NFL Merry-Go-Round: Relocation Roundelay

[rams80]

And LA?

Look for Los Angeles County and there's your answer.

[bosrs1]

And LA?

Raiders apparently. In fact the Raiders still have more fans in LA County and much of the surrounding area than they do in their own current home up in the Bay Area which is solidly Niners Country.

[STL FANATIC]

The CVC officially rejects the Rams proposal which won in arbitration. The official nature of it makes this news, but in truth there's not a whole lot new here. We all knew this was coming.

What this means is that the city is no longer contractually on the hook for upgrades to the Rams stadium, and the lease can go year to year after 2015. The city/state and the Rams will work towards a new solution now.

Because the desired upgrades are about as expensive as a new stadium, this unofficially eliminates renovating the Dome any further. The focus will be on a new stadium.

Furthering what was mentioned about a week ago, it's now widely reported that the main negotiations/discussions will be led by Governor Jay Nixon and Rams owner Stan Kroenke. Little reason to believe those discussions will heat up until after the upcoming season. (Not that the season has anything to do with it, just that that's about right for the time frame.) Word to this point is that the discussions have barely begun (if at all) between the two.

[bosrs1]

The CVC officially rejects the Rams proposal which won in arbitration. The official nature of it makes this news, but in truth there's not a whole lot new here. We all knew this was coming.

What this means is that the city is no longer contractually on the hook for upgrades to the Rams stadium, and the lease can go year to year after 2015. The city/state and the Rams will work towards a new solution now.

Because the desired upgrades are about as expensive as a new stadium, this unofficially eliminates renovating the Dome any further. The focus will be on a new stadium.

Furthering what was mentioned about a week ago, it's now widely reported that the main negotiations/discussions will be led by Governor Jay Nixon and Rams owner Stan Kroenke. Little reason to believe those discussions will heat up until after the upcoming season. (Not that the season has anything to do with it, just that that's about right for the time frame.) Word to this point is that the discussions have barely begun (if at all) between the two.

Is there any reason to assume the talks will heat up at all? Or is Missouri ready to open the wallet?

[Still MIGHTY]

I wonder what NFL team the city of Anaheim is kissing up to theses days. Raiders, Chargers, Cowboys? Not because of moving but who they are supporting while watching Sunday Ticket.

According to the Facebook map, which is about as "scientific" of an answer as you'll get, Anaheim and Orange County are tending to favor the Chargers these days.

Eh, that map just gauges plurality. It's still very much all over the place. Chargers, Raiders, Rams, Niners, Broncos, Cowboys, Packers, Steelers, Patriots, Bears, Giants, Jets. Hell, I'm a Colts fan.

However, if the Rams did come back...

[STL FANATIC]

The CVC officially rejects the Rams proposal which won in arbitration. The official nature of it makes this news, but in truth there's not a whole lot new here. We all knew this was coming.

What this means is that the city is no longer contractually on the hook for upgrades to the Rams stadium, and the lease can go year to year after 2015. The city/state and the Rams will work towards a new solution now.

Because the desired upgrades are about as expensive as a new stadium, this unofficially eliminates renovating the Dome any further. The focus will be on a new stadium.

Furthering what was mentioned about a week ago, it's now widely reported that the main negotiations/discussions will be led by Governor Jay Nixon and Rams owner Stan Kroenke. Little reason to believe those discussions will heat up until after the upcoming season. (Not that the season has anything to do with it, just that that's about right for the time frame.) Word to this point is that the discussions have barely begun (if at all) between the two.

Is there any reason to assume the talks will heat up at all? Or is Missouri ready to open the wallet?

There's reason to believe Missouri could get creative in putting money forward as well as reason to believe Kroenke will put in his own money towards a solution.

But the bigger point is that talks in these situations very rarely heat up until the deadline is felt, and we're still nearly 1.5 or so years from that deadline. See Minnesota as an example of a region that had no desire to put up money for a stadium deal and delayed every bit as long as they could. But you had an area that ultimately wanted to keep the team and an owner that ultimately didn't want to move. So things got done at the last minute.

I'm not saying we'll get a last minute solution here, but I wouldn't expect a solution until some heat is felt.

[bosrs1]

I wonder what NFL team the city of Anaheim is kissing up to theses days. Raiders, Chargers, Cowboys? Not because of moving but who they are supporting while watching Sunday Ticket.

According to the Facebook map, which is about as "scientific" of an answer as you'll get, Anaheim and Orange County are tending to favor the Chargers these days.

