Roger Goodell speaks at a news conference about Rams owner Stan Kroenke & Dodgers

[Rambos]

By Sam Farmer

March 26, 2012

The NFL is watching the sale of the Dodgers closely for a couple of reasons: one, if Rams owner Stan Kroenke has the winning bid, that will raise cross-ownership issues; and two, the league still considers Chavez Ravine a prime site for an NFL stadium.

Goodell said if Kroenke's bid proves to be the winner "then we would immediately move with our committees to have our discussion with our membership. We'd move as quickly as possible, knowing that it's an important issue for baseball."

The league doesn't want its owners competing with each other for sports dollars in the same city. Therefore, an NFL owner can also own, say, an NBA franchise in the same city, but not in another NFL city — or, in the case of L.A., a potential NFL city. Kroenke would need an owner-approved waiver from the league to own the St. Louis Rams and the Dodgers.

As for Chavez Ravine, Goodell said: "We've often said that that's an extraordinary stadium site up at Dodger Stadium, and it's something that we were interested in going back into the '90s."

In fact, when former Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley was pushing for an NFL stadium there in the late 1990s, his plan was to hire Goodell as the team's general manager. O'Malley abandoned the stadium plan when informed by city officials that they were supporting an NFL bid by the Coliseum.


If Stan Kroenke does get the Dodgers how does this effect his ownership of the Rams?

Is this more writing on the wall that the Rams will move back to LA. Possibly sharing Chavez Ravine (Dodger Stadium) with the Dodgers?

I happened to be watching the presser when this question was brought up and Goodell spoke about what a great location that would be for an NFL team.

[sosa39rams]

Yes, because the other 15 sports franchises Stan Kroenke owns dont cut it.

[Rambos]

Kroenke would need an owner-approved waiver from the league to own the St. Louis Rams and the Dodgers.

If I was the seller, I would want that waiver prior to accepting the offer. Unless this is just a formality.
If the league says no, then what Kroenke spent time and money to put this bid together for nothing. Some how I think he has a master plan... just sayin

[MoonJoe]

Chavez Ravine would be a great place for football?! Then why couldn't they pull that off in the 90's?! That's like saying the Coliseum Commission tried real hard to keep the Rams in LA. Excuses me I need to go puke...

[NJ Ramsfan1]

There is absolutely no reason in the world a sports team shouldn't be profitable in Los Angeles- the 2nd largest media market in the US. Clueless ownership and bad management led to lean times for the Rams in the late 80's-early 90's. It's inexcusable.

I have no idea what Kroenke's grand plan is, and of course we're assuming a lot with final bidding not complete. But a complex with the rams and Dodgers- my two favorite teams- sounds inviting.

[Rambos]

The issue was raised at the NFL owners meetings

"Yes, and (Kroenke's) aware of that," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "Baseball's aware of that. It would have to be addressed by our membership."

In fact, Goodell has already spoken with Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig on the matter.

“If (Kroenke's) is ultimately the winning bid, we would immediately move with our committees to have a discussion with our membership,” Goodell said. “So we would move as quickly as possible knowing it's an important issue for baseball.”

It gets real interesting here and Thomas covers the subject well. Per the report, even though the NFL doesn’t have a team in Los Angeles, it could consider L.A. a league market. In that case, owning the Rams in St. Louis and the Dodgers in L.A. would violate the league’s cross-ownership rules. Kroenke satisfied these rules before with the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL and Denver Nuggets of the NBA by transferring ownership of those franchises to his wife.



But if Kroenke were to move the Rams to Los Angeles, it would not violate rules because the Rams and Dodgers would be in the same market.

That right there should make Rams fans – concerned about the lease situation at the Edward Jones Dome and a potential move – wonder where this thing is headed. There is ample land at Dodger Stadium for the development of – you guessed it – a football stadium.

[THOLTFAN81]

Just read that today the MLB owners are OFFICIALLY voting on the winner.

Guess this will all come to a head today, whether fans need to worry or not.

[Tampa_Ram]

My question is, and maybe it's a dumb one, but how could the NFL consider L.A. an NFL market when there is no team currently located there? This would force Kroenke into violating the cross-ownership rule even though there is no NFL team in L.A. Can Goodell decide which cities are NFL markets whenever he wants? Im lost sorry guys.

Can someone explain this to me please?

[ZiaRam]

My question is, and maybe it's a dumb one, but how could the NFL consider L.A. an NFL market when there is no team currently located there? This would force Kroenke into violating the cross-ownership rule even though there is no NFL team in L.A. Can Goodell decide which cities are NFL markets whenever he wants? Im lost sorry guys.

Can someone explain this to me please?

