Rams Owner Stan Kroenke Exploring Bid For Los Angeles Dodgers
by Ryan Van Bibber on Jan 24, 2012 9:27 AM CST
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St. Louis Rams owner and sport mogul Stan Kroenke is exploring a bid for the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times. The news is sure to fan the flames of speculation among Rams fans in the St. Louis area about a potential relocation ahead of a sensitive negotiation for the future of the Rams' lease on the Edward Jones Dome.
The Dodgers are up for sale after a bitter divorce battle between former owner Frank McCourt and his wife Jamie put the team's financial security in jeopardy. McCourt tried to sell off future broadcasting rights, in the neighborhood of $2.5 to $3 billion for 20 years, but MLB commissioner Bud Selig refused. In November, he put the team and its assets up for sale.
Monday was the deadline for early bids on the Dodgers. It is unknown whether or not he submitted a bid for the team. The banking firm overseeing the sale said that they received more than 10 bids. Monday's deadline means little. The bankers handling the sale can make exceptions to accommodate the process, including allowing bidders to merge their offers or accepting new bids for the team.
Known bidders include an investment group with Magic Johnson, who has been involved in the efforts to get an NFL franchise to L.A., Joe Torre and L.A. developer Rick Caruso, and several others.
An attempt to buy the Dodgers matches Kroenke's trend of scooping up trouble sports franchises sitting on a treasure chest of potential value. As for why he would want the Dodgers, look no further than McCourt's agreement to sell two decades of TV rights for $3 billion. That's a significant amount of "jack," and with the right approach, the team could probably get even more.
Kroenke owns professional sports properties in London, Denver and St. Louis. Occam's razor says that his reported efforts to purchase the Dodgers should be seen as nothing more than the possibility of acquiring another profitable business. I haven't heard many rumors about the Avalanche or Nuggets or Arsenal moving. The news will fuel further speculation about the Rams' future in St. Louis, which is only natural given the tenuous situation and the upcoming lease negotiations. Whether that's logical or not, an anxious fan base will greet the news with suspicion.
UPDATE: Kroenke does not "own" the Denver franchises anymore, having transferred them to his son to get in line with league rules about cross-ownership. Those rules would not apply in the case of the Dodgers since there is no NFL team in L.A. ... yet.
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Nothing better than to have a good owner
own both of my favorite franchises. If you were trying to bundle an NFL stadium in Chavez Ravine (one of those NFL stadium rumors) wouldn’t that be much easier to do if you owned the Dodgers as well.
"Do we get to kill the English"
good lord stan!
just by the lakers and move the rams to LA already!
by Ram_Redemption on Jan 24, 2012 10:26 AM CST reply actions
2 time loser Louie...
If St. Louis can’t keep the Rams in St. Louis we will never see another NFL team again. Don’t go crying the Blues when they are gone. Its your own lack of support that did this.
by 1cardsfan on Jan 24, 2012 10:40 AM CST via Android app reply actions
That's just bull shit
complete ignorant bull shit. There is GREAT fan support in STL.
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Really?
There are no more fair weather fans than those of LA. (That’s a general statement I know there are die hards) It’s all about marketing and LA is a huge market. That’s the bottom line. It has nothing to do with fan support. Just as many people didn’t go when they were in LA otherwise they would still be there.
Suck It LA!
If the Rams move it has nothing to do with the fans and everything to do with cold hard economic reality.
Ya know....when the Rams moved to St. Louis...
….i had no issues with the city of St Louis, I just figured it was for the better with the new stadium being built, the line of season ticket holders waiting for the Rams to come into town. The way things were going in Anaheim with the half empty stadium, the bad product on the field, the fact that we were using the Angels Stadium on top of that, I just figured we were going nowhere fast and our only chance to be able to turn things around was with a move like they did in 1994. It only took them 5 years of playing in front of sold out crowds to be able to afford the free agent haul of 1999 and our only Super Bowl victory.
Now if the Rams come back to L.A., the only thing I look forward to is getting all the road games televised because I still won’t be able to afford a ticket anyway. Since the Lakers moved from the Fabulous Forum to the Staples Center, I have been to only one Lakers game!
The only thing that upsets me that Kroenke is interested in the Dodgers is the fact that I am an Angels fan. If the Rams stay in St. Louis or come back to L.A., I will love them just the same.
I'm suffering from an extreme case of laurinaitis!
Nothing like some quality overreaction to get Tuesday rolling.
"Fac Fortia et Patere"
by FailureDrill on Jan 24, 2012 10:55 AM CST via Android app reply actions
The Rams arent going to LA
This is getting ridiculous….he has always bought teams that are cheap with potential to make a ton of money. If he bought the dodgers it would have nothin to do with the Rams moving to LA. Stl is the Rams home. Always will be.
by Rcoon1307 on Jan 24, 2012 11:32 AM CST via mobile reply actions
it would be easier to believe
if kreonke would come out and say exactly waht u just said.. but he beats around the bush and leaves us wondering ehy. idk.. LA is a biiig market compared to STL
by Ram_Redemption on Jan 24, 2012 11:59 AM CST up reply actions
I tend to agree
The Rams have been in LA before, and done that. Let’s face it: LA is not a good football town unless you’re USC.
