I get why you guys are annoyed, honestly I do. To give up a home game a year for 3 years is a huge, huge deal. But you have to try to look at it as the opportunity that it is rather than as a negative.
If you look at all of the biggest and most successful sporting teams in the world, across any sport, they all have one thing in common- they are all trying to grow their brands globally. Kroenke, as owner of Arsenal FC, knows this as well as anyone. He was a minority owner there when they built a huge new stadium a few years back, and they are clearly also making an effort in the far east especially to create new markets. Since this has started their revenue has grown hugely. The Rams are obviously trying to do a few similar things. There are many benefits to the Rams doing this, which are;
- growing an international fan base. This is good for obvious reasons, as the more money the franchise can make from merch/overseas tv money etc the better. Aditionally, the more money the Rams can make from a market outside of St Louis, is less money the Rams need to find FROM St Louis. This would (in theory) allow the Rams to perhaps reduce ticket prices,concessions, parking at the Ed if they so desired.
- the London games are basically playoff games. Huge, internationally televised, 90,000 people playoff atmosphere games. We have a young team with virtually no big game experience, and whether Americans want to admit it or not, the London games are big games, at least to us over here. Also, the distance from New York to London is roughly 3,300 miles. The distance from New York to San Francisco is roughly 2,500 miles.... it's really not ALL that far away. When you include the bye afterwards, it's actually not a huge competitive disadvantage to travel "all the way to London". The first ever London regular season game involved a Giants team that went on to win the Superbowl.
- another benefit from this is that the league now essentially owes the Rams a favour. Whether it means more primetime games or a superbowl for St Louis whenever the stadium issues get sorted, the rams are due some love. It is clear that part of this move was essentially ass-kissing by kroenke to the league, well that might well have benefits for StL.
- the absolute biggest benefit for the Rams, and specifically for St Louis fans, is the leverage that this move helps to creat for the upcoming lease situation. I know that many people see it as the first step to a move from St Louis. I see it as the first step as a commitment to STAY in St Louis. It is obvious that the Ed is not fit for purpose, that is to say it does not allow the Rams to generate as much income as other newer stadiums do for their respective teams. The Rams are now in the unique position where they can point to success in another city without actually having to leave first, and can then return to St Louis and say if you want to keep us, help us with the stadium. I'm not saying that StL taxpayers should pony up either FWIW, but it's clear that this will help to provide leverage and a bit of a jump start to a lease situation that has been dragging for years.
Personally, I am absolutely ecstatic at this news. It gives long-suffering fans outside of the US (and there really are far more than you might imagine) the chance to watch their team up close for the first time. If the Rams find a way to help make it cheaper for US based Rams fans to come over to watch the games (as Demoff hinted they might, and as they should IMO), then I will be perfectly happy to have a beer with any of you and cheer on the Rams together.
