New: Latest on Kroenke, Rams and NFL in STL

[RamBill]

Jason Cole on Rams’ Future: Odds ‘Looking Stronger and Stronger’ They’ll Move to LA

Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole this week was at the NFL owners meetings in San Francisco, where the two Los Angeles stadium projects and the future of three teams was a big topic of conversation. Cole popped in on Prime Time with Joe Roderick and Willie Springer on Thursday to talk about the situation and where he thinks the Rams will call home in the future.

Listen to Cole Talk Rams & Stadium Situations

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KTLA in Los Angeles reported yesterday that it will be announced in August the Rams are moving to LA. Thoughts?

"I talked to the NFL, one source in Southern California, one source in St. Louis, and all those say that's not happening. That's not to say the Rams won't go back. But the timing of it...with it being in August, it sort of doesn't make a lot of sense when the league has final say over the approval and the time period by which you can apply for that relocation doesn't happen until the end of the season. So for that to happen, the team is going to have to step out and break protocol. That's not the way teams are trying to do this. Even (Stan Kroenke) is not trying to go rogue...because he does need the NFL to be on his side. They're having a meeting in August. All three of my sources say it's dead wrong. And furthermore, if they're announcing this in August...you're going to be able to count your fans (in St. Louis) on one hand. And it's too late to go play somewhere (temporarily in California). Now will the Rams eventually move to LA? I think the odds are looking stronger and stronger that yes they will."

On the latest with the St. Louis stadium plan:

"I think St. Louis is pretty far along with its plan and has a decent idea of its financing. It's probably about the same as what San Diego has got. But the difference in cost in San Diego and cost in St. Louis is pretty significant. I always thought St. Louis had a strong chance because of their aggressiveness and because they believe that they need to have that football team as part of the sports landscape in that city. As opposed to say Oakland and San Diego, which has shown no keen interest in keeping their teams and much stronger. Ultimately, Stan Kroenke's going to do what Stank Kroenke wants to do. And if that's take his team to LA and try to turn it into a $3 billion asset, that's a hard thing to walk away from."

What do you make of Raiders owner Mark Davis saying he wouldn't move to St. Louis?

"They were pretty strong (comments). Not the strongest position I'd take for leverage if that's what he's trying to get. But I think they were honest. I think he does not want to take his team to St. Louis. It's a California team. That's the sentimental value for him because that's where he's lived his entire life. St. Louis is not on his mind...But things can always change if push comes to shove and if he's ever in a position where he's forced to sell. He's maintaining...he already owns 47 percent of the team. So everybody who says there's going to be an inheritance issue for him upon his mother's passing, that's not the case."


http://www.insidestl.com/insideSTLc...-Stronger-and-Stronger-Theyll-Move-to-LA.aspx

 

[RAMSinLA]

"they've got nothing substantial going there."

Yeah I didn't understand that comment. I don't think he has been paying very close attention with a line like that...

 

[ChrisW]

"they've got nothing substantial going there."

Yeah I didn't understand that comment. I don't think he has been paying very close attention with a line like that...

Exactly. St. Louis is a court decision and 40% of the land away from being neck and neck with Kroenke. If you classify the work Peacock and Blitz have done to this point as non-substantial, then you haven't been paying attention.

 

[Legatron4]

Well. That's it then I guess. Fuck.

 

[RamBill]

Could Backroom Politics Help Keep the Rams in St. Louis?
Andrew Brandt joined Kevin Wheeler to talk about deflategate and why Kraft stood down from his appeal, what’s next for Tom Brady, and then they got into a lengthy discussion about LA. They discussed the backroom politics and how it will affect Kroenke, the NFL’s motive to get to LA, how this situation will be handled going forward.

Listen to Brandt Talk Rams-NFL

 

[Hacksaw]

That's a very damning article. Who is this guy Marks?

Or has the spin begun?

 

[ChrisW]

That's a very damning article. Who is this guy Marks?

Or has the spin begun?

He's a pundit on NFL Networks morning show.

This is the first time I've heard his name in this argument. I don't know how connected he is to the situation. But he did quote "reading the tea leaves", which is a wild guess at best.

 

[Hacksaw]

He's a pundit on NFL Networks morning show.

This is the first time I've heard his name in this argument. I don't know how connected he is to the situation. But he did quote "reading the tea leaves", which is a wild guess at best.

I've noticed since the meetings the slant at the NFL Network is pro Rams-LA, so that makes sense.

 

[RamBill]

Bernie Responds to the Cole Interview

Good grief ...

Jason Cole is a friend, but I have to admit he's been all over the map on this thing. Seriously. He was saying something opposite of that a week ago.

Jason LaConfora had the Rams gone, now he's leading the charge on how the league will go with Chargers-Raiders Carson.

