Seahawks Owner Ken Behring "agreed to vacate" Rams Park by
April 1 and continue his team's conditioning program at their
suburban Seattle practice facility, according to T.J. Simers of
the L.A. TIMES. Behring gave in to the NFL's "threat" of a
$500,000 fine and an additional $50,000 fine for each week his
team practiced in Anaheim. Behring was being feted by over 100
Orange County supporters when he informed them of his decision to
leave, but he told backers he would return. Simers writes
Behring was "not very McArthur-like in his confrontation" with
NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, and "waving the white flag will
also add more support to talk Behring will wilt to pressure and
sell his team" to Microsoft's Paul Allen. However, in buckling
to NFL pressure, Behring won a "concession" from the NFL when
they acknowledged that Seattle must pursue plans for a "state-of-
the-art football facility." NFL Stadium Committee Chair Jerry
Richardson and top NFL execs will meet next week in Seattle with
King County officials regarding a new facility. A Seahawks
spokesperson said Behring would "no longer respond to interview
requests because of the negative press he has received." Behring
has hired Lon Rosen, Magic Johnson's agent, to help "improve his
image." Rosen joins Hill & Knowlton on Behring's PR team (L.A.
TIMES, 3/22).
NEW PLAN: Tagliabue "was blunt" on the Kingdome's problems,
calling it a "venue that falls well short" of many NFL stadiums.
Seattle officials said the NFL has raised the possibility of
building a "dual-purpose stadium" instead of the new ballpark for
the Mariners (SEATTLE P-I, 3/22).
REAX: In Seattle, Art Thiel writes "Bubba blinked" and calls
the departure from Anaheim "crucial" to their staying in Seattle.
Thiel: "As much as the NFL has contempt for Behring generally
... he is a lodge brother. League protocol insists he not be
humiliated, no matter the clumsiness of his exit strategy. ....
The NFL and Behring have two goals: Avert the economic
devastation of a single franchise, and keep high the sale prices
of all franchises" (SEATTLE P-I, 3/22). Behring's relocation
plan is examined in a critical piece in THE SPORTING NEWS. Paul
Attner writes of Behring's performance at the league meetings,
"Being treated the fool is not a pleasant experience. If your
peers aren't looking at you seriously, what's the sense of
staying in the club?" (THE SPORTING NEWS, 3/25 issue).
