St. Louis Rams have been sold

[moklerman]

Still in the early stages and still has to pass an owner's vote.

[www.stltoday.com]


New owner for Rams
By Bernie Miklasz
COPYRIGHT © 2010 - ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Thursday, Feb. 11 2010
Rams owners Chip Rosenbloom and Lucia Rodriguez have entered into a signed
agreement to sell the team to Shahid Khan, multiple NFL sources told the
Post-Dispatch late Wednesday night.

Khan, 55, is the president of Flex-N-Gate Corp., an auto-parts manufacturer
based in Urbana, Ill. Khan has lived in the Champaign-Urbana area for more than
40 years and is married with two adult children. Khan is a graduate of the
School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Illinois.

According to league sources, Khan will purchase the 60 percent of the team
owned by siblings Rosenbloom and Rodriguez, who inherited the franchise from
their late mother, Georgia Frontiere, in early 2008. NFL owners must approve
the sale.

The Rams owners and Khan won't close on the deal until sometime next month.

Stan Kroenke owns the 40 percent remaining, and it's unclear if Kroenke plans
to retain his share. If Kroenke wants to be bought out, sources say Khan is
likely to do so, and that would make him the 100 percent owner.

Kroenke also has the right of first refusal to buy the Rosenbloom-Rodriguez 60
percent, but current NFL rules barring cross ownership prevent Kroenke from
taking over as the team's majority owner. Kroenke owns the Denver Nuggets in
the NBA and the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL. To buy a controlling interest,
Kroenke would have to persuade the NFL to change its ownership rules.

Multiple league sources describe Khan as an enthusiastic Rams fan who has
attended home games at the Edward Jones Dome. League sources say Khan is
committed to keeping the team in St. Louis — and that was an important
consideration to Rosenbloom and Rodriguez in making their decision to sell to
him.

The Rams will probably be able to vacate their lease agreement after the 2014
season, but sources say Khan is willing to work with local leaders in an effort
to assure the team's long-term future in St. Louis. A source noted Khan's deep
and stable roots in central Illinois as a sign that he wants to own an NFL
franchise in St. Louis — and in no other market.

Moreover, Khan is said to have special feelings for St. Louis because he
arrived in St. Louis early in his life when his parents moved to the United
States from Pakistan.

Khan began working for Flex-N-Gate in 1970 and has owned the company since
1980. Under Khan's direction, Flex-N-Gate's revenue has increased to more than
$2 billion. The company manufactures metal and plastic automotive components
and assemblies, such as bumpers, grilles, hinges, interior panels and pillars,
latches, pedal systems, parking brakes and running boards for a wide range of
customers in the automobile industry including BMW, Chrysler, Ford, Honda,
General Motors, Toyota and Volvo. Flex-N-Gate has more than 50 manufacturing
and engineering facilities in the U.S., Argentina, Canada, Mexico and Spain.

Khan received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Department of Mechanical
and Industrial Engineering at Illinois in 1999 and has served on multiple
boards at Illinois.

Rosenbloom and Rodriguez entertained several other offers for the Rams,
including one from a group led by Blues Chairman Dave Checketts.

Rosenbloom declined to comment Wednesday when reached via text message.

 

[40yearfan]

Glad to see it's someone from the St. Louis area.

 

[cardsfanmd]

After the Limbaugh debacle, the Rams are now sworn enemies of mine. I will enjoy pounding them much more than I used.

 

[b8rtm8nn]

I'm in CU, that's a solid company, solid owner - good move for the Rams and good for St. Louis.

 

[Southpaw]

You must be registered for see images attach

Good 'stache.

 

[TruColor]

You must be registered for see images

"KHAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNN!"

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Good for the Rams and St. Louis.

What ever hate I had for the Rams was replaced by pity over the last few years.

Through all that crap, it is good to see the organization will get some stability.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

I guess this means the LA Rams are not happening. Sounds like this guy will keep them in St. Louis.

 

[splitsecond]

I was hoping for an LA division road trip each year. Guess I may be out of luck.

 

[CardLogic]

I was hoping for an LA division road trip each year. Guess I may be out of luck.

That would have been nice!

The NFC West is the most geographically widespread of all the divisions.

 

[TruColor]

I still see the Jacksonville Jaguars potentially moving to L.A. However, they have a pretty iron-clad lease to stay in Jax.

And now, the Vikings' new stadium proposal has been shot down again...we'll see what happens there.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

And now, the Vikings' new stadium proposal has been shot down again...we'll see what happens there.

Hoo boy. That is going to get interesting in a hurry.

If the Vikings move to LA, wouldn't it make sense to switch the Rams and the Vikings, when it comes to divisions ?

 

[RedViper]

Good for the Rams and St. Louis.

What ever hate I had for the Rams was replaced by pity over the last few years.

Through all that crap, it is good to see the organization will get some stability.

I feel exactly the same. And at some point, hopefully later than sooner, they'll pull it together and it will be a good rivalry again. But regardless, that city should have a team and it looks like they will.

 

[Stout]

As someone mentioned, if a team moves to LA, will there be a shifting of divisions? I don't see them taking Minny out of the north, with their big rivalries in that division. It would make a ton of sense to put Jacksonville in the NFC West, though. Then St. Louis would go...where? lol

 

[RugbyMuffin]

As someone mentioned, if a team moves to LA, will there be a shifting of divisions? I don't see them taking Minny out of the north, with their big rivalries in that division. It would make a ton of sense to put Jacksonville in the NFC West, though. Then St. Louis would go...where? lol

AFC South ?

