Limbaugh, Checketts join in bid for Rams ..

[MauiRam]

By Jim Thomas and Jeremy Rutherford
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
10/06/2009

Radio personality Rush Limbaugh has joined forces with St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts in a bid to buy the St. Louis Rams football team, NFL sources confirmed Monday.

The Checketts group has made its bid on the team and plans to keep the team in St. Louis.

According to league sources, there are multiple bidders for the Rams as the potential sale of the team has advanced to a second stage — from looking for potential buyers to evaluating the merits of bidders. It is not known who the other bidders are.

"I certainly think individual bidders have the right to discuss their interest in the club," said Kevin Demoff, the Rams' executive vice president of football operations. "There's really nothing for us to say. It's really not fair to anybody involved in the process.

"There is no inevitability for the team to wind up being for sale anyway. There may be bidders, but that doesn't mean there will be a sale. Ownership has said all along it would go through this process and evaluate its options. They are under no pressure to sell the team."

Checketts, the founder and chief executive officer of SCP Worldwide, a New York-based firm that owns and operates the Blues, would be the frontman for a group of investors that would purchase at minimum the 60 percent share of the Rams owned by Chip Rosenbloom and Lucia Rodriguez, the son and daughter of the Rams' late owner, Georgia Frontiere.

Sources with the Checketts group say there is no timetable for the Rams to respond to bids.

Limbaugh, a conservative political commentator, first mentioned his interest in the Rams last May. He was unavailable to the Post-Dispatch for comment but in a statement sent to KMOX radio, Limbaugh said: "Dave and I are part of a bid to buy the Rams, and we are continuing the process. But I can say no more because of a confidentiality clause in our agreement with Goldman Sachs. We cannot and will not talk about our partners. But if we prevail we will be the operators of the team."

Limbaugh, originally from Cape Girardeau, Mo., worked briefly as a commentator for ESPN's NFL pregame show in 2003 but resigned amid controversy over his remarks about media coverage of Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Forbes magazine recently valued the Rams franchise at more than $900 million, but it's believed the Rams' sale might fetch $800 million or less given the state of the economy and the state of the team, which in recent years has been in the bottom third of NFL franchises in terms of revenue.

By NFL rule, the Checketts group would have no other choice but to keep the team in St. Louis because of its ties to the Blues. NFL cross-ownership rules prohibit owners from also owning Major League Baseball, National Hockey League, or National Basketball Association teams in different markets.

At midnight, the Rams released this statement by Rosenbloom: “Our strategic review of our ownership of the Rams continues. We will make an announcement upon the completion of the process.”

[txramsfan]

Ok, jumping in here right now for some moderation. Here's the deal.

1. This is the most solid deal to come down the pike to buy the Rams and keep them in STL.

2. Whatever your political views of Limbaugh are, he's probably going to be a part owner of this team like it or not.

3. No political viewpoints will be tolerated. Period. End of discussion.

[LaRamsFanLongTime]

Dont know if I will be with this team if the Limbaugh owns them. I will probably just god I dont know this depresses me.

[majorram]

I would rather have Stan Kroneke buy the team if he sorts out his difference with the NFL over ownership, this guy has Billions NOT millions and that is the guy you NEED to make the Rams a powerhouse again.....to me money speaks in the NFL

steve

[Rambunctious]

His politics are a non-issue. I would bet that 90% of all NFL team owners are billionaire conservatives that agree with his points of view.

The main thing I like is his "type" love to make money and be successful and in the NFL being successful (winning) makes you the most money.

This could be a great thing for us.

Trust me I'm a liberal but I don't want a tree hugging hippie in the front office who is mainly worried about the carbon imprint of our uniforms.

[fearsome foursome]

Great news. What difference do the politics make anyway? Let's build a winner and a dynasty. I'm tired of the status-quo.

[bigredman]

I want to be proud of my owners as I am of my team. The ends do not justify the means. Having Rush involved in the ownership would be as destructive as having T.O. in the locker room.

[txramsfan]

One thing about Limbaugh, he has sports experience. I think he was the GM of the Royals for awhile when they were winning.

[cfh128]

I also like the idea of ownership that plans on keeping the team in St. Louis, which Checketts and Limbaugh would do.

[MoonJoe]

Talk about things going from bad to worse! Not even considering the politics, but I just dont want an owner with that much "facetime" in the world. As much as I hate the Hatriots, at least Kraft is low key. This would be like a combo of Al Davis and Jerry Jones... I'm overwhelmed by the "heebie geebies" at this point.

The good news is that there is multiple bidders. It seems that the economy for some isnt that bad. So maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel...lets hope it aint a train!!

[SavageRam]

I would rather have Stan Kroneke buy the team if he sorts out his difference with the NFL over ownership, this guy has Billions NOT millions and that is the guy you NEED to make the Rams a powerhouse again.....to me money speaks in the NFL

steve

The Checketts group and Rush Limbaugh together have billions. That's what makes this the best deal so far in keeping the Rams where they are.

[rNemesis]

So what makes him or anyone of us think that he is the guy to own this team? I mean the guy owns the St louis blues and look where they are.... And if and when he buys this team he is gonna do what with it?

[bigredman]

One thing about Limbaugh, he has sports experience. I think he was the GM of the Royals for awhile when they were winning.

Actually, he was Director of Promotions for which he was paid $18,000 a year organizing Royals community events (oooooohh, he was a community organizer). Before that, he was a top 40 disc jockey in Sacramento, California.

[txramsfan]

Thanks BRM.....don't want to give him more credit than he or anyone deserves.

[MOM]

I want to be proud of my owners as I am of my team. The ends do not justify the means. Having Rush involved in the ownership would be as destructive as having T.O. in the locker room.

I could never have said it better myself. I can't see many people wanting to play for or work with him. It would split the locker room, drive a huge wedge in the fanbase, and ultimately destroy what is left of this team. I would rather have Vick AND T.O. in horns than have him on board.