Rams Owner Stan Kroenke said there is a process with respect to the Edward Jones Dome lease situation that "currently involves putting together the team’s proposal for 'first-tier' improvements," according to Jim Thomas of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. When asked how involved he is in the process, Kroenke responded, "I’m the owner of the team. Unless you haven’t noticed, I’ve been involved 20 years. I’ve put a lot of my life, not just my personal (finances) at risk for this enterprise. And that might be something good to mention sometimes." For Kroenke that was "more a general reaction to the perception by some that he isn’t totally involved in the Rams’ franchise" by virtue of the fact that he "doesn’t attend league meetings." As for anyone who "makes the latter assertion," Kroenke replied, "I’d say that’s someone who doesn’t attend league meetings themselves, and doesn’t know much about league meetings." When asked if he had any message for the fans of St. Louis, Kroenke said, "Tell them we’re working hard to have a quality product" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 3/28).
POPULARITY CONTEST: In St. Louis, Bernie Miklasz wrote St. Louis "may be a baseball town, but there's no city, county or state ordinance that prohibits fans from going crazy over the Rams and the Blues." The "rise of the Blues is a fascinating development, and we'll see if it changes the local sports landscape." Miklasz wrote it is a "hard sell" that the Blues can overtake the Rams in popularity. Unlike the Rams, the Blues "don't have the built-in advantage of being a member of the nation's most popular sports league." Even now, when the Rams "should be recharging and reinventing the brand," Kroenke "can't (or won't) help himself." He "continues to undermine the efforts to establish a stronger bond with fans." Kroenke has "every right to take advantage of the loophole by pursuing a more lucrative arrangement at the dome." And "at least Kroenke refuses to be a phony by assuring everyone that he's keeping the Rams here." The Blues are "in position to take advantage of Kroenke's PR missteps." They have an "extraordinary opportunity to expand their base, burnish their image and attract more casual fans." And the Blues are "in position to contrast themselves to the Rams by reminding everyone that they're true-blue loyal to St. Louis" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 3/26).
