In Detroit, Bill Shea noted the Lions yesterday "unveiled a new logo for Thursday's Thanksgiving Day game" against the Bears. The game "is the 75th in its history" dating to '34. The new logo "will be used in marketing the game and on stuff such as the backdrops for interviews," but it "won't be a jersey patch." Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan "will be distributing 50,000 rally towels bearing the logo on Thursday." The team said last week that it is "not wearing throwback uniforms" for Thursday's game (CRAINSDETROIT.com, 11/24).
BLACK BIRD, FLY: Ravens VP/Ticket Sales & Operations Baker Koppelman said that not all of the 71,000 seats at M&T Bank Stadium are accounted for through PSLs, as the team sells "about 5,000 tickets to individual buyers." He noted that the team "went to a wait list for PSLs" in '04, but "stopped at a certain point because we wanted to maintain single-game tickets." He said of how fans responded to the domestic abuse allegations against former RB Ray Rice, "We got both sides of it. It was a very polarizing issue. Some said you should cut him and some said you shouldn't cut him. We certainly understand it was an emotional issue for people. We've had some people saying they were going to cancel. We will find that out next year" (Baltimore SUN, 11/22).
RAM JAM: NBC's Bob Costas yesterday said on St. Louis-based WGNU-AM, "You get a sense that it's a distinct possibility (the Rams will leave St. Louis). ... Didn't we get a team that used to be in Los Angeles? Aren't they perhaps headed back to Los Angeles?" He added, "If there is a reasonable avenue for the Rams to stay, that's going to be hard to finesse to get them out of town. But you have to have a solid concrete offer that meets the terms" (INSIDESTL.com, 11/24). THE MMQB's Peter King writes Rams Owner Stan Kroenke "absolutely owes his ticket-buying public some explanation about the future of the franchise." Kroenke’s silence "is bothersome and disrespectful to the fans who have supported the team for 20 years." King: "He owes you at least some explanation of the process and where it stands" (MMQB.SI.com, 11/25).
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH: In St. Louis, Bernie Miklasz wrote "more than a few smart people around the NFL believe Kroenke will attempt to purchase" the Broncos should the franchise "become available in the relatively near future." The "declining health" of Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen could be a "reason for a potential sale." Kroenke "already owns two franchises in Denver" -- the Nuggets and Avalanche -- and if he bought the Broncos, he "could consolidate his sports holdings in Denver and control the sports marketplace" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 11/22).
