Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones "played a major role in the 11th hour" of the NFL's relocation process, supporting Rams Owner Stan Kroenke and his Inglewood stadium proposal, according to Peter Schrager ("Fox Sports Live," FS1, 1/13). ESPN's Shelley Smith said it was Jones' "muscle that got this done." Smith: "He backdoored the entire deal from like 10 days ago when he sent a letter to Roger Goodell backing Stan Kroenke" (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 1/13). In St. Louis, Jim Thomas notes Jones "helped break the stalemate" among the owners. It was Jones who "proposed an alternate resolution -- namely having the Chargers join Kroenke and the Rams in the Inglewood project." Following the vote, Jones was "ebullient." He said, "Stan is a tremendous asset for the NFL. He’s God-sent really. He gave us, and is giving us the opportunity with this great project, to do what we need to do in Los Angeles." Thomas notes Jones also praised Goodell "for his role in steering the Rams out of St. Louis" and to L.A. (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 1/13). Jones said, "This is a tidewater day, if you will. This is a significant day because it allows us to not only do what we need to do in Los Angeles, but it is a significant endorsement to our commissioner. Our commissioner was brilliant in how he led the ownership to this decision" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 1/13). NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said, "You know, Jerry likes money. He likes good financial deals. This stadium is amazing, and it's a big splash. Financially, it's going to benefit everyone" ("The Dan Patrick Show," 1/13).
MONEY TALKS: Radio host Dan Patrick noted the owners were celebrating last night's announcement and asked, "Why not?" Patrick: "Let's put more money in their pockets. That's all this is. They toy with emotions, but those are the guys making money" ("The Dan Patrick Show," 1/13). YAHOO SPORTS’ Charles Robinson writes this is what L.A. “came down to: Wallet over heart, Inglewood and Stan Kroenke's money over Carson and Dean Spanos' relationships” (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 1/13). CBSSPORTS.com’s Jason La Canfora wrote money, “and the opportunity to make much more of it, trumps all in the world of business, and make no mistake, this is business of the highest order.” The L.A. market has “always been about making all 32 pieces of the league's ownership pie more robust” (CBSSPORTS.com, 1/12). CSNBAYAREA.com's Ray Ratto noted the owners "voted to gamble on Los Angeles’ ability to support two teams it spurned two decades ago, and at these levels of revenue and income, high-stakes gambling is about the only thing that keeps their arteries from turning into bungee cords” (CSNBAYAREA.com, 1/12).
REMOVING THE FINANCIAL CARROT: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Futterman & Woo write the NFL's return to L.A. "represents a monumental shift for the country’s richest sports league." Having an open market in L.A. "has proven to be one of the NFL’s most valuable assets." By filling the "biggest hole on the league map with, potentially, two teams in one fell swoop, the league effectively neutralized its most powerful tool for pressuring public officials to build or renovate stadiums in NFL cities" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/13). In California, Jim Carlisle writes the return to L.A. is "not so much out of love and goodwill, but to get their teams out of bad stadium situations and to make a boatload of money." Carlisle: "Los Angeles was mentioned every time some team wasn't getting its way with its city fathers" (VENTURA COUNTY STAR, 1/13).