These national NFL media guys who report from a web-site platform are really under a lot of pressure to make news and get clicks.

Here's what doesn't get clicks: a pundit or columnist who writes a piece saying, "It's a complicated situation, with many variables, and I have no idea how it will end."

Which happens to be the truth.

But that isn't much of a click generator, is it?

-B

 

[RAGRam]

Bernie Responds to the Cole Interview

Good grief ...

Jason Cole is a friend, but I have to admit he's been all over the map on this thing. Seriously. He was saying something opposite of that a week ago.

Jason LaConfora had the Rams gone, now he's leading the charge on how the league will go with Chargers-Raiders Carson.

These national NFL media guys who report from a web-site platform are really under a lot of pressure to make news and get clicks.

Here's what doesn't get clicks: a pundit or columnist who writes a piece saying, "It's a complicated situation, with many variables, and I have no idea how it will end."

Which happens to be the truth.

But that isn't much of a click generator, is it?

-B

Well said Bernie (did I really just say that? ) when there's a report one minute saying that Carson is in the lead, then the next minute saying that Rams to LA is a done deal, then a third report collaborates the second reporter's story, then the second reporter changes his mind, and the first reporter changes his mind ad nauseam it indicates that no one has any idea what they're talking about.

If there's one thing I've learnt during this entire saga it's don't let yourself get too high on one report and too low on another.

 

[Young Ram]

 

[bluecoconuts]

"they've got nothing substantial going there."

Yeah I didn't understand that comment. I don't think he has been paying very close attention with a line like that...

Maybe he doesn't believe in the funding? It was strange, I wish they would have followed up on that statement.

 

[8to12]

So basically we can't even enjoy the Rams winning this year?

No one is stopping you

 

[beej]

A lot of these reporters (using that term loosely) have money on the line. Losing a team or gaining one affects their jobs. It's hard to believe anything any of them say.

Even when one of them says, "I'm hearing..." it could be that the reason they are hearing what they are reporting is that they are ignoring what they don't want to hear. It's happening in STL and LA in my opinion.

 

[bluecoconuts]

A lot of these reporters (using that term loosely) have money on the line. Losing a team or gaining one affects their jobs. It's hard to believe anything any of them say.

Even when one of them says, "I'm hearing..." it could be that the reason they are hearing what they are reporting is that they are ignoring what they don't want to hear. It's happening in STL and LA in my opinion.

In St Louis maybe for the newer guys. I don't think JT or Bernie have anything to worry about. National media guys certainly don't, and neither do Los Angeles reporters in all likeliness. Guys who are new into reporting on the team might have a job on the line, but that's probably it.

 

[blue4]

No one is stopping you

That's like saying no one is stopping you from having fun at a party with your girlfriend except that the cops and your parents are there. Sure, technically no one is stopping you, but in reality they are indeed stopping you.

 

[The Ripper]

Exactly. St. Louis is a court decision and 40% of the land away from being neck and neck with Kroenke. If you classify the work Peacock and Blitz have done to this point as non-substantial, then you haven't been paying attention.

The substantial comment was in regards to SD and Oakland. Wyche said nothing concrete for St Louis. The financials aren't finalized and are still weak. Asking for all the PSL money and 250 owner contribution is too much. The max should have been 1/2 of PSL's and only 200 million from the owner. The other thing that hasn't been addressed is who is responsible for the shortfalls and what are the revenues to the team. The amount of public money that has been offered is way too low at this point which is ridiculous but we're dealing with the NFL.

 

[RamBill]

Bernie: Expect mixed results from NFL study
• By Bernie Miklasz

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colu...cle_316f3dc9-0019-541a-8167-8a2dcc459582.html

The NFL soon will give the results of a market analysis to St. Louis stadium task force leaders Dave Peacock and Bob Blitz. The league commissioned the study earlier this year to assess the support for NFL football in St. Louis, Oakland and San Diego, three NFL cities that are trying to prevent their franchises from moving to Los Angeles in 2016.

I’m told the St. Louis analysis will feature a generally positive assessment of the fan support here, including the potential success in the sale of personal seat licenses to help fund the cost of the proposed riverfront stadium.

But we can expect the report to convey concerns over the financial backing the Rams (or perhaps another NFL team) can expect to receive from the St. Louis business-corporate community. And this could be a problem.

How much of a problem? Well, that’s up to the NFL. As I’ve written many times, the league will do what it wants to do in determining the future of these three franchises. That also applies to the market research.

Let’s clear one thing up: St. Louis has a strong corporate-business base.

In 2014 St. Louis ranked 13th nationally among urban areas with 18 Fortune 1000 companies. As for being the home of the largest privately held companies in the nation, St. Louis was tied for fifth nationally with seven.

That’s a lot of financial muscle.

