Gray: Rams Fans Being Ran Through the Wringer (InsideSTL)

[Thordaddy]

Sorry, but I don't think NFL HQ gives a damn about the city of StL or the StL fanbase.

I think that to be pretty well untrue the 32 franchises in the NFL are spread all the way down to the 50th largest metro area, St Louis if it has no franchise and LA gets the Rams would become the largest metro area in the country without an NFL franchise.
Currently we are the 18th largest metro area so that means there are 14 franchises in smaller markets and 18 markets without franchises larger than the leagues smallest that being Jacksonville, a franchise that changed hands about the same time as the Rams and with an owner with significant ties to the St. Louis are, so fwiw I think the St. Louis becomes the leagues fulcrum for leveraging for new stadiums ,not NEARLY as heavy a hammer .
What is more those metro areas between St.l and Jax in size are a sufficient number for a start up league ,something fans may scoff at but always a concern for the people who actually HAVE something to lose,cuz the NFL is all about dat monopoly boss.
Wouldn't it JUST BE sumthin else if Kroenke was thumbing his nose at the league because he was tired of them threatening to move franchises to LA as a threat to get these new stadiums built? Calling their bluff as it were, I'm willing to think outside the box on this since were all just spitballin here.

The current mistrust of the NFL is palpable, if I were a guy wanting to start a new league I can't remember a better moment

 

[Stranger]

Its true I am sure.
I doubt the CEO of Subway cares more about one franchise than another.
The NFL has not been in LA in approaching a quarter of a century, so, there obviously is not a ton of care there either.

I think NFL HQ cares more about the Patriots and Cowboys than they do the Rams.

 

[fearsomefour]

I think NFL HQ cares more about the Patriots and Cowboys than they do the Rams.

Agreed.

 

[MTRamsFan]

You know, the older I get the more I seem to forget. And now I have to forget, again, the 2007-2011 seasons. Great article. I will always be a RAMS fan regardless where they are and their wins/losses. I have a good feeling about the upcoming season and many to come after. IT'S OUR TIME! GO RAMS!

 

[Stranger]

I think that to be pretty well untrue the 32 franchises in the NFL are spread all the way down to the 50th largest metro area, St Louis if it has no franchise and LA gets the Rams would become the largest metro area in the country without an NFL franchise.

I hear your argument, TD, but I'm not sure metropolitan size matters here. I'm too lazy right now to go look up the percentage of franchise revenues coming from local markets, but my guess is that in this age of television & digital media, overall contribution of revenues to the NFL pool are based more upon electronic market reach of each franchise. If I'm right, then I'd argue that LA has more "sex appeal" on the global stage than StL, and therefore will contribute marginally more revenue to the NFL pool.

Also, I'd like to see a ranking of marginal contribution of revenue to the NFL pool by franchise. I realize that the NFL gets a single deal from their TV contract, but there has to be some internal evaluation of each market's value to the overall TV market, and my guess is that StL is in the bottom 1/4 on that list.

With all that said, I'm just spitballin' here.

 

[Mikey Ram]

I've been a Rams fan for over 50 years...I began as a beach bum in the very early 60s...It's way too late in my life to even think about changing my allegiance...I haven't and never will ...It didn't change when they left L.A. and it won't change if they return there...My only regret if it happens is that the good people of St. Louis don't deserve to be fucked over again...If this goes down, I think there is a real good chance they will never see another NFL team there..They deserve better...

 

[bluecoconuts]

I think NFL HQ cares more about the Patriots and Cowboys than they do the Rams.

Patriots and Cowboys make them more money, is there any question why they like them more?

 

[Stranger]

Patriots and Cowboys make them more money, is there any question why they like them more?

well, do they make them more money because they're better promoted, or are they better promoted because they make them more money. And I'm not even including the intangible benefits each team gets, like not being fairly penalized for cheating or getting favorable calls by the refs.

 

[bluecoconuts]

well, do they make them more money because they're better promoted, or are they better promoted because they make them more money. And I'm not even including the intangible benefits each team gets, like not being fairly penalized for cheating or getting favorable calls by the refs.

I think it's both. They had a little success, NFL whored them out, and are now riding that as best as they can, and will continue to do so until they can't. Which is why they'll get more coverage and try to keep them successful if they can.

