U-T San Diego columnist Kevin Acee joined The Ryan Kelley Morning After Wednesday to talk about San Diego’s stadium situation and how it relates to the Chargers’ and Rams’ future and the relocation saga in Los Angeles. Acee says Spanos has the Votes to Block Stan Kroenke from moving the Rams to LA.
Listen to Acee Interview
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People monitoring situation in San Diego as it relates to the Rams future. What's the latest with the Chargers and San Diego and any public vote?
"The mayor says 'We can do this, September 15, mail only ballot.' That's just not the case. There's still a lot to work out between the city and the Chargers. The Chargers have to agree what the city's asking. And that's not going to happen. It's getting close to me saying the Chargers are gone."
Could Chargers get into business with Kroenke?
"That could happen. They haven't talked recently about that happening. There's still so much to decide. There's probably going to be two teams there. But no one wants to be the second team. San Diego's only chance (of keeping the Chargers) is that (a team doesn't move to LA in 2016). Their only chance is to slow Kroenke's role (and hope to make quick progress on getting a new stadium built)."
More on not wanting to be the second team to move to the LA market:
"Unless the NFL can convince that second team...that they'll take care of them. You just don't want to be the second team in the market. It's going to be hard as it is. I haven't heard anybody say it'd be OK to be the second team (to go to LA)."
Does Dean Spanos want to move his Chargers there?
"Complicated question. I would say he wants to stay in San Diego. Always has. It's been a long time of the team 'trying.' They're the ones who has pushed the agenda. But the city hasn't done a darn thing until recently. And in that time...Dean Spanos got frustrated. So he's turned his attention to Los Angeles. He'd like to stay in San Diego. But (it's like a) marriage where the wife tells the husband forever he's got to change. And he doesn't. But eventually he did, and she still loves him. But in the mean time, she met a flashy guy up the road, she had an affair with him."
Do you think the other NFL owners look at St. Louis' situation and think the NFL and Kroenke are bargaining in good faith with the city?
"I think the owners have a good idea of what's happening in St. Louis. I think they're going to do. As of right now, I don't know the Rams have the support to go to Los Angeles. I don't know the Chargers for sure have the support to go to Los Angeles. I think they do. I'm positive the Chargers have the votes to block the Rams from going to Los Angeles. I've talked to a lot of people - including owners - who assures me Dean Spanos has the votes to block Stan Kroenke. I am told by several people I trust...that there is support for Dean Spanos to block Stan Kroenke from going this year. That's something Dean Spanos has worked very, very hard for...is making sure he's got that support."
More on owners and Kroenke:
"The guys are going to do whatever they want. I think about Robert Kraft and what he did with losing the draft picks and him just accepting the punishment from the NFL for the good of the NFL. That's what happening here. Two teams are going to leave. And the NFL is going to make that happen. I realiaze Kroenke is richer than almost every other owner combined. But he needs the NFL to let him do his business in the NFL."
Have you heard anything about Stan Kroenke eventually buying the Denver Broncos if/when Pat Bowlen passes away?
"I heard it...I've heard people have talked about. I don't know anything about imminent plans with an ownership transfer."
When you talk with the owners...what are the reasons for why they would block Kroenke?
"I've talked to owners...we're not having four-hour dinners. A lot of the reasons I will get is this: they want to make sure everyone's working together. There is a lot of empathy with Dean Spanos and what he's gone through and done. He's been telling the owners and the league about his situation in San Diego for 14 years. He's the model owner. Stan Kroenke is not. I know there's favors to be paid back. And I know there's a true belief that Dean Spanos has done everything he can to stay in San Diego (in the eyes of the NFL and its owners). (All that matters is the 31 other NFL owners' decisions)."
With Los Angeles being relatively close to San Diego, why is it the end of the world if the Chargers relocate there?
"I don't know if you have a place like this in Missouri. But Los Angeles is like another world for (us in San Diego). I'm talking about how we feel about Los Angeles. We hate LA. That's not just me. That's a pervading feeling of the solid majority of people who live here."
http://www.insidestl.com/insideSTLc...n-Says-Spanos-has-Votes-to-Block-Kroenke.aspx
I have a lot of love for guys like Warner, Bruce, Holt, but I wouldn't root for the 49ers if they went to them (and didn't when Bruce went there)...
