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CVC Questions Rams London Game Plans;
Kroenke in Round 2 of Bidding for Dodgers
Howard Balzer
http://www.101espn.com/category/hbalzer ... ame-Plans/
UPDATED BELOW: Sat. Jan. 28
It’s been 11 days since the Rams introduced Jeff Fisher as the team’s next head coach.
Since then, Fisher has officially added three coaches and is believed to have agreements with several more. Interviews for a general manager are expected to begin this weekend when Arizona Cardinals director of player personnel Steve Keim meets with Fisher and club executive Kevin Demoff.
However, every positive step on the football side of the ledger is being overshadowed by the looming negotiations between the team and the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission (CVC) concerning the lease to play games in the Edward Jones Dome.
During those 11 days, the Rams announced they would play a “home” game in London for each of the next three years, the final one coinciding with what could be the expiration of the team’s lease if no agreement is reached.
Then, stories leaked that Rams owner Stan Kroenke was exploring whether to make a bid for the Los Angeles Dodgers. That story had little bearing on Los Angeles because there were 10 known bidders for the franchise.
But, it once again raised eyebrows in St. Louis where a patient and passionate fan base wonders what Kroenke’s end game might be (see below).
Amid that atmosphere, the CVC decided to fire a questionable volley of its own Friday afternoon, just five days before it is scheduled to deliver a proposal to the Rams in regards to the portion of the lease that requires the Dome to be in the first tier (25 percent) of NFL stadiums.
The CVC sent a statement to the media, saying, “Having the Rams play a game in London will elevate an awareness of St. Louis on the global stage, much as the Saint Louis Symphony’s upcoming tour will do.
“That said, our lease with the Rams requires that the Rams play all their home games in the Edward Jones Dome. We immediately brought this to the Rams’ attention and are awaiting their reply.”
Several hours later, the Rams answered with a statement of their own, saying, “We think that playing in London is great for the Rams and great for St. Louis. We are in talks with the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission, which is also the region's chief marketing group, about how to make the most of this opportunity.
“As the CVC said today, this will ‘elevate an awareness of St. Louis on the global stage.’ We look forward to having amicable and meaningful dialogue with the CVC on many issues and believe those conversations should remain between the parties.”
While Kroenke has been criticized for saying little about his commitment to St. Louis, Demoff has been consistent in his message that the goal is to come to an agreement that is good for the Rams and the city. The CVC had been totally silent until Friday.
The Rams do have a difficult task in trying to convince anyone that losing a home game is “great for St. Louis.” Conversely, the CVC’s decision to go public with the issue and compare the Rams to the Symphony seems meant only to antagonize.
After all, what would the CVC plan to do to the Rams for violating the lease? Evict them?
UPDATE
Meanwhile, a day after the statement exchange, word came from Los Angeles that Kroenke has advanced to the second round in bidding for the Dodgers. Earlier in the week, it was reported that Kroenke was exploring whether to bid. The latest report indicates he obviously has.
The Dodgers did not reveal who had advanced and who didn’t, but they did release a statement that said “the round of preliminary bidding has been completed successfully.”
The Los Angeles Times reported that at least eight of the interested groups have advanced with those eliminated being groups led by Mark Cuban, Dennis Gilbert and Steve Garvey/Orel Hershiser.
Those reported to have advanced in addition to Kroenke were groups led by Magic Johnson/Stan Kasten, Joe Torre/Rick Caruso, Peter O’Malley, Stanley Gold and Steven Cohen.
There is an April 30 deadline for owner Frank McCourt to sell the team, and he has said he will reveal the winning bidder by April 1. ESPN’s Buster Olney reported that the bidding is more than $1.2 billion, while Jon Heyman of CBS Sports said at least one bid is in the vicinity of $1.5 billion. Some have speculated the price tag could reach $2 billion.
Were Kroenke to emerge as the owner, he couldn’t also own the Rams as long as they are in St. Louis. However, league cross-ownership rules would allow him to own both if they played in the same city.
NFL spokesperson Greg Aiello told profootballtalk.com when asked about the possibility of Kroenke buying the Dodgers and a team other than the Rams relocating to Los Angeles, “We have not been presented with any proposal to evaluate. Thus, we will refrain from speculating.”
Of course, that doesn’t mean others won’t speculate.
While two groups are vying to build a football stadium in Los Angeles, nothing has yet been finalized. What’s intriguing however are comments made to nfl.com several months ago by SportsCorp president Marc Ganis, who coincidentally was a consultant for the Rams when they moved here in 1995.
Ganis believes the locations currently in play for a new stadium are not the best. And what is? Said Ganis, "The location in Los Angeles was, is, and likely will remain Chavez Ravine (where the Dodgers play). All the necessary infrastructure is there, stadium activity already takes place 81 days a year there, so adding 10 is not a big issue. Union Station is so close, and parking space is relatively close to that, so you can utilize downtown parking. No businesses or residences need to be displaced. It was, is and will remain the best, but politically, it remains a challenge."
