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One Less Home Game In St. Louis For The Next Three Years

January 26, 2012 Downtown, Featured, Politics/Policy, Popular Culture 8 Comments

It’s still unknown if the St. Louis Rams NFL franchise will agree to the final ten years of the existing thirty year lease but we do know they will play one home game each of the next three years in London:

ABOVE: The Edward Jones Dome

The St. Louis Rams took the first step to becoming Britain’s “home” team Friday, agreeing to play a regular-season NFL game in London in each of the next three seasons.

And first up are the New England Patriots, who are two wins from another Super Bowl title.

The Rams and Patriots meet at Wembley on Oct. 28, about two months after the closing ceremony of the London Olympics. That will be followed by games at Wembley against undetermined opponents in 2013 and 2014.

The Rams are owned by Stan Kroenke, who is also the majority shareholder in the English soccer club Arsenal. The team will give up home games in St. Louis for the three seasons they are in London.

“We’ve seen first-hand the increased popularity of the NFL not only in London but throughout Europe,” Kroenke said in a statement. “To play a role in that growth over the next three years will be incredible and is a testament to the many good things happening not only in the NFL but also in the St. Louis Rams organization. (ESPN)

The team only had eight games a year scheduled in St. Louis and now it will be just seven!  So much for the expected revenue. What does the mean about the Rams staying in St. Louis?

In a worst-case lease scenario, the Rams could be free to leave St. Louis following the 2014 season, which also is the year of the last London game. Coincidence? Throw in the fact that Kroenke owns Arsenal soccer club in the English Premier League and owns the stadium they play in. Add to that the fact that the NFL has discussed the possibility of having a franchise based in London. (STLtoday.com)

As the majority shareholder of the Arsenal Football Club (soccer) Stan Kroenke already owns Emirates Stadium (2006) and the NFL wants a London-based franchise. Either the deal is done or Kroenke knows how convince St. louis to build the Rams a shiny new stadium at taxpayer expense.

– Steve Patterson

 

Currently there are "8 comments" on this Article:

  1. DaveOfRichmond says:

    The Rams have been a vagabond franchise anyway – in Cleveland from 1937 – 1945, then LA from 1946 – 1994, now St. Louis.  Maybe London is next for them.  The way the economy in Arizona has been going, perhaps the Cardinals will move back to St Louis if the Rams leave, especially if StL panics and builds a shiny new stadium for them.  Hopefully not.  I’m not sure having an NFL franchise does a whole lot for a city other than “add prestige”, and not much of that when the team is 2-14.

     
  2. DaveOfRichmond says:

    The Rams have been a vagabond franchise anyway – in Cleveland from 1937 – 1945, then LA from 1946 – 1994, now St. Louis.  Maybe London is next for them.  The way the economy in Arizona has been going, perhaps the Cardinals will move back to St Louis if the Rams leave, especially if StL panics and builds a shiny new stadium for them.  Hopefully not.  I’m not sure having an NFL franchise does a whole lot for a city other than “add prestige”, and not much of that when the team is 2-14.

     
    • The first few months after the Rams won the Superbowl in January 2000 were great. Otherwise, not so much.

       
    • John Wimmer says:

      The Cardinals aren’t leaving Arizona. They just built a shiny new stadium for themselves, and their games are now regularly sold out. I thought it was neat to have both the baseball and football teams have the same mascot, and when I was a kid I believed it was by design. I knew nothing of the Chicago Cardinals.

       
  3. The first few months after the Rams won the Superbowl in January 2000 were great. Otherwise, not so much.

     
  4. Moe says:

    I am suspecting that with his recent land purchase in another state plus London plus his non-committal statements at the press conferences, that he will first hang all the policitians out to see what he can wring from them (us) and then when that is not enough, he will anounce he is moving them.  Then the other teams will pipe up and claim…well you were willing to do so and so for the Rams, do this for us….and on it goes.  I’m all for no more taxpayer support for any sports teams.

     
  5. Moe says:

    I am suspecting that with his recent land purchase in another state plus London plus his non-committal statements at the press conferences, that he will first hang all the policitians out to see what he can wring from them (us) and then when that is not enough, he will anounce he is moving them.  Then the other teams will pipe up and claim…well you were willing to do so and so for the Rams, do this for us….and on it goes.  I’m all for no more taxpayer support for any sports teams.

     
  6. John Wimmer says:

    The Cardinals aren’t leaving Arizona. They just built a shiny new stadium for themselves, and their games are now regularly sold out. I thought it was neat to have both the baseball and football teams have the same mascot, and when I was a kid I believed it was by design. I knew nothing of the Chicago Cardinals.

     

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