what they said on sports radio and news radio today.

[dmiles2186]

Since the Rams are a lame duck team now there are already some rumblings that there is no point playing here in 2015 since it will be so hard to sell tickets to a team that is moving. So there still might be a small chance the Rams play in 2015 at the Rose Bowl or some Socal stadium. Just repeating what they said on sports radio and news radio today.

And ignoring the fact that the NFL has already told NFL teams they are not accepting relocation applications for the 2015 seasons. But you know, facts are a funny thing.

[JesusNEVERexisted]

Since the Rams are a lame duck team now there are already some rumblings that there is no point playing here in 2015 since it will be so hard to sell tickets to a team that is moving. So there still might be a small chance the Rams play in 2015 at the Rose Bowl or some Socal stadium. Just repeating what they said on sports radio and news radio today.

And ignoring the fact that the NFL has already told NFL teams they are not accepting relocation applications for the 2015 seasons. But you know, facts are a funny thing.

You don't know the history of the NFL. They do what they want whenever they want. I agree it's unlikely they move this year but even the local media has said it is still hypothetically possible the NFL could move the Rams by mid February in light of this lame duck status.

[cprice12]

The Chargers owner says he is going to try to block the Rams move to LA. So that is something.

[JesusNEVERexisted]

They just said on the radio the mayor is positioning the city to be NFL ready but is already looking past the Rams because they can't compete with LA.

They also listed 4 metro areas growing faster than St.Louis but right behind them in size and also without an NFL team:

Portland, OR
San Antonio, TX
Orlando, FL
Sacramento, CA

[cprice12]

They just said on the radio the mayor is positioning the city to be NFL ready but is already looking past the Rams because they can't compete with LA.

They also listed 4 metro areas growing faster than St.Louis but right behind them in size and also without an NFL team:

Portland, OR
San Antonio, TX
Orlando, FL
Sacramento, CA

Another team in Florida? Orlando would give them 4 f'ing teams.
Nope. No way that happens.

[glen a richter]

To be fair, Jacksonville is practically Georgia, at least culturally and Tampa/Miami are on opposite sides of the state. Chucking a team in Orlando isn't the worst idea ever, but it's not the best idea either.

True story about Jacksonville, a guy I work with used to be a gyno and practiced in Jacksonville. He also happens to be Jewish. One year, one of his colleagues asked what he was doing for Christmas and he said he didn't celebrate because he's Jewish and the colleague says "You're Jewish? Where's your horns?" That has nothing to do with there being 3 or 4 or 10 teams in Florida, but it's certainly not Florida culture down there.

[JesusNEVERexisted]

They just said on Fox 2 news that St.Louis has basically given up on keeping the Rams since Kranky won't speak to ANYONE here! Not the Governor, the mayor, the Chamber of Commerce, etc.

They are concentrating on building the stadium to prepare for another NFL team. They don't say how they'll pay for a $750 million stadium because we will still be paying for the Dome for YEARS! And no way would voters approve more taxes for another stadium!

[cprice12]

The Chargers owner says he thinks he has the 9 votes needed to block the Rams move to LA.

They probably can't stop Kroenke from moving. The precedent has been set though that the league really can't stop a team from moving if they want to move...see the Raiders, Colts and Oilers. But it does make it a bit more interesting...and it makes Kroenke look like an even bigger dick..which is a good thing.

[JesusNEVERexisted]

The Colts left Baltimore in the middle of the night! Kranky probably wants to do the same thing here! LOL

[cprice12]

Actually, I just read that since all of those teams who relocated in the 80's and 90's, the NFL has amended their rules on teams moving to make it much harder for an owner to move a team.
So things are different now.

A detailed finance proposal has to be put together, outlining the benefits of moving for decades down the road.
Then the finance committee and the stadium committee both have to approve the proposal. And for a bit of extra drama, Shahid Khan is on the finance committee...who may not be too fond of Kroenke for stealing the Rams from him.

An owner must secure 24 of 32 votes among the team owners to approve the move.
The Chargers' owner says he has at least 9 of the votes needed to block the move.

An owner must exhaust all efforts to remain in the current city.
Kroenke has not come close to doing this. He hasn't even met with those in charge of the stadium proposal even though they have asked him to meet several times.

There are also stiff penalties if an owner decides to go rogue and move a team without league approval.
Among them are forfeitures of part of a team’s annual share of leaguewide television revenue.
Another is forfeiture of a team’s share of leaguewide income from NFL Properties — the league’s merchandising arm.
I wonder what the percentages are?

I'm not saying that this stuff would hold up in court if Kroenke were to sue to leave, but it does make things a lot more interesting...and it seems it will be a bumpy road if Kroenke does attempt to move the team.

Why in the hell wouldn't Kroenke at least meet with Peacock and Blitz? You'd think he would have attended a few meetings to at least give the impression he is trying to keep the Rams here to look good in front of the committees. To me, the snub of the numerous requests to meet is just pure arrogance on Kroenke's part. He seems to feel he is above the rules and can do whatever he wants with the Rams and screw whatever the NFL has to say about it.

Part of me really hope this blows up in Kroenke's face. But the other part of me doesn't want this douchebag in our town anymore. If the NFL were to tell me that if the Rams leave, we'll get the next expansion team or the next team that moves, I'd be 100% fine with that.

