Rams Stadium Saga: Silent Stan Speaks Loudly W/out Saying A Word (101espn)

[Selassie I]

I read somewhere that there's no such thing as integrity in sports journalism anymore. Shane disproves this theory time after time.

Shane, your true journalistic writing style is a breath of fresh air compared to most of what I read coming out of the STL media. I hope you stick to those virtues as you go forward. Big Ups to you Brudda Shane.

 

[Alan]

The Jets & Giants have been sharing a stadium for like 30 years and yes they have both made the playoffs without issue. IMO according to Shane if the league expands they will add two teams in Los Angeles, they will have to make it an even number.

Also if Kroenke was able to benefit financially with another team sharing I don't see that as a problem, I see it as another benefit.

I suppose they could have two games in one day but it seems unwieldy to me.
Shane also talked about sharing the same fan base not being optimal.
I don't think it would be anyone's first choice.

 

[STL-Rams]

@ShaneG - Another stellar article. In a time when it seems sports writers are just mailing it in, you gave a well researched and stated journalistic piece. How refreshing.

Obviously you appreciate the fact that Stan is a very shrewd businessman. The timing of this purchase was not accidental but also is not a move to get out of town. He was instrumental in getting the team to St Louis and I see nothing that he has actually done or said that would indicate that he WANTS to move to LA. But I got the feeling from the very first news of this purchase that he was not happy with the speed of not only the negotiations going on in St Louis but what he has watched as the norm in the NFL.

I think that many in St Louis overlook the benefit of this kind of maneuver by Stan. Everyone complains about not knowing whether the Rams are staying or going and that they just want this whole thing resolved. Stan has made what will probably be the single biggest move to give them just that. My thought was that he is telling the powers that be to either crap or leave the outhouse. He has no intention of waiting for a decade or more to get this thing resolved.

However unlikely, moving the team back to LA is a real possibility. My hope is that the city, county, and state realize this and work to make something happen quickly. They don't need to give away the bank like (IMO) they did to get the Rams there but they need to get serious about helping to build a long term solution that EVERYONE can be proud of. And part of that is to NOT villainizing the team owner in the process. Personally, I think St Louis is very lucky they have Stan as the owner of their team.

Again Shane - thanks.

Enjoyed your well thought out and sensible takes and also want to thank you very, very much for the kind words on the column. Thanks!

 

[STL-Rams]

Thanks for the read Shane. I also do not "have a horse" so to speak.

As soon as I heard the news about the purchase I figured Mr. Kronke had had about enough of the CVC's act and it was time to make a statement. Those who think the other owners won't let him move have some valid points but I dod remember how well they controlled Al Davis and his band of gypsies.

The Rams leaving StL is a real possibility has been for a few years and is even more so now. None of us has any pull one way or the other to stop a guy that is a $10 Billionaire we'll see what happens over the next couple of years. A team competing for division titles and playing winning football will fill a stadium in LA just as easily as they did in StL.

Thank you for the kind words, blackbart. I do indeed believe fully he was making a statement and that statement has certainly been heard.

 

[STL-Rams]

I read somewhere that there's no such thing as integrity in sports journalism anymore. Shane disproves this theory time after time.

Shane, your true journalistic writing style is a breath of fresh air compared to most of what I read coming out of the STL media. I hope you stick to those virtues as you go forward. Big Ups to you Brudda Shane.

What you said means a great deal to me. Thanks, and it's messages like this that drive me to always improve as I go forward -- and I hope to do just that. Hopefully, I will get to put out more content as well as we move forward.

 

[STL-Rams]

Avoiding blackouts does not equal butts in the seats.

I have not seen a game close to capacity in years but that is to be expected with the product they were putting out. I was a little disappointed attendance was not better vs Seattle and SF this year.

There have been a few of late... the Packers game in 2012 (if I remember correctly) and the Bears game last year (to name a couple). BOth admittedly were boosted greatly by opposing fans, particularly vs. Chicago.

 

[STL-Rams]

Great as always Shane.

On a side note. Looks like the NFL owes Georgia a great big thank you for her paving the way for the NFL to keep propping the LA market up as relocation bait.

They fought her tooth and nail to keep the Rams in LA.

Now the LA market is the NFL's play toy.

Big thanks, EastRam!

 

[STL-Rams]

Thanks for posting the article, Shane. Always a good read. This was well done.

I know the league continues to talk about football in LA... And for the fans there I HOPE IT HAPPENS! But, do you think deep down the NFL sees LA as a money maker WITHOUT a team?

How many new stadiums have been built because of the threat of LA?

I'm not directing these questions at Shane, as you may not want to go there. Just to the general group... It seems to me LA is "being used".