Its just Goodell is a idiot and tries to control everything and saying LA is a NFL market which it is not.... He has been dragging a** to get another team into LA and now that this happens he all of a sudden says it is. I havn't been overly impressed of Goodell as commish... I don't know how I feel about Kroneke owning all kinds of franchises and another ( Dodgers), but from what I understand Kroneke's bid is second tier to two other gentleman worth 15.5 bill. compared to Kroneke's 3.9 bill over all wealth. Honestly, I think if Kroneke does get The Dodgers we are pretty damn assured of being moved back to LA.

[adarian_too]

My question is, and maybe it's a dumb one, but how could the NFL consider L.A. an NFL market when there is no team currently located there? This would force Kroenke into violating the cross-ownership rule even though there is no NFL team in L.A. Can Goodell decide which cities are NFL markets whenever he wants? Im lost sorry guys.

Can someone explain this to me please?

This is a very fair question. The answer is certainly beyond me other than to say that's what probably happens when you allow monopolies to call the shots. Honestly I can't imagine such a claim holding much water if only because it strikes me as violating some far-fetched rule against perpetuities. In other words, how the NFL can lay claim to a future interest in the market despite no team having been there for over 21 years is legal fiction at best. For whatever reasons, the NFL has been dead in LA for a long, long time. It's against public policy, at the least, to allow a dead hand to control property interests.

[MoonJoe]

My question is, and maybe it's a dumb one, but how could the NFL consider L.A. an NFL market when there is no team currently located there? This would force Kroenke into violating the cross-ownership rule even though there is no NFL team in L.A. Can Goodell decide which cities are NFL markets whenever he wants? Im lost sorry guys.

Can someone explain this to me please?

If I remember correctly, it is considered an NFL market because it "used" to have teams here. What's even more frustrating is the it considers it a "Charger" market because it's proximity to San Diego (although I guess they have never tried to drive from LA to San Diego on the weekend, it can take four hours with traffic sometimes). They also consider the Raiders to be the secondary market. So if the Chargers or Raiders don't sell out, we can't get their games on the NFL ticket because of the deal the NFL has with them. It is crazy how the NFL deals with LA.

[Tampa_Ram]

Its just Goodell is a idiot and tries to control everything and saying LA is a NFL market which it is not.... He has been dragging a** to get another team into LA and now that this happens he all of a sudden says it is. I havn't been overly impressed of Goodell as commish... I don't know how I feel about Kroneke owning all kinds of franchises and another ( Dodgers), but from what I understand Kroneke's bid is second tier to two other gentleman worth 15.5 bill. compared to Kroneke's 3.9 bill over all wealth. Honestly, I think if Kroneke does get The Dodgers we are pretty damn assured of being moved back to LA.

Kroenke*, sorry had to after the 3rd one lol

But i agree, never been a fan of Goodell. I still hope if Kroenke get the Dodgers the rams stay in STL.

[Tampa_Ram]

This is a very fair question. The answer is certainly beyond me other than to say that's what probably happens when you allow monopolies to call the shots. Honestly I can't imagine such a claim holding much water if only because it strikes me as violating some far-fetched rule against perpetuities. In other words, how the NFL can lay claim to a future interest in the market despite no team having been there for over 21 years is legal fiction at best. For whatever reasons, the NFL has been dead in LA for a long, long time. It's against public policy, at the least, to allow a dead hand to control property interests.

Hopefully your right on this.

[Tampa_Ram]

If I remember correctly, it is considered an NFL market because it "used" to have teams here. What's even more frustrating is the it considers it a "Charger" market because it's proximity to San Diego (although I guess they have never tried to drive from LA to San Diego on the weekend, it can take four hours with traffic sometimes). They also consider the Raiders to be the secondary market. So if the Chargers or Raiders don't sell out, we can't get their games on the NFL ticket because of the deal the NFL has with them. It is crazy how the NFL deals with LA.

Wow, The NFL sounds kind of umm......retarded.

[Truth]

Just read that today the MLB owners are OFFICIALLY voting on the winner.

Guess this will all come to a head today, whether fans need to worry or not.

I could be wrong, but I believe that the vote is on whether or not the three remaining bidders are acceptable to the owners. They could vote out 1, 2, or pass all of them. Then there is a last round of bidding, and McCourt will pick the winner.

On a side note. Having been born and raised in LA, I am a Dodgers fan. The thing that appeals to me about Stan being the owner of the Dodgers, is that he is building/has built a sports empire. He wants good teams, and he'll do what he needs to make his empire the best. This is as important to him as his real estate, maybe more so. It seems to me (again, I could be off target) that the other bidders are buying a "toy", something to amuse them. Something to show off to their buddies. Even if Magic's group wins, he'll only own a small portion of the team. The rest will be investors. I want a real owner for my favorite team. Whether the Rams stay in STL or move to LA isn't the point for me. But, like the Rams, I want the Dodgers to return to the glory days. I want them to be the proud organization they once were. For that reason, and that reason alone, I hope Stan gets the team. All the other stuff will work itself out.