"In a time when the meek inherit the league, Anaheim
officials are wondering where they fit into this new world of pro
football," writes Barbara Kingsley in this morning's ORANGE
COUNTY REGISTER. If the Rams' move receives NFL approval,
negotiations with other football teams, and even the Angels, are
going to be more difficult. Anaheim City Manager Jim Ruth:
"These people in St. Louis going out and promising the Rams the
world did not help me in my negotiations with (Angels Owner)
Jackie Autry." Robert Baade, an economics professor at Lake
Forest (IL) College who has studied the economic impact of pro
teams on cities, says if the Rams can leave Anaheim, the second-
biggest market in the country, "any team could leave." Baade
believes teams will put more and more financial demands on their
cities in order to stay: "This move is putting the fear of god
into a lot of cities" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 1/19). NFL
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue has set up a special meeting of NFL
owners for February 16 in Dallas to discuss the Rams relocation,
and review all aspects of the move (Mult., 1/19).
CLARIFICATION: Yesterday's interview with Michele
Himmelberg of the ORGANGE COUNTY REGISTER should have stated that
it is getting too hard for a city of Anaheim's size to stay in
the professional sports market.