Just bring the Jaguars here. They should have been ours in the first place anyway. It would be righting a wrong.

[cardsfan04]

I'm curious how it would play out in court if he decides to move them there. I believe the league sued Al Davis over moving to Oakland without permission, but lost, not because the league can't dictate which city a team plays in, but because they didn't have explicit rules for it. Now that they have explicit rules for relocating, if Kroenke doesn't follow them, I think he might be in trouble.

[cprice12]

I'm curious how it would play out in court if he decides to move them there. I believe the league sued Al Davis over moving to Oakland without permission, but lost, not because the league can't dictate which city a team plays in, but because they didn't have explicit rules for it. Now that they have explicit rules for relocating, if Kroenke doesn't follow them, I think he might be in trouble.

Yeah,
He is blatantly violating the one that states he must exhaust all efforts to stay in the current city.
And he could violate the one that says he needs 28 votes if the Chargers' owner is correct in saying he feels he has the 9 votes to block the move.

He is also apparently not very well liked among the rest of the owners.
AND, he is already in hot water with the league for sneaking around the cross ownership policy they have with owning franchises in different pro sports.

I really hope he doesn't get to move the Rams in the end. Not because I want the Rams to stay here (which I do), but I just REALLY want to see his pompous, arrogant ass fail.

[JesusNEVERexisted]

You guys forget that the 1 BILLION dollar relocation fee is split up between the owners. Each owner getting a cool $30 million plus could change some minds and turn those no votes to yes votes.

Why won't Kranky speak to Peacock or Blitz? HE WANTS TO LEAVE & GO TO LA! They used the analogy of a girl who dumped you but you keep calling her yet she NEVER answers the phone or returns your calls! At this point we're making fools of ourselves. The owner obviously doesn't want to be here so let them go!

[cardsfan04]

You guys forget that the 1 BILLION dollar relocation fee is split up between the owners. Each owner getting a cool $30 million plus could change some minds and turn those no votes to yes votes.

Why won't Kranky speak to Peacock or Blitz? HE WANTS TO LEAVE & GO TO LA! They used the analogy of a girl who dumped you but you keep calling her yet she NEVER answers the phone or returns your calls! At this point we're making fools of ourselves. The owner obviously doesn't want to be here so let them go!

I imagine they would enjoy the 1 BILLION dollar relocation fee from the Chargers pretty much exactly the same as they would from the Rams.

[cardsfan04]

I'm curious how it would play out in court if he decides to move them there. I believe the league sued Al Davis over moving to Oakland without permission, but lost, not because the league can't dictate which city a team plays in, but because they didn't have explicit rules for it. Now that they have explicit rules for relocating, if Kroenke doesn't follow them, I think he might be in trouble.

Yeah,
He is blatantly violating the one that states he must exhaust all efforts to stay in the current city.
And he could violate the one that says he needs 28 votes if the Chargers' owner is correct in saying he feels he has the 9 votes to block the move.

He is also apparently not very well liked among the rest of the owners.
AND, he is already in hot water with the league for sneaking around the cross ownership policy they have with owning franchises in different pro sports.

I really hope he doesn't get to move the Rams in the end. Not because I want the Rams to stay here (which I do), but I just REALLY want to see his pompous, arrogant ass fail.

lol, I kinda have the same thought. I mean, I want the Rams to stay, but I will enjoy seeing him get shot down as much as anything.

[dmiles2186]

This is entirely far fetched and wishful thinking on my part...but what if the NFL and Kroenke settles a deal where he sells the Rams to keep them in STL and then he can have an expansion team to settle into his LA stadium?

I don't know...I'm just trying to think of what would work. Or if it would be like a Cleveland situation where they move to Baltimore but they are granted an expansion franchise almost immediately. Either of these a possibility? Or am I just in denial at this point?

[cardsfan04]

I think the most likely scenario for St. Louis to have a team in the near future is for Khan to move the Jaguars here. I don't know what kind of chance there is of that, but it seems realistic. Jags don't get any support and that's unlikely to change. Khan is from Champaign and was close to buying the Rams before Kroenke exercised his right of first refusal. Seems to make sense, but I just heard that it may be tricky getting them out of their stadium deal in Jacksonville.

[dmiles2186]

I think the most likely scenario for St. Louis to have a team in the near future is for Khan to move the Jaguars here. I don't know what kind of chance there is of that, but it seems realistic. Jags don't get any support and that's unlikely to change. Khan is from Champaign and was close to buying the Rams before Kroenke exercised his right of first refusal. Seems to make sense, but I just heard that it may be tricky getting them out of their stadium deal in Jacksonville.

That's what I was afraid of. I don't want to bank on getting another franchise. Look at Seattle and the Sonics. They were a shoo-in to get a team early on and yet, 8 years on, still not team. They're now the bargaining chip, much like LA in football, and they're more valuable being a piece in a poker game than having an actual team.

It's tough. From a personal perspective, I'd love to see Khan here. I was gutted when Kroenke stepped in and blocked his purchase of the Rams. Also, I'm probably going to look for another team to support once the Rams leave. If I do that....if and when STL finally gets another team, I'm probably not jumping on board.