Hartman Interview/Transcript:
Listen to Hartman Interview Here
Notable excerpts from the interview--
You recently wrote in St. Louis Magazine about the politics Jay Nixon's using in building a St. Louis stadium:
"Whenever you talk about the stadium...it's important to distinguish between observing what's going on and advocating. I'm not crusading against the stadium...Because I'm pretty confident it's not going to happen. This lawsuit is really the equivalent of pro wrestling in the legal system. (The Dome Authority) is ostensibly suing the city of St. Louis...requiring voters to approve of the stadium. The plaintiff and the defendant are on the same side. So it's all play acting."
"When they set this up in 1989, they set this up for one project and one project only. They set it up to do one building. Whatever they had to do to get the Dome built...this was clear. What (Jay Nixon) did, he discovered that perhaps with a loophole, the word 'adjacent' is complex...There's a very slim possibility that we're going to have an NFL team here. If (Stan Kroenke) moves the Rams, we're back where we were 20 years ago."
If St. Louis doesn't have a chance at getting funding to build the stadium, why is the St. Louis task force portraying that's not the case?
"I will say Dave Peacock couldn't be a nicer guy. I don't know. I'm not a know-it-all. I'm just looking at the basic facts out there in the public. Maybe they have some theory why Stan Kroenke would put that team in that building. I don't want to go into their motives. I think they're sincere. And I think maybe they thought they could get by with the financing. Personally...I think they should've tried to cut a deal with the Kansas City guys across the state. Had they gone to the legislature...it wouldn't have taken any appropriations from the legislature. I think they made a calculation that they'd survive a court case. Maybe they've got some amazing secret sauce theory about Kroenke."
Do you think if they were to secure a team, you don't think they'll get the financing for a stadium?
"I do think if they can get this through the courts...and if Kroenke leaves, I think we've got a puncher's chance of getting a team. There's not a long line of cities anymore putting up $450 million for a stadium. The NFL loves it."
On corporate spending and how it'll affect the future of NFL in St. Louis:
"Can St. Louis' corporate community, can they support three teams (with one of them being the Cardinals). The St. Louis Cardinals rank sixth out of 30 markets at $1.4 billion. After the Cardinals, there's not enough room for the Blues and the Rams to do well. Cardinals president Bill DeWitt Jr. said it would be better for them if the Rams leave. It's not all about the fans. It's about the luxury boxes (and corporate money). (Attendance) doesn't float their boat. It's about getting corporate dough. I hate it when people talk about this in terms of the fans. Laying the guilt trip on St. Louis fans...is almost immoral. "
More on corporate spending. Has St. Louis' loss of some corporate headquarters hurt in this regard?
"It's really an unfortunate thing for St. Louis. You've seen so many corporations here. Anheuser-Busch, the May Company was a huge one for St. Louis. Corporations spend money where they have an outpost. Southwestern Bell (when they had their headquarters here), they spent a lot of money on sports. When you look at the Cardinals, it's a pie, there's only so much to go around."
More on corporations:
"The Rams start with 126 suites and they only sell 100 of them. If you look at the record over the last decade, Kansas City isn't much better than we are. I agree the Rams have sucked. But I think it's because of the corporations. And the Cardinals just took off in the past 10 years. They're competition. The corporations diminished and the Rams sucked. All three things happened at the same time. I do know they use to sell (the suites out and almost all the club seats). It's bad for us as sports fans. They won't admit it, but it's good for the Blues and Cardinals (if the Rams leave). "
CALLER QUESTIONS/COMMENTS:
What about the NFL setting a precedent to let teams pick up and leave even if the city is putting up money
"Here's the precedent I don't think the NFL wants to set: (St. Louis) walked away from upgrading the Edward Jones Dome, now it's going to help us two years later? (St. Louis) had a deal, we had a contract walked away from it. We walked away. I do think there's a slim hope if the Rams leave, that perhaps (Jaguars owner) Shahid Khan would sell the team and strike a deal to own a team here. That's just a theory. People should've known this is coming.
Thoughts on the cross-ownership issue in Denver and how that could play out?
"Why hasn't that played out in five years? He broke the rules five years ago. One theory is (Denver Broncos owner) Pat Bowlen has Alzheimer's and is near the end. It would make sense for (Kroenke) to get to Denver. Another theory is Kroenke will move the Rams to move to LA, then sell them (for over $2 billion), then go to Denver. But even if they did a franchise swap, who's going to put the money here? All those scenarios are speculative...and I think the legislature will be a bit of a problem if it takes much time next session."
http://www.insidestl.com/insideSTLc...io-for-Discussion-on-Stadium-Rams-Future.aspx
