Despite its best efforts to reconnect with the community and re-energize its fan base, the St. Louis Rams continue to be a polarizing presence around town. After an embarrassing, but largely meaningless 38-3 loss to Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts in the preseason opener, the team announced Monday that it would forego its plans to play one “home” game in London during the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
Franchise supporters lauded the team for “doing the right thing” by choosing to focus on the ongoing stadium lease negotiations with the CVC. The two sides are expected to enter into arbitration in the coming months to determine if and how the Edwards Jones Dome can be upgraded to first-tier status as stipulated in the team’s lease. Critics deride the effort as some sort of ploy to dupe fans into false confidence and keep season ticket sales going. This would then keep cash flowing to fund the team’s imminent exit strategy. As often is the case with polarizing entities, the truth likely falls somewhere in between.
When the team initially announced the three-year commitment to play “American” football for the blokes in Great Britain, there was nearly universal disdain from fans and media alike. Angered fans asked how a franchise with such a poor product on the field could give the proverbial finger to its faithful fans by taking away a home game. If the move was all about the Benjamins, the team was taking the easy way by making a guaranteed novelty profit in London instead of earning it by building a contender on the field.
Had the team agreed to play as the “away” team, it may have averted some of the frenzied outrage. However, the deal would’ve likely been less lucrative than the reported $5 million guaranteed payout by the NFL. Skeptics would have still questioned Stan Kroenke’s motives for the international agreement, thinking of it as a trial run for overseas relocation, but the team wouldn’t have been making money at the expense of stadium workers, downtown businesses and taxable beer bucks.
In reality, the news is more shrug-worthy than reason for applause or appall. The 2012 game will still go on as scheduled, as it would have been a logistical nightmare to pull out with this year’s schedule set in stone. Rams executive VP Kevin Demoff essentially admitted the change of heart was essentially a public relations-minded business decision.
“I think from the general perception is that if you’re playing in London you’re not looking right now for an absolute [stadium] solution, you’re giving yourself an out and we don’t want that perception out there whatsoever,” Demoff said.
As the arbitration process kicks into gear, the Rams realize they will need citywide fan support to secure some level of public funding for any future stadium renovations. Taking money away from the region, then asking for tax dollars and tax breaks isn’t the brightest idea in the world. Team officials likely realized the CVC could use the negative perception of the London games (and the fact that they contradict the team’s lease) against the team during negotiations and simply took it off the table.
I’ve long asserted the Rams will likely stay in St. Louis. The city can’t afford to lose the team. While Kroenke can technically afford to move, the unknowns and logistical issues of moving to Los Angeles or London don’t make sense if he can rake in lots of cash right here in St. Louis – and he can, presuming the team fields a solid product.
“Since January we have hired Jeff Fisher, we have gone out and gotten a very experienced coaching staff, we spent $100 million in free agency, we made a bold draft trade to help set along the future of this franchise,” Snead said.
The team is clearly working hard to turn around its fortunes, both literally and figuratively. With the massive number of losses experienced by fans in recent years, each win in front of the home crowd is worth a defensive tackle’s weight in gold. Fans and media should take the cancellation at face value. Think of it as third-quarter audible. While the call can surely affect the outcome, there’s plenty of game left to play.
In the Clutch can be followed on Twitter @intheclutchstl or online at www.stlamerican.com.
