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07.14.2008 5:04 pm

After Anheuser-Busch, should we brace for the NFL Rams’ departure?

St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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The SportsBusiness Journal reports today that the St. Louis Rams “have hired an investment bank to find a group of possible buyers; the Jacksonville Jaguars are once again testing the market; and well-publicized infighting among the five Rooney brothers could imperil their family’s 75-year-ownership of the Pittsburgh Steelers.”

Does it mean that we should be steeling ourselves for another blow to civic pride?

Our follow-up story, which says that Chip Rosenbloom is insisting that the team is not for sale, also notes the following:

Chip Rosenbloom and his sister, Lucia Rodriguez, split the 60 percent ownership they inherited when their mother, Georia Frontiere, died Jan. 18 at age 80 after a lengthy battle with breast cancer. Stan Kroenke retained his 40 percent share of the team. The NFL requires all teams to designate a managing partner, and Rosenbloom is filling that role.

Rosenbloom has been steadfast in declaring his desire to keep the Rams in St. Louis. But his comments never have dismissed the possibility of a sale, presumably to an individual or a group that would agree not to relocate.

On April 25, in his first public appearance here since assuming his new duties, Rosenbloom told reporters at Rams Park, “I think that St. Louis is a great home for the Rams. I think St. Louis is as committed to the Rams as the Rams are committed to St. Louis.”

In May, Yahoo Sports quoted former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo as saying, “Georgia’s kids have decided to sell the team. I’ve talked to some people who are brokering things, and they’ve told me about the price and what the deal might entail.”

We’ve talked about this topic before, but this is a new development. Is it a development worth worrying about? Are we headed down a path that’s likely to end up in the team’s departure from the Gateway City? Or are the players sincere in wanting to keep the Rams here?

84 comments

Comments are closed.

I got the matches headcheese, just say when and where!

— Nero in Rome
10:40 am July 15th, 2008

I don’t see how the Rams are going to stay here. They will require a new stadium that will cost in the neighborhood of a billion dollars once the “out” clause in their lease kicks in seven years from now. I like football, and I hate to see them move, but I could NEVER vote for a billion dollar (or even close in price) stadium. I’ll cheer for them while they’re here, but they are as good as gone in 2015.

— Gary
10:42 am July 15th, 2008

Nero, if i honestly answered your question, they would probably kick me off this site. reading all this negative stuff the past few days makes me feel so low an ant could piss on me.

— headcheese
10:47 am July 15th, 2008

Here’s my take: Chip is not interested in football. He has lived his entire life in Hollywood with very wealthy parents. By default, he has called himself a “producer” like all rich kids in Hollywood. Suddenly he has something that’s worth a vast sum of money that he doesn’t want. What would you do in his situation? His entire life has been chasing the movie deal (and young starlets - just like his dad (a “Chip” off the old block as it were)). With control of the RAMS, he now has the clout to meet with the studio moguls who can make movie deals. Studio moguls who dream of owning an NFL team. Studio mogul and Chip make a deal. Studio mogul buys the team and Chip is now partner in a studio and “produce” all the movies he could ever dream of producing. Now do you think Hollywoood mogul wants a team in St. Louis? No. Hollywood mogul wants a team in LA. ‘Nuff said.

— sdp
10:58 am July 15th, 2008

headcheese,
All the news lately can be depressing. All the negative talk yesterday irrates me as well in regards to AB. The boycotting of AB products will only hurt the employees here in STL and no one else. Even if Inbev did not buy AB the cuts were going to happen anyway. We need to keep what jobs we can and impress on Inbev this is a great place to do business and eventually add jobs. AB was very successful for decades here no reason Inbev cannot be more successful.
It is TIME the civic and business leaders in this town step up and do SOMETHING! to improve the business climate in this town. We need to start by eliminating the 90+ municipalities in the county so we can work together instead of against one another. We need to work as one instead of the city versus the county and all these municipalities looking out for their self serving interests instead of the good of the whole. The parts will not survive if the whole does not.
Come on Civic Progress step forward and be proactive. I cannot tell you the last time they did something positive for this town.

Brito is in town today, ask him what it will take to move the global headquarters here, if you don’t ask he cannot say yes. It maybe a longshot but you can’t win the lottery if you don’t buy a ticket.

sorry I got way off topic but I had just had too vent.

— kdunlap
11:08 am July 15th, 2008

This is the best news I’ve gotten all week. Bye Rams!

— Excited
11:22 am July 15th, 2008

kdunlap, i couldn’t have said it better. if we mire ourselves in negativity, we will have nothing but a self-fulling prophecy of decline. your right, we need to get rid of all these little municipalities. they are a joke and corrupt as all hell.

— headcheese
11:23 am July 15th, 2008

kdunlap, I can’t disagree with you, but unfortunately the spoiled brats of groups like Civic Progress would rather further their own little agendas than make us a true regional community. We are stuck with it, we just need to figure out how to work it better…

— Nero in Rome
11:40 am July 15th, 2008

After Hazelwood Ford, Fenton Chrysler and St. Louis AB who really gives a rat’s rear end if the Rams leave?

— mike
11:46 am July 15th, 2008

Voter,

“We spend huge amounts of tax money to kiss up to businesses thinking about moving into the City, but what do we do to help the businesses already here?”

What about the citizens of the city as well. I’m sure this stupid, antiquated Earnings Tax is driving away some as well. Don’t forget the nearly 10% sales tax when you dine in the city.

When will St. Louis realize, taxing people to death only drives them away

— AJ
11:52 am July 15th, 2008

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