Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said that the NFL "fabricated reasons to disregard" the city's proposal for a new stadium and approve the Rams’ relocation to L.A., according to David Hunn of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. Nixon said, "It was very disappointing that we followed the guidelines, did what folks said, and that wasn’t enough here. When you look at everything that was done, we met the guidelines." Nixon also "consistently -- and ardently -- chastised the NFL for 'making up reasons' to allow the Rams to move." NFL execs responded Friday, saying the league spent a "tremendous" amount of time helping cities, and owners "took a tremendous amount of information into account before making their decision." Nixon said, "If you’re governor of a state, and a major business in your state is talking about moving, you fight to keep them here. ... We had a lot of positive feedback from a number of owners as well as league staff. I think they were impressed by the ... speed with which we were able to overcome a lot of hurdles." Nixon met Rams Owner Stan Kroenke in person at Rams Park, but he "wouldn’t discuss it on Friday." Nixon said, "We had a good straightforward discussion." Nixon is now examining "whatever legal options are out there" to recover the $16M spent on stadium planning (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 1/24). In St. Louis, Nicholas Pistor reported Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed on Friday "issued a letter" asking the NFL to "pay for the rest of the Edward Jones Dome debt," which is about $100M (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 1/24). Also in St. Louis, Hunn & Thomas take a look at the three factors multiple owners agreed "sunk the St. Louis effort" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 1/24).
SENSITIVE SITUATION: Chiefs President Mark Donovan said that the team "will be sensitive to the feelings of St. Louis football fans, many of whom may feel spurned by the departure of the Rams." Donovan said, "I’ve gotten texts and emails from fans saying I’m now a Chiefs fan, and we appreciate all that. But we’re going to take a strategic approach to that -- we’re going to be respectful. They’ve been through a really tough process. ... Because it’s in the state we’re in, we have some rights there from a marketing perspective, but you’ve seen other teams reach out already. Indianapolis put a little campaign together to welcome fans over to Indy, and like I said, we’ll be strategic about it but we’ll be respectful about it." On whether Chiefs games will be broadcast regularly in St. Louis going forward, Donovan said, "We’re in conversations right now with the league on how the league’s going to look at that, and we’ll make our case there" (K.C. STAR, 1/24).
I HATE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU: In St. Louis, Benjamin Hochman wrote local residents "can't do anything about" Kroenke, but they "seem to get small feelings of happiness by watching Kroenke teams fail." Hochman: "The most popular team in St. Louis next fall will be whichever team is playing the Rams" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 1/24).