Eh, that map just gauges plurality. It's still very much all over the place. Chargers, Raiders, Rams, Niners, Broncos, Cowboys, Packers, Steelers, Patriots, Bears, Giants, Jets. Hell, I'm a Colts fan.

However, if the Rams did come back...

Of course it's all over the place. I did say this is about as close to an answer as you'll get but it's of course not definitive. But most of the counties represented probably aren't far off the truth of who the most fans root for in each area. But there's always exceptions. I'm a Patriots fan in San Diego and am well aware of that.

[Gothamite]

There's reason to believe Missouri could get creative in putting money forward as well as reason to believe Kroenke will put in his own money towards a solution.

Well, the only reason to believe Kroenke will put in his own money starts with the presumption that he's tied to St. Louis. Which seems possible, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it likely.

And Missouri will have to get creative - they have a pretty severe budget deficit this year, and are hamstrung as to how they can raise money. St. Louis's budget was essentially gutted by Missouri voters in 2010, so they will have a hard time putting in.

I do agree that there likely won't be any public action for at least a year, until we're much closer to the deadline. Also wouldn't doubt that the Rams might play a season or two under the year-to-year lease before a definitive solution is reached either way.

[STL FANATIC]

In fairness, I didn't say likely either. I said there's reason to believe.

That said, I do consider it likely. And more and more it's not just that he's tied to St. Louis, it's that there currently aren't any viable alternatives. Especially viable alternatives that fit Kroenke's preferred method of operation (although this has been truly basically the whole time).

As far as the public dollars that get chipped in, I expect to see a handful of various "tourist taxes" so to speak—hotels, rental cars, etc. etc.

[Still MIGHTY]

I swear, you could find reason to believe on the Titanic.

[rams80]

There's reason to believe Missouri could get creative in putting money forward as well as reason to believe Kroenke will put in his own money towards a solution.

Well, the only reason to believe Kroenke will put in his own money starts with the presumption that he's tied to St. Louis. Which seems possible, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it likely.

And Missouri will have to get creative - they have a pretty severe budget deficit this year, and are hamstrung as to how they can raise money. St. Louis's budget was essentially gutted by Missouri voters in 2010, so they will have a hard time putting in.

I do agree that there likely won't be any public action for at least a year, until we're much closer to the deadline. Also wouldn't doubt that the Rams might play a season or two under the year-to-year lease before a definitive solution is reached either way.

No they'll just cut higher education funding again.

Honestly, why do sports organizations I like do things that utterly sicken me?

[STL FANATIC]

I swear, you could find reason to believe on the Titanic.

This is hardly that. The general consensus in St. Louis and now really in the national media is that the Rams aren't particularly likely to move.

[rams80]

I like how Turf Show Times is having folks from "10 wins or we ain't comin'" St. Louis denounce Los Angeles as being full of bandwagoners.

[Kevin W.]

No they'll just cut higher education funding again.

Honestly, why do sports organizations I like do things that utterly sicken me?

Because they're businesses, first and foremost, and the need to make profits means that not everyone can be made happy. It's sad but true.

[hbgoo1975]

I'm really kidding but will LA be destroyed before they ever get an NFL team?

[dbadefense1990]

I'm really kidding but will LA be destroyed before they ever get an NFL team?

It won't be that extreme, but I firmly believe former CA Governor Gray Davis when he claimed that Des Monies, Iowa will get an NFL team before Los Angeles does.

[Gothamite]

I swear, you could find reason to believe on the Titanic.

This is hardly that. The general consensus in St. Louis and now really in the national media is that the Rams aren't particularly likely to move.

Show your work, please. I'll agree that the relocation talk has died down because the short attention spans have discovered London and the Jaguars, but I'm not sure at all that's the same thing.

[STL FANATIC]

To be honest, I'm not sure how much talk their was in the national media to begin with. The main push seemed to be coming from Mike Florio, but he's come around on the idea that LA isn't particularly close to getting a team.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/06/13/mccourts-involvement-makes-l-a-return-less-likely/

Perhaps there isn't a sentiment one way or the other, but there's certainly not some strong belief that the Rams are leaving.

[Gothamite]

That's because London is the flavor of the moment, and Jacksonville is the preferred target for some reason.

People don't often seem capable of carrying around more than one thought.

[STL FANATIC]

That is most certainly true. And also probably an illustration that no matter what's popping up in the national stories, they're not based on a whole lot beyond connect the dots speculation.