Kroenke in Round 2 of Bidding for Dodgers
Howard Balzer
http://www.101espn.com/category/hbalzer ... ame-Plans/
UPDATED BELOW: Sat. Jan. 28
It’s been 11 days since the Rams introduced Jeff Fisher as the team’s next head coach.
Since then, Fisher has officially added three coaches and is believed to have agreements with several more. Interviews for a general manager are expected to begin this weekend when Arizona Cardinals director of player personnel Steve Keim meets with Fisher and club executive Kevin Demoff.
However, every positive step on the football side of the ledger is being overshadowed by the looming negotiations between the team and the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission (CVC) concerning the lease to play games in the Edward Jones Dome.
During those 11 days, the Rams announced they would play a “home” game in London for each of the next three years, the final one coinciding with what could be the expiration of the team’s lease if no agreement is reached.
Then, stories leaked that Rams owner Stan Kroenke was exploring whether to make a bid for the Los Angeles Dodgers. That story had little bearing on Los Angeles because there were 10 known bidders for the franchise.
But, it once again raised eyebrows in St. Louis where a patient and passionate fan base wonders what Kroenke’s end game might be (see below).
Amid that atmosphere, the CVC decided to fire a questionable volley of its own Friday afternoon, just five days before it is scheduled to deliver a proposal to the Rams in regards to the portion of the lease that requires the Dome to be in the first tier (25 percent) of NFL stadiums.
The CVC sent a statement to the media, saying, “Having the Rams play a game in London will elevate an awareness of St. Louis on the global stage, much as the Saint Louis Symphony’s upcoming tour will do.
“That said, our lease with the Rams requires that the Rams play all their home games in the Edward Jones Dome. We immediately brought this to the Rams’ attention and are awaiting their reply.”
Several hours later, the Rams answered with a statement of their own, saying, “We think that playing in London is great for the Rams and great for St. Louis. We are in talks with the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission, which is also the region's chief marketing group, about how to make the most of this opportunity.
“As the CVC said today, this will ‘elevate an awareness of St. Louis on the global stage.’ We look forward to having amicable and meaningful dialogue with the CVC on many issues and believe those conversations should remain between the parties.”
While Kroenke has been criticized for saying little about his commitment to St. Louis, Demoff has been consistent in his message that the goal is to come to an agreement that is good for the Rams and the city. The CVC had been totally silent until Friday.
The Rams do have a difficult task in trying to convince anyone that losing a home game is “great for St. Louis.” Conversely, the CVC’s decision to go public with the issue and compare the Rams to the Symphony seems meant only to antagonize.
After all, what would the CVC plan to do to the Rams for violating the lease? Evict them?
UPDATE
Meanwhile, a day after the statement exchange, word came from Los Angeles that Kroenke has advanced to the second round in bidding for the Dodgers. Earlier in the week, it was reported that Kroenke was exploring whether to bid. The latest report indicates he obviously has.
The Dodgers did not reveal who had advanced and who didn’t, but they did release a statement that said “the round of preliminary bidding has been completed successfully.”
The Los Angeles Times reported that at least eight of the interested groups have advanced with those eliminated being groups led by Mark Cuban, Dennis Gilbert and Steve Garvey/Orel Hershiser.
Those reported to have advanced in addition to Kroenke were groups led by Magic Johnson/Stan Kasten, Joe Torre/Rick Caruso, Peter O’Malley, Stanley Gold and Steven Cohen.
There is an April 30 deadline for owner Frank McCourt to sell the team, and he has said he will reveal the winning bidder by April 1. ESPN’s Buster Olney reported that the bidding is more than $1.2 billion, while Jon Heyman of CBS Sports said at least one bid is in the vicinity of $1.5 billion. Some have speculated the price tag could reach $2 billion.
Were Kroenke to emerge as the owner, he couldn’t also own the Rams as long as they are in St. Louis. However, league cross-ownership rules would allow him to own both if they played in the same city.
NFL spokesperson Greg Aiello told profootballtalk.com when asked about the possibility of Kroenke buying the Dodgers and a team other than the Rams relocating to Los Angeles, “We have not been presented with any proposal to evaluate. Thus, we will refrain from speculating.”
Of course, that doesn’t mean others won’t speculate.
While two groups are vying to build a football stadium in Los Angeles, nothing has yet been finalized. What’s intriguing however are comments made to nfl.com several months ago by SportsCorp president Marc Ganis, who coincidentally was a consultant for the Rams when they moved here in 1995.
Ganis believes the locations currently in play for a new stadium are not the best. And what is? Said Ganis, "The location in Los Angeles was, is, and likely will remain Chavez Ravine (where the Dodgers play). All the necessary infrastructure is there, stadium activity already takes place 81 days a year there, so adding 10 is not a big issue. Union Station is so close, and parking space is relatively close to that, so you can utilize downtown parking. No businesses or residences need to be displaced. It was, is and will remain the best, but politically, it remains a challenge."
