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https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/n ... 010963001/

Stan Kroenke: Rams don't have 'true home-field advantage'



Josh Peter, USA TODAY Sports Published 2:09 a.m. ET Jan. 7, 2018 | Updated 9:20 a.m. ET Jan. 7, 2018

LOS ANGELES — Stan Kroenke, owner of the Los Angeles Rams, said his team has lacked a true homefield advantage playing in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum during its two seasons since returning here.

Kroenke said that’s one reason he’s excited about the team’s new stadium, which is under construction in nearby Inglewood and expected to be ready by the 2020 season.

“In two years we’ll be in a new stadium, and I think we can have a true home-field advantage like a lot of the teams do,’’ Kroenke told USA TODAY Sports after the Rams lost to the Atlanta Falcons 26-13 in a wild-card playoff game played in his team's temporary home stadium. “We don’t really have it now.’’

Kroenke quickly added, “I shouldn’t say that because the fans were great,’’ and then compared the 93,607-seat Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to the Minnesota Vikings’ 66,655-seat stadium, U.S. Bank Stadium, which opened in 2016 and will host Super Bowl LII on Feb. 4.

“Have you been up there?’’ Kroenke said. “That is a true home-field advantage because it’s so loud, it’s packed, it’s new.’’

At the Memorial Coliseum this season, the Rams faced huge throngs of opposing fans, including in games against the Philadelphia Eagles and the New Orleans Saints. The Rams were 4-4 at home and 7-1 on the road during the regular season.

But on Saturday night, the Rams announced 74,300 tickets were distributed for the game, with a sizable contingent of fans on hand appearing to back Los Angeles.

After the game Saturday, Kroenke said he never had concerns about whether the city would support the team.

“I’ve been around L.A. a long time, and I know L.A. loves the Rams,’’ he said. “I know the fans embrace the team, and I go around this town and people talk to me about it. We’re here. We don’t have a good facility. It’s the Coliseum. This place is cavernous. It’ll swallow up 65,000, 70,000 people.’’

Buoyed by the Rams finishing the regular season 11-5 a year after going 4-12, Kroenke said he foresees a Super Bowl championship for his team in Los Angeles.

“Absolutely,’’ he said. “I believe that strong. We’ve won them before (in the 1999 season in St. Louis), so let’s go do that again. How soon? I don’t know.

“We have a good young team. Everybody’s really excited, I think, because they know that we’re young and we improved a lot and we can get better yet. I know our guys believe that. It’s exciting. And the city’s a wonderful place. They truly have embraced the team.’’

"We don’t have a good facility. It’s the Coliseum. This place is cavernous. It’ll swallow up 65,000, 70,000 people.’’

So, Kroenke was talking about the Coliseum but the headline implies he was talking about the fans. Shocker.

moklerman wrote:"We don’t have a good facility. It’s the Coliseum. This place is cavernous. It’ll swallow up 65,000, 70,000 people.’’

So, Kroenke was talking about the Coliseum but the headline implies he was talking about the fans. Shocker.

Eye of the beholder.

"Rams don't have true home-field advantage" - that was the headline. You took it to mean the fans. I didn't.

Gareth wrote:Eye of the beholder.

"Rams don't have true home-field advantage" - that was the headline. You took it to mean the fans. I didn't.

Okay, please elaborate.

moklerman wrote:"We don’t have a good facility. It’s the Coliseum. This place is cavernous. It’ll swallow up 65,000, 70,000 people.’’

So, Kroenke was talking about the Coliseum but the headline implies he was talking about the fans. Shocker.

That headline implies no such thing.

Plumb wrote:That headline implies no such thing.

Again, I'm waiting to hear the alternative. What does home field advantage mean if not fan noise/support?

moklerman wrote:Again, I'm waiting to hear the alternative. What does home field advantage mean if not fan noise/support?

Facilities, ease of use, technological support, field conditions, location relative to offices/practice space, ability to customize (it's USC's facility)...

Home field advantage means a lot of things.

moklerman wrote:Again, I'm waiting to hear the alternative. What does home field advantage mean if not fan noise/support?

It can mean exactly what Stan Kroenke said it means.

I know i just said i don't think you're a troll but if you're claiming there's only one possible meaning to that headline, you're getting awfully close...

Plumb wrote:Facilities, ease of use, technological support, field conditions, location relative to offices/practice space, ability to customize (it's USC's facility)...

Home field advantage means a lot of things.

Indeed. And welcome aboard...

moklerman wrote:Okay, please elaborate.

As others have said, it can mean many things. I took it to mean the Coliseum. Even big loud crowds there don't have the same effect as a more intimate setting.

Stan is not stupid. Why would he alienate the fans?