Dave Checketts Forming Group That Could Bid On St. Louis Rams

Checketts Looking To Buy Rams

Blues Owner Dave Checketts yesterday said that he is "putting together a local group that has the financial wherewithal to own the Rams and meets NFL ownership requirements," according to a front-page piece by Jim Thomas of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. Whether Checketts' group "meets NFL muster remains to be seen." The NFL's cross-ownership rules, which would prevent Kroenke Sports Enterprises Owner and Rams investor Stan Kroenke from taking a majority stake in the franchise because he owns the Nuggets and Avalanche, "would not apply to Checketts" because the Blues are in St. Louis. Thomas notes Rams co-Owners Chip Rosenbloom and Lucia Rodriguez' move to hire Goldman Sachs to help broker a sale signals that they are "moving more aggressively to seek potential buyers of the franchise, including non-local suitors." The deal "signals a change in strategy" for the club, and "instead of waiting for the phone to ring, the Rams are expected to actively seek out potential buyers." Rosenbloom in the past said that he "hoped to maintain ownership of the team but would listen to any outside offers." NFL sources indicated that "almost all of those past inquiries came from potential buyers outside the St. Louis area," some of whom "weren't committed to keeping the team" in the city. The possibility of an out-of-town buyer "raises the specter of the franchise being moved once again," and an NFL exec said if the team moves, "St. Louis won't get a third chance." While the current Edward Jones Dome lease "prevents an outside buyer from moving the Rams, at least in the short term," it also presents a "vexing set of issues long term that might influence an owner -- present or future -- to consider moving the franchise." Thomas notes even if Kroenke maintains his 40% share in the team -- which is "expected to be the case if the team is sold" -- the other 60% is estimated at at least $500M (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 6/2).

ARCH SUPPORT: Checketts in an e-mail said his group of investors has the "ability to get this done and we have communicated this to the Rams." Checketts: "We approached this with the Rams months ago and have since that time put together a partnership of both concerned St. Louisans and outside capital." Checketts, who declined to name the other investors, added, "We have reason to believe the NFL would approve our group as we have carefully explored their ownership requirements." Two sources indicated that Checketts has had "multiple discussions with Rosenbloom and 'exchanged valuations' on the sale" of the franchise. The sources added that Checketts has informed NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "of his efforts to pursue the Rams." In St. Louis, Bernie Miklasz notes by "confidently expressing his belief that he can land the Rams, Checketts is trying to galvanize public, private and political support," which is a "smart move." Checketts can "attract more investors by making a convincing case that he's a serious player for the Rams" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 6/2).

Majestic Realty Not In Talks To Bring Rams To Proposed California Stadium

GOING BACK TO CALI? SI.com's Peter King wrote "we've known all along the Rams are for sale," but of new interest is that the "desire to sell is so strong now that the current owners won't force the new owner to keep the team in St. Louis." It is "open season on the Rams, and a billionaire could probably bring them" back to L.A. While the NFL reportedly "really wants the Rams to stay in the Midwest, it wouldn't be a disaster if they moved back home" to L.A (SI.com, 6/1). Majestic Realty Co. VP John Semcken yesterday said that the company "wasn't in talks to buy the Rams to house in its proposed stadium" in Industry, California. Semcken: "We're focused as always on getting the stadium approved. Until we get it finally approved, we won't begin to look at buying a team" (PASADENA STAR NEWS, 6/2).

SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS: In St. Louis, Jeff Gordon writes to keep the NFL in St. Louis, the city's economy "must strengthen over the long haul." St. Louis is "really trending the wrong way," and it may not "be able to support three professional sports teams at a high level." Gordon writes Kroenke "could become a marvelous majority owner." However, the NFL's ban on cross-ownership has been "in place for a long time," and it is "tough to imagine the league changing the rule to help St. Louis" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 6/2). But the POST-DISPATCH's Miklasz wrote Kroenke, the "best hope for Rams fans who want the team to stay" in St. Louis, could "lobby the NFL" to change the cross-ownership rule. Meanwhile, Miklasz contended Rosenbloom "wanted to keep the team for 5 years, maybe 10, until the financial pressures (estate taxes) made that increasingly difficult." Regardless, Rosenbloom "wasn't as aggressive as he should have been in making sure that the St. Louis business community and leadership understood that he wanted someone from this area to step forward and make a bid" for the franchise. He "could have done a better job of directly delivering that message to the STL people who loomed as potential owners." But Rosenbloom's "message of wanting St. Louis to make a pitch never got to the right people," or else it "wasn't delivered loudly enough" (STLTODAY.com, 6/1).