With the announcement that Illinois businessman and former Rams suitor Shahid Khan has purchased the Jacksonville Jaguars, the sports world is now set ablaze with relocation rumors.
If you recall, Khan put in a bid for the Rams after former owner Georgia Frontiere passed away. However, his bid was thwarted when current owner Stan Kronke activated a clause (as a then-minority partner) to match any offer for the team.
Before his purchase, Kroenke allegedly asked Khan for step-aside money and when his request was denied, ‘Silent Stan’ took over full control of the team.
Clearly Khan did not give up his dream of joining the billionaire boy’s club and owning an NFL franchise. He now has the keys to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
What does this have to do with St. Louis? Maybe nothing or St. Louis could become a player in the biggest arms race since the Cold War. Many people around town still believe Kroenke is interested in moving the Rams back out west to L.A. once the Edward Jones Dome lease is expired. If that happens Khan, who maintains local roots, might be intrigued to move the Jaguars out of a revenue-challenged, small market situation to St. Louis.
Another scenario would have Khan working hard to outrace Kroenke to L.A. and jump from the fourth-smallest media market (Jacksonville) to the second largest (L.A.). It would be sweet revenge for the Middle East native on the Midwest mogul.
Of course all of this is rumor and speculation and should be taken with the appropriate grain of salt. Neither Kroenke or Khan have stated any intentions to move their respective franchises. But as long as Los Angeles remains without a team, the conspiracy theories will continue to churn out with each sale and/or expired lease.