Thankis for that, CGI_Ram. As for the L.A. question, it has undeniably been a money maker AND a stadium builder for the league. On top of that, they get to show the top games there each week (equates to strong ratings) in the nation's #2 market. As for stadiums built, there have been several that have at least had some measure of assistance in getting constructed due to that threat.

 

[STL-Rams]

Hey @ShaneG -

Did you happen to see this part of JT's Q&A? If so, do you think there is any real substance to it? It was troubling to me but maybe it's nothing or a smoke screen.

I did see this, but most of the time these things get moving and done at the last minute. In addition, there isn't much of a groundswell to spend public money for stadiums anywhere in the current USA.

 

[STL-Rams]

Hi Shane, more good work keep it up.
I appreciate it.

Keep us informed as things go my friend.

Take Care.

Thanks, Rambitious1, and I will do my best to do that. Take care.

 

[STL-Rams]

The money is LA is massive, the population is massive, LA Superbowls would be a given and huge (I am disappointed St Louis did not get a SB after the dome was built).
All of that said the biggest thing getting in the way of LA getting back in the NFL game is LA. If anything the politics and division is worse than 10 years ago.
If I am to be honest I would love the Rams to back to LA, but, at the end of the day I don't see it happening.
St Louis cannot be arrogant about it though.

I basically agree with all of this. Great post.

 

[STL-Rams]

I believe the STL metro area will chip in for the new stadium. State legislature won't do much as it's run by people from outside the metro area and they don't like STL much!

The STL metro is always in play, and the metro is in and of itself leverage Stan can use in relation to the city. He could go build a sprawling complex near Earth CIty, for example, with a huge development.

 

[STL-Rams]

This is why I think, contrary to opinions of others, that a team (not necessarily the Rams) is going to move to L.A. rather than L.A. getting an expansion team.

With an expansion teams, it's the local politicians who need to get organized. With a move, it's just the team's owner.

That's a good point, however, there would still need to be much political organization for that to be pulled off as well. Not a ton different than expansion in that regard, as you would still have to work through various issues with said owner(s) of expansion team(s). In addition, we are still talking over $2 billion for a team to move, build a venue, etc rather than to work it out (likely with more public support plus the NFL G4 program) at home.

 

[Boffo97]

That's a good point, however, there would still need to be much political organization for that to be pulled off as well. Not a ton different than expansion in that regard, as you would still have to work through various issues with said owner(s) of expansion team(s). In addition, we are still talking over $2 billion for a team to move, build a venue, etc rather than to work it out (likely with more public support plus the NFL G4 program) at home.

I just think the wayward children that are California politicians will behave themselves more with a grownup like Stan (or another owner) around than on their own.

 

[iced]

That's a good point, however, there would still need to be much political organization for that to be pulled off as well. Not a ton different than expansion in that regard, as you would still have to work through various issues with said owner(s) of expansion team(s). In addition, we are still talking over $2 billion for a team to move, build a venue, etc rather than to work it out (likely with more public support plus the NFL G4 program) at home.

plainly put, this is exactly why I don't see the Rams moving back to LA. And it really costs more than $2 billion to move when you add in the assistances kroenke wouldn't be getting by moving (tax breaks, the G4 loan program)

 

[LesBaker]

Shane I'm curious......how well are TV ratings doing in the LA metro area for the NFL. I also wonder how many subscribers of Sunday Ticket are in that market.

Can you get any info n that stuff......

I'd like to echo the sentiments of others, you're doing great work while other guys seemingly barely care.

Thanks.

 

[STL-Rams]

I just think the wayward children that are California politicians will behave themselves more with a grownup like Stan (or another owner) around than on their own.

Yes, but who is to see that an expansion ownership group -- people who could be from anywhere on the planet -- might not be very good to deal with it?

 

[STL-Rams]

Shane I'm curious......how well are TV ratings doing in the LA metro area for the NFL. I also wonder how many subscribers of Sunday Ticket are in that market.

Can you get any info n that stuff......

I'd like to echo the sentiments of others, you're doing great work while other guys seemingly barely care.

Thanks.

Ratings in L.A. have been pretty good at last check, in recent years. Keep in mind, having no team there, they get the top rated games (both early and late) each week. Also, thanks for the wonderful words, Les. Means a lot.

 

[LesBaker]

Ratings in L.A. have been pretty good at last check, in recent years. Keep in mind, having no team there, they get the top rated games (both early and late) each week. Also, thanks for the wonderful words, Les. Means a lot.

Good point they get the primo games.

So WTF is with this board.......too cheap to give you your name you have to use STL-Rams? Someone needs to get PHX to fix that shit.

 

[STL-Rams]

Good point they get the primo games.

So WTF is with this board.......too cheap to give you your name you have to use STL-Rams? Someone needs to get PHX to fix that crap.

Les, that was my fault on the name if I remember correctly, not theirs. I will see about getting that changed. Thanks.