NFL Merry-Go-Round: Relocation Roundelay

[njmeadowlanders]

Well that's the thing. If they're not going to build across the street from PETCO downtown, there's not many other options in San Diego. Any land that isn't developed is only undeveloped because the terrain makes it prohibitive. They'd have to buy something to demolish and build on that land. They're not going to North County, they're not going to build anything in say, Santee or El Cajon, so if not Chula Vista there really is slim pickins'.

The downtown & Qualcomm sites do have Trolley access though which is a plus.

[bosrs1]

Well, the Vikings crossed the Metrodome site off their list, but ultimately they settled for it. Never know.

True but the Metrodome site was not Toxic either and in need of a substantial environmental cleanup either.

[Cosmic]

Well, the Vikings crossed the Metrodome site off their list, but ultimately they settled for it. Never know.

True but the Metrodome site was not Toxic either and in need of a substantial environmental cleanup either.

A stadium is the perfect kind of thing to build on contaminated land. It's all about "how clean" the land has to get. If there are going to be homes on a brownfield, it needs to be very very clean because the people that live there will get a high level of exposure to whatever's left in the ground. A football stadium... nobody spends all that much time there.

[bosrs1]

Well, the Vikings crossed the Metrodome site off their list, but ultimately they settled for it. Never know.

True but the Metrodome site was not Toxic either and in need of a substantial environmental cleanup either.

A stadium is the perfect kind of thing to build on contaminated land. It's all about "how clean" the land has to get. If there are going to be homes on a brownfield, it needs to be very very clean because the people that live there will get a high level of exposure to whatever's left in the ground. A football stadium... nobody spends all that much time there.

This is California. It'll have to be clean enough to eat off of even for a football stadium.

[bosrs1]

Interesting article in the Biz Insider today. According to some league higher ups they expect it'll be the Chargers and Rams in LA by 2014 playing at one of the two temporary venues.

[Gothamite]

I don't know how much stock I put in that report as a whole, but I've been saying this for some time:

should the arbitrator rule the Edward Jones Dome requires a half-billion or more in upgrades, they wonder if the sides work out a deal for the Rams to split after this season rather than play through what would be an ignoble lame-duck final season in St. Louis.

I think arbitration is the last chance for St. Louis to keep the Rams. If the CVC is unwilling (or, more likely, unable) to pay for the plan which emerges from that process, they'll find a number for the Rams to buy out that last year.

[STL FANATIC]

Little info of any value in that article. Very doubtful that Silent Stan Kroenke has leaked his true feelings to anyone short of his family, let alone nondescript "league executives". The article also loses credibility when it mentions Kroenke's ties to Los Angeles, falsely noting the existence of Rams offices in Los Angels (Kroenke, in fact, closed the offices upon assuming full ownership of the Rams), and fails to mention his closer and more demonstrated ties to St. Louis.

What the article states could indeed happen, but there isn't any more evidence to suggest it will.

We already had the discussion a page or two back about whether an impasse after arbitration would mean a guaranteed move. I still believe that's far from a guarantee, but no sense repeating the same discussion thing over and over.

[rams80]

Little info of any value in that article. Very doubtful that Silent Stan Kroenke has leaked his true feelings to anyone short of his family, let alone nondescript "league executives". The article also loses credibility when it mentions Kroenke's ties to Los Angeles, falsely noting the existence of Rams offices in Los Angels (Kroenke, in fact, closed the offices upon assuming full ownership of the Rams), and fails to mention his closer and more demonstrated ties to St. Louis.

Do we have some convincing documentary proof of this claim? Because google is inconclusive.

[Gothamite]

I seem to remember them closing the LA office, but it was before Kroenke took over the team.

EDIT: For what it's worth, YellowPages.com still lists an office in Santa Ana.

[rams80]

EDIT: For what it's worth, YellowPages.com still lists an office in Santa Ana.

Google streetview for there reveals a construction site, albeit one that looks "business park-y".

[STL FANATIC]

I seem to remember them closing the LA office, but it was before Kroenke took over the team.

EDIT: For what it's worth, YellowPages.com still lists an office in Santa Ana.

I edited my post 3 times, because twice I saw Kroenke closed it, and once I saw it was closed the year prior to him taking over. Not sure which is the case.

I don't have anything that would stand as an irrefutable source, but I recall it, many others recall it, and there IS a pseudo-reporter claiming he's verified it. It's not proof, but I'm pretty damn sure they closed the LA office 2-3 years back.

[CubsFanBudMan]

LaCanfora had a big piece on the NFL in L.A. on CBSSports.com two days ago. Broke down each team's chances. Said the Rams are leading right now, but that they are also potentially the safest. All comes down to the arbitration. Raiders are a non-starter. The Chargers don't want to leave San Diego because they fear someone else will get that market to themselves while they share L.A. And Jacksonville and Buffalo are going nowhere soon either, according to his opinion anyway.

