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Not-so-odd couple: Checketts & Limbaugh
Columnist Jeff Gordon
By Jeff Gordon
STLTODAY.COM SPORTS COLUMNIST
10/06/2009
Dave Checketts and Rush Limbaugh form an interesting tag team in their mutual quest to gain ownership of the St. Louis Rams.
Checketts is an established deal-maker. He knows how to raise capital and create successful business partnerships.
He earns high marks for his stewardship of the Blues franchise. His work with that team gained him great credibility in this market.
He and his people took over a woeful hockey team and painstakingly built a successful organization, brick by brick. They hired the right people and turned them loose. They revived fan support for the franchise by working tirelessly on the marketing and public relations front.
He and his people developed a plan, stuck with it and delivered on their promise to build a Stanley Cup contender. The Blues got back into the playoffs last season and appear positioned to take a deeper run this postseason.
Limbaugh has a lot of money, good business sense and useful experience in the sports industry. Back before he became a huge talk-radio star, he worked the front lines for a successful Kansas City Royals franchise.
In those days, the Royals ran a model operation. The franchise regularly drew 2 million fans (a good number in those days) with a grass roots season-ticket initiative and a successful group sales program.
Ewing Kauffman was a remarkable owner, even visionary in some respects. His baseball and business staffs were first rate. He hired good people and let them do their jobs.
Limbaugh had a hand in those glory days. Anybody working in such a successful franchise learns a great deal about succeeding in a tough business.
As the frontman for an NFL ownership group, though, Limbaugh would face challenges. His aggressive political views could become an issue with segments of the fan base.
Limbaugh once made comments about Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb that caused a PR firestorm. He proved too controversial to fill a role on NFL telecasts.
Can you imagine how much fuss he could cause by speaking his mind as an NFL owner?
Remaining politically incorrect has served Limbaugh well. Love him or hate him, Limbaugh creates compelling radio.
He has built an enormous following. His fans expect him to speak his mind and hurt some feelings. Limbaugh plays the provocateur role to the hilt.
This is why Checketts -- or another commanding individual that Checketts would help recruit -- would serve this group well as the frontman.
With somebody else out front dealing with the media, the general public and the league, Limbaugh could enjoy the many benefits of NFL ownership without having to tone down his act.
Limbaugh is a Missouri guy. He would want to keep the Rams in St. Louis. Checketts isn’t a Missouri guy, but he quickly gained an appreciation for this sports community.
Other individuals and groups will bid on the Rams with the long-range hope of moving them elsewhere, to Los Angeles or London or some other city willing to build the team a new stadium and offer massive inducements.
Chip Rosenbloom would prefer to find a buyer committed to St. Louis, but we can’t expect him to offer a huge “hometown discount” to make that happen. Business is business.
The bidding is underway. An ownership change is possible by next year.
So the Checketts/Limbaugh initiative is worthy of your support. Checketts loves sports, likes St. Louis, wants into the NFL and knows how to make deals. Limbaugh offers financial clout, sports experience, great interest in pro football and an affinity for this region.
This may be seem like an odd couple, but they could be just the people to keep this franchise in place.
Columnist Jeff Gordon
By Jeff Gordon
STLTODAY.COM SPORTS COLUMNIST
10/06/2009
Dave Checketts and Rush Limbaugh form an interesting tag team in their mutual quest to gain ownership of the St. Louis Rams.
Checketts is an established deal-maker. He knows how to raise capital and create successful business partnerships.
He earns high marks for his stewardship of the Blues franchise. His work with that team gained him great credibility in this market.
He and his people took over a woeful hockey team and painstakingly built a successful organization, brick by brick. They hired the right people and turned them loose. They revived fan support for the franchise by working tirelessly on the marketing and public relations front.
He and his people developed a plan, stuck with it and delivered on their promise to build a Stanley Cup contender. The Blues got back into the playoffs last season and appear positioned to take a deeper run this postseason.
Limbaugh has a lot of money, good business sense and useful experience in the sports industry. Back before he became a huge talk-radio star, he worked the front lines for a successful Kansas City Royals franchise.
In those days, the Royals ran a model operation. The franchise regularly drew 2 million fans (a good number in those days) with a grass roots season-ticket initiative and a successful group sales program.
Ewing Kauffman was a remarkable owner, even visionary in some respects. His baseball and business staffs were first rate. He hired good people and let them do their jobs.
Limbaugh had a hand in those glory days. Anybody working in such a successful franchise learns a great deal about succeeding in a tough business.
As the frontman for an NFL ownership group, though, Limbaugh would face challenges. His aggressive political views could become an issue with segments of the fan base.
Limbaugh once made comments about Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb that caused a PR firestorm. He proved too controversial to fill a role on NFL telecasts.
Can you imagine how much fuss he could cause by speaking his mind as an NFL owner?
Remaining politically incorrect has served Limbaugh well. Love him or hate him, Limbaugh creates compelling radio.
He has built an enormous following. His fans expect him to speak his mind and hurt some feelings. Limbaugh plays the provocateur role to the hilt.
This is why Checketts -- or another commanding individual that Checketts would help recruit -- would serve this group well as the frontman.
With somebody else out front dealing with the media, the general public and the league, Limbaugh could enjoy the many benefits of NFL ownership without having to tone down his act.
Limbaugh is a Missouri guy. He would want to keep the Rams in St. Louis. Checketts isn’t a Missouri guy, but he quickly gained an appreciation for this sports community.
Other individuals and groups will bid on the Rams with the long-range hope of moving them elsewhere, to Los Angeles or London or some other city willing to build the team a new stadium and offer massive inducements.
Chip Rosenbloom would prefer to find a buyer committed to St. Louis, but we can’t expect him to offer a huge “hometown discount” to make that happen. Business is business.
The bidding is underway. An ownership change is possible by next year.
So the Checketts/Limbaugh initiative is worthy of your support. Checketts loves sports, likes St. Louis, wants into the NFL and knows how to make deals. Limbaugh offers financial clout, sports experience, great interest in pro football and an affinity for this region.
This may be seem like an odd couple, but they could be just the people to keep this franchise in place.
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