“I like to deal in fact and data,” Peacock said earlier this year. “The facts are half of the NFL teams play in cities with less Fortune 1000 companies than St. Louis has. We have seven of the top 200 private companies in the country.

“From just an economic standpoint, about 13 (NFL) teams play in cities with a smaller GDP (economy) than St. Louis. So it’s hard for me to say we don’t have the business support or the capability of business support.”

So what’s the issue?

The answer is obvious: Rams owner Stan Kroenke and his alienation of St. Louis.

St. Louis has plenty of businesses and companies to enrich the NFL product by leasing luxury suites, buying expensive club seats and signing on as sponsors.

In separate letters to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, two powerful local entities — the Regional Business Council and Civic Progress — pledged complete support for the stadium and the team.

As part of the market analysis, NFL representatives reached out to CEOs and high-level executives of local companies to gauge their interest in suites, club seats and sponsorships.

Apparently the NFL received lukewarm responses.

Realistically, what would you expect?

The Rams have had 11 consecutive non-winning seasons and haven’t made the playoffs since 2004. The Rams aren’t exactly a hot product.

And then you have Kroenke, who has done nothing personally to establish a rapport with the CEOs and executives who run the influential companies and control the dollars. Kroenke is a dues-paying member of Civic Progress, but he’s never attended a meeting. Kroenke hasn’t responded to calls made by some of the most powerful business executives in town.

On top of all of this is Kroenke’s attempt to build a stadium near Los Angeles and move the Rams there — while refusing to have as much as a single conversation with Peacock or Blitz on the STL stadium proposal.

I think I can understand why a major CEO — after being shunned by the Rams owner — would be less than thrilled with the idea of spending a large sum of money to pad Kroenke’s wealth.

But that doesn’t mean these executives would dig in and refuse to help Peacock and Blitz convince the NFL of our market’s viability.

A source close to Peacock told me he is aware of the NFL’s concern over the business-corporate backing — and he’s prepared to deal with it directly. How? By making a concerted effort to rally the CEOs and executives to get them to commit to the suites, club seats and sponsorships.

Peacock is well connected in the St. Louis business community. His reach extends to the highest levels. And as we’ve learned, the persuasive Peacock knows how to get things done.

If the NFL wants to see more evidence of business-corporate support for the Rams — and yes, Kroenke — Peacock will make it happen. This is just another potential obstacle to clear, and he’ll swing into action.

----------

Kudos and best of luck to Rams defensive end Chris Long, who is always ready to support charitable causes in St. Louis and elsewhere. Long has launched the Chris Long Foundation to raise money for “Waterboys,” which is dedicated to building wells for impoverished communities in East Africa. Long was inspired to help after observing the horrific poverty and lack of access to clean water during a visit to East Africa.

NFL pundits are swerving all over the map in trying to predict the outcome of the Los Angeles sweepstakes involving the Rams, Chargers and Raiders. Jason La Confora of CBS Sports wrote that the Chargers-Raiders project in Carson is gaining momentum and has the best chance of winning the race to LA.

Maybe. Maybe not. The truth: No one really knows. But how would Kroenke react to being shut out of the LA market? According to La Confora, Kroenke “has rubbed the league office the wrong way.” But if the NFL won’t let him move, Kroenke “has shown willingness to go rogue,” La Confora says. “And that could be a precursor to an ugly legal fight.”

Interesting hire by Rams coach Jeff Fisher, bringing in former NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia as an offensive assistant. Earlier this offseason the Rams promoted Frank Cignetti to offensive coordinator and hired Chris Weinke as the new QB coach. The smart and opinionated Garcia brings another new voice to the offensive side, and that meeting room could get a little crowded. Hey, whatever it takes to get quarterback Nick Foles ready to have a good season.

 

[ChrisW]

The substantial comment was in regards to SD and Oakland. Wyche said nothing concrete for St Louis. The financials aren't finalized and are still weak. Asking for all the PSL money and 250 owner contribution is too much. The max should have been 1/2 of PSL's and only 200 million from the owner. The other thing that hasn't been addressed is who is responsible for the shortfalls and what are the revenues to the team. The amount of public money that has been offered is way too low at this point which is ridiculous but we're dealing with the NFL.

This is literally what the negotiations are for. We haven't heard any updates on how it's going to be split up, so possibly it's changed.

The comment from Wyche literally says "St. Louis....nothing substantial going on." How can that be about SD and Oakland?

 

[8to12]

That's like saying no one is stopping you from having fun at a party with your girlfriend except that the cops and your parents are there. Sure, technically no one is stopping you, but in reality they are indeed stopping you.

With all due respect, I can't relate to what you are saying. The original poster is not a resident of Missouri, correct? If so, for someone not to enjoy a team they love have a winning seasons and a trip to the playoffs is beyond me.