 

[Mikey Ram]

I think that to be pretty well untrue the 32 franchises in the NFL are spread all the way down to the 50th largest metro area, St Louis if it has no franchise and LA gets the Rams would become the largest metro area in the country without an NFL franchise.
Currently we are the 18th largest metro area so that means there are 14 franchises in smaller markets and 18 markets without franchises larger than the leagues smallest that being Jacksonville, a franchise that changed hands about the same time as the Rams and with an owner with significant ties to the St. Louis are, so fwiw I think the St. Louis becomes the leagues fulcrum for leveraging for new stadiums ,not NEARLY as heavy a hammer .
What is more those metro areas between St.l and Jax in size are a sufficient number for a start up league ,something fans may scoff at but always a concern for the people who actually HAVE something to lose,cuz the NFL is all about dat monopoly boss.
Wouldn't it JUST BE sumthin else if Kroenke was thumbing his nose at the league because he was tired of them threatening to move franchises to LA as a threat to get these new stadiums built? Calling their bluff as it were, I'm willing to think outside the box on this since were all just spitballin here.

The current mistrust of the NFL is palpable, if I were a guy wanting to start a new league I can't remember a better moment

The USFL was a pretty well scripted alternative and the NFL kicked them to the curb in relatively short order...I just can't see a major football league, at least in my lifetime..Of course my lifetime is probably anywhere between a week and a few years...

 

[VegasRam]

50 year fan as well, but in my mind, (GSOT notwithstanding), what the Rams have been since they moved to St Louis is divided into two eras.

Georgia, and Dumb and Dumber, the dumpster fire clusterfuck that was the Rams supposed management, and the post Georgia era, which we are in (a measly three years). So I really don't give a fuck about the never ending stats about what Rams fans have had to endure during the Dark Ages.

And oh btw the way, the Rams were fortunate enough to draft 2, 2 and 1 in the last three years of the lottery that was the NFL draft back then. We are finally out of cap hell!

Three years guys, after literally decades of ineptitude. How about we give the new management ( which it actually is) a chance.

In other words, quit your goddamn whining bitches!:rockon:

(Last sentence in blue- don't know how to do that as part of a post).

 

[RamFan503]

(Last sentence in blue- don't know how to do that as part of a post).

Type what you want, highlight it, forth item from the left on the tool bar above is text color. Click it and choose a color. Or you can just choose a color and then start typing.

 

[VegasRam]

Hate to admit this , but I do not know how to highlite it.
All I get on my iPad mini, which I kinda hate, is select or select all, neither of which highlites a string.

I'm sure I could do it on my PC. I may be old, but I'm not stupid- just ignorant. :banana:

 

[RamFan503]

Hate to admit thi , but I do not know how to highlite it.

Put your cursor (flashing little vertical line) in front of the text you want to highlight, click and hold your left mouse button and "wipe" across the text. It will highlight the text until you release the mouse button. If you selct the wrong text, just click anywhere on the screen and it will un-highlight it.

 

[VegasRam]

See my edit above. It won't do it on the iPad.


Ohfkhfkhfkhfkhfkhfhfkhfkhfkh

Kgdjgsjgsjgdkhfkhfkyfkyfkhck

Ihdkhdjhd.jgdugdigs.jgdjgduhduodhf

 

[RamFan503]

I'll check out my wife's Ipad and see if there's a way unless someone else can help you.

 

[STL-Rams]

Excellent article. And a great summation of why it's tough to get excited about 2015.

Thank you very much, blue4.

 

[STL-Rams]

Thanks, Shane.

No doubt it's tough being a Rams fan these days.

But, got to follow it all through.

For a lot of us, we've dedicated decades of our blood, sweat and tears to this frachise.

Kind of hard to stop now.

You are welcome, and I agree with you that fans should not quit now. Even for those in St. Louis who are troubled by a possible move, the best bet is to support the NFL this fall. Doing otherwise will not help the goal of keeping the Rams in town in some form or another.

 

[STL-Rams]

Wow, a sobering read that really drives home the pain of the last 20 years. What an oasis the GSOT was....just enough nourishment to keeps us suckers alive for another 20 years I guess. Thanks again for the great work Shane.

Thank you, Faceplant. As for the GSOT, I think we all long for those days. What a time that was.

 

[STL-Rams]

Great article as usual Shane. It DOES pee pee me off when anyone disses a fan base when they really have been shown almost no respect. The St Louis fans have demonstrated tremendous support for a really dismal product.

Big thanks, RamFan503. Means a lot. That gets me pretty frustrated, too, as you know. In a word: absurd.