Another reason I think the Rams stay in St. Louis is that Kroenke is part of the reason they’re there in the first place and he is a Missouri guy.
I don't recall USC being that big of a deal around here until after the Rams and Raiders left and Pete the Cheat Carroll came into town.
It used to be a split around here between USC and UCLA but my Bruins have stunk for too long now and made it easy for all these Southern California band wagoners to jump on the Condom Train.
I'm suffering from an extreme case of laurinaitis!
USC has always been a big deal in L.A., they just got less press when the NFL was in town
I went to tons of USC games at the Coliseum. They sold that place out soooo many times.
LOL what?!
USC dominated under McKay. They had 9 titles and 4 Heisman winners before Pete came, you know. The Bruins gained steam when they dominated USC in the ‘90s before Pete came in, now it’s back to how it should be.
"Vick’s 100x the player Warner was.
Desean’s not quite at Holts level.
McCoy’s giving Faulk a run for his money.
Maclin’s better than Bruce.
Warner never took over games."
Signed, wild_eagle - the most delusional person in the entire universe.
Dodgers are apparently going for $1.5 billion dollars lol.
"Vick’s 100x the player Warner was.
Desean’s not quite at Holts level.
McCoy’s giving Faulk a run for his money.
Maclin’s better than Bruce.
Warner never took over games."
Signed, wild_eagle - the most delusional person in the entire universe.
God damnit, Stan
Soon he’ll say that he buys Universal studios and 2 houses in LA, just to mess with us
Haikus are easy,
but sometimes they don't make sense.
Refrigerator.
by sergey606 on Jan 24, 2012 12:24 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Screw the dodgers, go DBacks!
But what if he buys the dodgers and moves them to Brooklyn? I’d laught so much at the LA fans that want the rams but lose the dodgers (mainly Jswirb actually…yeah I’d only laught at him)
Haikus are easy,
but sometimes they don't make sense.
Refrigerator.
by sergey606 on Jan 24, 2012 12:26 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Dodger blue all day u dam snake lol!
by kevio3000 on Jan 24, 2012 1:21 PM CST via Android app up reply actions
haha
we finally have a team! Pitching staff is killer, plus Bauer is going to be coming up soon. Can you imagine: Kennedy, Hudson, Cahill, Bauer, Saunders; it’s like the philly staff of last season; 4 studs and an average joe
Haikus are easy,
but sometimes they don't make sense.
Refrigerator.
Cards are where it's at!!
World Champs!!
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Yes, can't argue that
but the Snakes are building a good team
Haikus are easy,
but sometimes they don't make sense.
Refrigerator.
I would be cool with him taking them to Brooklyn!
There’s only room for one LA baseball team around here and that the Angels.
I'm suffering from an extreme case of laurinaitis!
Whatever floats your boat.
They can’t even decide what they are. “Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.”
"Vick’s 100x the player Warner was.
Desean’s not quite at Holts level.
McCoy’s giving Faulk a run for his money.
Maclin’s better than Bruce.
Warner never took over games."
Signed, wild_eagle - the most delusional person in the entire universe.
Hmmm.....St. Louis Dodgers.....
This life's hard, man, but it's harder if you're stupid.
- Jackie Brown
Of Stan would have to move the Dodgers over into the American League
so we can play they Yank-me’s and Pink Sox.
Vikings owners "extremely frustrated with stadium situation"
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton told the owners of the Vikings on Monday that the team’s new stadium will have to be at the Metrodome site if a stadium bill is to pass the Legislature this year, and the team is not happy according to Doug Belden of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press.
“We were told by the governor’s office that the Linden Avenue site is not viable at least in the short run,” said team vice president Lester Bagley. “Vikings ownership is extremely frustrated with the situation.”
He declined to say what if anything the team intends to do about its displeasure.
The Vikings’ lease at the Metrodome expires Feb. 1, and team owners are asking for public money to replace a 30-year-old facility they say is no longer profitable enough compared with other NFL facilities. Fans fear that no new stadium could drive the team to another city.
so if he buys the dodgers, would that mean he CAN'T move the rams to la because of the ownership rules?
i’m sure this is wrong, but if someone could explain it that would be great.
capital letters suck.
yes, but if he moved the rams to la there would be, thus he would be in violation of the rules...
capital letters suck.
No the rules are against cross ownership
meaning you can’t own a team in another NFL city if your an NFL owner, but if they are in the same city, there’s no problem
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I think he's just got a little loose change laying around
And the Dodgers happen to be for sale for a possible steal. The Rams need a stadium upgrade and if they don’t get one, THEN you need to worry. I don’t think the teams possible relocation hinges on anything else. But Stan wouldn’t be stacking his hand in his own favor if these stories didn’t exist. We don’t want no dummy for an owner and we got our wish.
Wolf. Wolfgang Wolf
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