Some good stuff. I still don't buy that the two-team deal is necessary, and after seeing what was said on CBS about the Chargers, I wonder if it's just to slow down any teams with a wandering eye a bit -- make the market slightly less lucrative. (Of course, I think it was stated up front in the article that two was a lock.. before dismissing pretty much everyone.)

Sorry for no direct link, but http://cbssports.com/nfl ought to put you in the neighborhood, unless you're on a phone like me.

[rams80]

I seem to remember them closing the LA office, but it was before Kroenke took over the team.

EDIT: For what it's worth, YellowPages.com still lists an office in Santa Ana.

I edited my post 3 times, because twice I saw Kroenke closed it, and once I saw it was closed the year prior to him taking over. Not sure which is the case.

I don't have anything that would stand as an irrefutable source, but I recall it, many others recall it, and there IS a pseudo-reporter claiming he's verified it. It's not proof, but I'm pretty damn sure they closed the LA office 2-3 years back.

It wasn't that long ago. John Shaw only left the Rams from his "advisory" capacity in February 2011.

[Gothamite]

Was it Shaw? Makes sense.

The Rams also owned an office building on Pico as of a couple years ago, but I can't tell if they still do.

[STL FANATIC]

LaCanfora had a big piece on the NFL in L.A. on CBSSports.com two days ago. Broke down each team's chances. Said the Rams are leading right now, but that they are also potentially the safest. All comes down to the arbitration. Raiders are a non-starter. The Chargers don't want to leave San Diego because they fear someone else will get that market to themselves while they share L.A. And Jacksonville and Buffalo are going nowhere soon either, according to his opinion anyway.

Some good stuff. I still don't buy that the two-team deal is necessary, and after seeing what was said on CBS about the Chargers, I wonder if it's just to slow down any teams with a wandering eye a bit -- make the market slightly less lucrative. (Of course, I think it was stated up front in the article that two was a lock.. before dismissing pretty much everyone.)

Sorry for no direct link, but http://cbssports.com/nfl ought to put you in the neighborhood, unless you're on a phone like me.

Actually, that's more or less the article we're discussing. Biz Journals linked to that. He was the one who's information/perspective I was refuting, anyways.

[STL FANATIC]

Was it Shaw? Makes sense.

The Rams also owned an office building on Pico as of a couple years ago, but I can't tell if they still do.

I don't think Shaw and the LA Offices were the same thing at that point. Shaw was part of the connection, but I think the offices were closed while he remained around. As and advisor, he could easily have worked out of his own office, and I suspect he did.

Not a lot of details readily available.

But really, that's the lesson in this, I think. These dots (that may or may not exist) that everyone's trying to turn into lines don't have a real clear order or direction. The speculation, informed or otherwise, isn't worth much. I certainly don't mind that we discuss it, I just think to everyone but Kroenke (and even a good bit to him) this outcome is very, very unknown.

I'm pretty confident the whole thing will play out with the Rams remaining in St. Louis, but I won't claim I'm connecting the dots anymore validly than anyone else.

[STL FANATIC]

Since it was a point of contention, here's a follow up on the Rams claim that they would broadcast pre-season games in 8 states.

Indeed their network has grown. In fact, games are available in 9 states.

No affiliates reside in new states (in fact, it appears they dropped an Arkansas-based affiliate), however they have added enough new affiliates in Missouri & Illinois (in addition to existing ones in Indiana and Oklahoma) so that games can now be seen in parts of Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Oklahoma, Indiana, Kentucky, Kansas, Tennessee and Arkansas (with Iowa, Kentucky, Kansas, and Tennessee being the new ones).

A victory for the non-cynics.

FAULK, SICILIANO RETURN TO BOOTH

FOR RAMS 2012 PRESEASON BROADCASTS

media release

Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk and veteran sportscaster Andrew Siciliano are set to lead the Rams? preseason television broadcasts for a second consecutive season.

Faulk will serve as the color commentator for the broadcasts and will be joined in the booth by Siciliano, who will handle play-by-play duties. Former NFL lineman Ross Tucker will join Siciliano and Faulk in the booth for the final three preseason contests, and veteran St. Louis broadcaster Maurice Drummond will work as the crew?s sideline reporter throughout the preseason.

?The Rams Broadcast Network has established itself as a leader in sports television programming and we?re thrilled that Rams fans throughout the Midwest will have an opportunity to watch Rams preseason games across the Rams Television Network of affiliates,? said Bob Reif, Rams Executive Vice President of Marketing & Sales/Chief Revenue Officer.

For the fourth-consecutive year, KTVI-TV Channel 2 St. Louis will serve as the flagship station of the Rams? preseason broadcasts. KTVI will air each of the Rams? four preseason contests, beginning with the August 12 preseason opener versus the Indianapolis Colts, which will be available in high-definition.

?We are thrilled to continue a great association with the St. Louis Rams,? said Spencer Koch, President and General Manager for FOX 2 and KPLR 11. ?As always, ?The Home of the Rams? will continue to provide the best coverage for the fans.?

