[den-the-coach]

Kroenke made the concession of partnering with another owner in order to win over the owners on the fence. He's never getting the core of the old guard. All Kroenke is looking for now is a critical mass of owners, maybe 18 or more.

Well, let's hope the concession does put ESK over the top because again all I care about for the future of this franchise is getting the Rams back to Los Angeles. Should have never left in the first place nothing against the Gateway City, but I feel strongly that if Kroenke gets the go ahead then his primary goal will be to make the Rams a winner because he'll be all in with Inglewood and his team will have to be competitive every year and consistent post seasons appearances will be a must.

[snackdaddy]

When i started this site a little over 8 months ago i was all but certain the Rams to Inglewood was a done deal and everything else was bluff and kabuki.

Now, though i still find it hard to believe, it seems Spanos really does want L.A. I agreed with Jeric Griffin from Rant Sports (who we did a Q&A with) that it would be franchise suicide for the Chargers to leave San Diego. Spanos has had years to take L.A., he had Farmer's field (or was the parking not to his liking?) Maybe this is Spanos trying to stop Kroenke whatever it takes, but his threats now seem probably real to me.

So that's changed.

But one thing hasn't: Stan holds all the cards. He's the 2nd richest owner in the NFL, he owns the Rams, he owns Inglewood. Who is going to tell him he can't move his team into his stadium? In the end, i just can't see the NFL telling him no.

But we'll all see soon enough...

Thats the way I see it. He's invested too much time and energy to just accept it if they don't vote for his plan. And there's already a precedent set for a team to move without the league's blessing. I can't see him just letting it go. The league knows that too.

[max]

The NFL certainly knows that Kroenke has invested more than anyone in LA and that they would be totally stiffing him if they shut him out of LA.

The question is will the old guard have enough power to cause the NFL to forgo their usual approach of compromise, as well exposing themselves to a rogue move.

[max]

Kroenke made the concession of partnering with another owner in order to win over the owners on the fence. He's never getting the core of the old guard. All Kroenke is looking for now is a critical mass of owners, maybe 18 or more.

Well, let's hope the concession does put ESK over the top because again all I care about for the future of this franchise is getting the Rams back to Los Angeles. Should have never left in the first place nothing against the Gateway City, but I feel strongly that if Kroenke gets the go ahead then his primary goal will be to make the Rams a winner because he'll be all in with Inglewood and his team will have to be competitive every year and consistent post seasons appearances will be a must.

I couldn't agree more.

To some extent it really irks me that some of these old guard owners have little or no respect for the Rams as a franchise and their rich and colorful history in Los Angeles.

[dieterbrock]

I'd like to think I'm a bit more unbiased than many on here, and agree a lot with what Elvis said. Seemed like it was an open and shut case 8 months ago. What has me concerned is an impression of ESK that I have from a friend of mine who is tight with Kroenke son. He keeps tempering my enthusiasm with his opinion that Kroenke is an unassuming guy who will not pizz off the other owners and will concede to whatever they jointly want him to do.
Lastly, what also freaks me a bit, is that he (my friend) insists that the work Kroenke group has done with Inglewood property, the clearing/grading etc has already increased the value of that property 10 fold. Kroenke may not have bought it as a bluff but rest assured if he flips it or develops it for something else, he would have a nice ROI on that purchase without building that stadium.
My friend is a high level commercial real estate guy who has no vested interest either way.

[den-the-coach]

My friend is a high level commercial real estate guy who has no vested interest either way.

Granted if he flips the property, he makes a profit, but not to the magnitude he would with his team moving into a venue that he would control all future revenue streams and that's far more than football including Super Bowls, think about concerts alone.

Overall you're correct your friend has no vested interest either way, but he also is not considering the home run that ESK will hit if he accomplish his goal of relocating his football team. That revenue stream will be the gift that keeps on giving for years and has been the end game all along, no bluff whatsoever.

[max]

I'd like to think I'm a bit more unbiased than many on here, and agree a lot with what Elvis said. Seemed like it was an open and shut case 8 months ago. What has me concerned is an impression of ESK that I have from a friend of mine who is tight with Kroenke son. He keeps tempering my enthusiasm with his opinion that Kroenke is an unassuming guy who will not pizz off the other owners and will concede to whatever they jointly want him to do.
Lastly, what also freaks me a bit, is that he (my friend) insists that the work Kroenke group has done with Inglewood property, the clearing/grading etc has already increased the value of that property 10 fold. Kroenke may not have bought it as a bluff but rest assured if he flips it or develops it for something else, he would have a nice ROI on that purchase without building that stadium.
My friend is a high level commercial real estate guy who has no vested interest either way.

I can see that too. Many have said that Kroenke won't go rogue for whatever reasons.

I do believe if Kroenke gets stiffed on LA that the Rams will be relegated to a doormat team for the foreseeable future.

I, personally, would have a hard time investing any more time in them if that happened. And my guess is that I'm not alone.

[Stranger]

IMO, the reason there are some owners on Spanos side is "Fear" fear that in the future they won't have the Cash that Kroenke has to move forward. Guys like Jerry Richardson, Clark Hunt and Dan Rooney for example are part of the old guard and their team is their major revenue stream currently. Let's be honest they are not starving, but they are not in Kroenke's league financially few are and the reason they might be in Spanos corner is to protect their own interest long term.

In the end I concur with many one would surmise to follow the money and that usually wins and for the Rams sake I hope so because my fear would be if they keep ESK in St. Louis, he will wait to purchase the Broncos and then sell the Rams to somebody with much less to offer and our team will be stuck in a city of no growth and with an owner with less means to move them forward and the sad part is the "Pro St. Louis" people would embrace that scenario which again showcases they can't see the forest for the trees.

great post.

[max]

IMO, the reason there are some owners on Spanos side is "Fear" fear that in the future they won't have the Cash that Kroenke has to move forward. Guys like Jerry Richardson, Clark Hunt and Dan Rooney for example are part of the old guard and their team is their major revenue stream currently. Let's be honest they are not starving, but they are not in Kroenke's league financially few are and the reason they might be in Spanos corner is to protect their own interest long term.

In the end I concur with many one would surmise to follow the money and that usually wins and for the Rams sake I hope so because my fear would be if they keep ESK in St. Louis, he will wait to purchase the Broncos and then sell the Rams to somebody with much less to offer and our team will be stuck in a city of no growth and with an owner with less means to move them forward and the sad part is the "Pro St. Louis" people would embrace that scenario which again showcases they can't see the forest for the trees.

great post.

den is a great poster. Love reading his stuff.

[dieterbrock]

My friend is a high level commercial real estate guy who has no vested interest either way.

Granted if he flips the property, he makes a profit, but not to the magnitude he would with his team moving into a venue that he would control all future revenue streams and that's far more than football including Super Bowls, think about concerts alone.

Overall you're correct your friend has no vested interest either way, but he also is not considering the home run that ESK will hit if he accomplish his goal of relocating his football team. That revenue stream will be the gift that keeps on giving for years and has been the end game all along, no bluff whatsoever.

You missed my point entirely.
He knows what Kronke is about and if the owners want him to back down he will
Kroenke isn't a flipper. He didn't develop the land to flip it.
Only point there is that if he can't get his stadium he's still making a killing.
Not that it's a better alternative