In addition, the Rams Broadcast Network will broadcast the team?s preseason contests on 12 affiliate stations whose signal covers nine states. Fans in parts of Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Oklahoma, Indiana, Kentucky, Kansas, Tennessee and Arkansas will have access to Rams preseason games this season.

Last August, Faulk became the first Ram who played the majority of his career in St. Louis to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was the NFL?s Most Valuable Player in 2000 and won the league?s Offensive Player of the Year award in three consecutive seasons (1999-2001). Faulk was voted to seven Pro Bowls, was a first-team All-Pro three times and a three-time winner of the Daniel F. Reeves Memorial award, which is annually presented to the Rams? team MVP. Since the conclusion of his playing career, Faulk has worked as a studio and game analyst for the NFL Network.

Siciliano serves as the host of ?The Red Zone Channel,? a supplement to DirectTV?s NFL Sunday Ticket which cuts to NFL games to highlight key plays and moments. He also co-hosts ?Total Access? on the NFL Network, a daily show that highlights news across the NFL. Siciliano has previously worked as the play-by-play voice for both the Las Vegas Gladiators and the Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League, and Siciliano has hosted radio shows in Chicago and Los Angeles as well as national shows for Fox Sports Radio. In 1999, he hosted the pregame radio show on the Chicago Bears? radio network.

Tucker was part of the Rams? 2011 preseason broadcast crew as he served as the color commentator for one game. He hosts podcasts for ESPN.com and writes for SportsUSAmedia.com. He also serves as the host of ?The Morning Kickoff? and co-host of ?The Opening Drive? on SIRIUS NFL radio, and he works as a game analyst for the Sports USA Radio Network. In addition, Tucker serves as a studio analyst for NBC Sports Talk and will work eight college games for NBC this fall. Previously, Tucker wrote on-line columns for Sports Illustrated and worked as a NFL game analyst for FOX.

A veteran of seven NFL seasons, Tucker appeared in 42 games with 24 starts from 2001-2007. He enjoyed stints with the Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns. In 2007, he returned to Washington but suffered a career-ending neck injury. Prior to his NFL career, Tucker was an All-Ivy League performer at Princeton.

Drummond is a veteran in the world of television sports with over 20 years of experience, including stops at ESPN and the Golf Channel. He currently works as a sports anchor and reporter at KTVI-Fox 2 in St. Louis.

The preseason contests are being broadcast in conjunction with Altitude Sports & Entertainment. The Denver-based company is the official television network of the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche. In addition, through its partnership with ESPN Syndication and its own broadcast agreements with select conferences, Altitude airs Big 12, Big East, Big Sky, RMAC and WAC basketball, and Big Sky, Big East, WAC, and RMAC football games. Altitude carries local high school football games and regional college basketball games as well as minor league hockey, snow/extreme, and outdoor sports programming.

Below are the RBN affiliates that will air the Rams? preseason games:

Missouri

KTVI-Fox 2 St. Louis

KRBK-Fox Springfield

KMIZ-KQFX Columbia

KFVS-FOX Cape Girardeau, Missouri/Paducah, Kentucky

KFJX-Fox 14 Joplin, Missouri/Pittsburgh, Kansas

KYOU-FOX Ottumwa, Iowa/Kirksville, Missouri

Illinois

WBUI-CW Springfield

WAOE Peoria/Bloomington

KHQA-ABC Quincy/Hannibal, Missouri/Keokuk,Iowa

Indiana

WTVW-ABC Evansville

Oklahoma

KOKH-Fox Oklahoma City

KWTV-CBS Oklahoma City

KTUL-ABC Tulsa

For more information, please contact the Rams? communications department at 314-516-8765

[The_Admiral]

A victory for the non-cynics.

I don't follow.

[STL FANATIC]

A victory for the non-cynics.

I don't follow.

There was a sentiment that the Rams COO was simply blowing smoke with his statement that the Rams network would expand into 8 (turns out 9) states and that if he could back that up at all, it was going to be with the preseason opponents networks and not their own.

In my opinion, that was a cynical perspective.

[Gothamite]

Now, now. There's no need to take swipes at your fellow posters. Focus on their arguments, not them personally.

In other "NFL to LA news", apparently one of my Senators has a plan for keeping the Bills in Western New York after Ralph Wilson passes.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- New York Sen. Charles Schumer says he has a plan to help keep the Buffalo Bills in western New York for the long term.

He's calling Wednesday for the NFL to alter a loan program it has in place to help teams renovate their stadiums so the Bills could access up to $25 million to upgrade Ralph Wilson Stadium.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also is in western New York on Wednesday, to lecture at the Chautauqua Institution. He didn't immediately comment on Schumer's plan.

Though the Bills' 93-year-old owner Ralph Wilson has maintained that he has no intention of selling the team during his lifetime, there's worry in Buffalo about what might happen to the franchise upon his death.

More details to come. Considering that Wilson ain't dead yet, there might not be any real rush to get this done, so could this affect teams like the Rams, Raiders and Chargers in time to keep them in their respective cities?