Indy, Hou, Ten, and St. Louis ?

I could see that working.

 

[TruColor]

I put together a potential relocation in the event that Jacksonville moves to L.A.

[FONT=&quot]AMERICAN CONFERENCE[/FONT][FONT=&quot]:[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]AFC East:[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Baltimore Ravens[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Buffalo Bills[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]New England Patriots[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]New York Jets[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]AFC North:[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cincinnati Bengals[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cleveland Browns[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Indianapolis Colts[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Pittsburgh Steelers[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]AFC South:[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Carolina Panthers[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Houston Texans[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Miami Dolphins[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Tennessee Titans[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]AFC West:[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Denver Broncos[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Kansas City Chiefs[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Oakland Raiders[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]San Diego Chargers[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT] [FONT=&quot]NATIONAL CONFERENCE[/FONT][FONT=&quot]:[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NFC East:[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Dallas Cowboys[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]New York Giants[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Philadelphia Eagles[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Washington Redskins[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NFC North:[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Chicago Bears[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Detroit Lions[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Green Bay Packers[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Minnesota Vikings[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NFC South:[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Atlanta Falcons[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]New Orleans Saints[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]St. Louis Rams[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Tampa Bay Buccaneers[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NFC West:[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Arizona Cardinals[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Los Angeles Jaguars[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]San Francisco 49ers[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Seattle Seahawks[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
Realigned franchises are bold. Most notable are the Panthers moving to the AFC, the Jags to the NFC West and moving the Rams, Dolphins, Colts and Ravens.

I just took the opportunity to move some of the teams around that were in divisions that might not have been the most appropriate.

99.9% chance none of this will ever happen, but there it is anyway.

 

[CardLogic]

99.9% chance none of this will ever happen, but there it is anyway.

I'd give it less of a probability than that!

That would be just too many teams shifting conferences/divisions at once; nevermind that it makes sense geographically.

 

[Oly]

You right it wont happen. I would only think they would do it if the economy takes another big hit and they need to save more money. Let's just hope it never happens.

 

[chickenhead]

I think traditional rivalries trump travel in the NFL. I don't see the Dolphins ever moving out of the AFC East. Travel is tough in the NFL, but with one game a week it's not quite as brutal as say, the the Northwest (should be called Smythe) division in hockey.

But good to see St. Louis getting some stability. Chances are they would have remained an expansion or relocation candidate, and we'd just end up with another cycle of what is already a circuitous situation with the Rams in St. Louis, Cardinals in Arizona, and expansion team in Jacksonville.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

That would be just too many teams shifting conferences/divisions at once; nevermind that it makes sense geographically.

Tell me about it.

I have never understood why sports are so against, just making it easy on sport teams, when concerning travel.

Rivalries is a poor excuse if you ask me.

In rugby we would have to go across Pennsylvania from the Jersey Shore to play games, while plenty of teams were in NJ or closer. One, if not the biggest, reason I stopped playing.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

I like what ColorWerx proposed. Makes a lot of sense. Rivalries would be changed and that's a lot of teams to change, but overall I think it would be better the league.

 

[chickenhead]

Totally valid points. Although I don't think St. Louis (gateway to the west) in the west is that big a deal. Tampa in the old NFC West? I'm sure that added to their troubles. We hear about west coast teams playing early games on the east coast. I don't think I've ever heard of traveling to St. Louis as a problem for Arizona, San Francisco, or Seattle.

As for rivalries, well, I think they matter to the consumer, so they matter to the league. Sure, they'd become accustomed to the Ravens, but I don't think Jets fans want to give up their two games against the Dolphins each year. We have threads about "who's the Cardinals' biggest rival" several times a year. Each time it's inconclusive, and there's a lot of talk about how it'll take time. True, but it's also been eight years, and the Cowboys are still near the top of that list for a lot of folks. Old rivalries die hard.

 

[CardLogic]

As for rivalries, well, I think they matter to the consumer, so they matter to the league. ...but it's also been eight years, and the Cowboys are still near the top of that list for a lot of folks. Old rivalries die hard.

Eh, the Cowboys still rank high on the most hated, but not so much as a rival any longer. It's two different catagories.

 

[chickenhead]

I disagree in the sense that if you take a greater satisfaction beating one team than other teams, that team is a rival. But I see what you're saying. All I know is that heading into the playoffs, a lot of fans felt that the worst possible scenario was losing to the Cowboys. In my book, that's still a rival.

Interesting question actually (to everyone, maybe for another thread)--to whom would you want to lose in the playoffs least? For me it's still Dallas. But San Francisco is making a push.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Proposed Rams buyer has had IRS issues

Posted by Mike Florio on February 11, 2010 3:32 PM ET


The mere fact that Rams owners Chip Rosenbloom and Lucia Rodriguez have found a buyer for 60 percent of the franchise doesn't mean that the proposed buyer ultimately will acquire control of the team. Ultimately, 24 of the league's 32 owners must approve the transaction.

And there's already cause for concern regarding the viability of Shahid Khan's bid.

Howard Balzer of GlobeDemocrat.com reports that Khan and his wife have been investigated by the IRS for allegedly sheltering "hundreds of millions of dollars" from income taxes.

Last year, Khan and his wife reportedly paid roughly $68 million to resolve the claims, and the couple has since filed two lawsuits claiming that they were misled by financial advisers regarding the tax shelters.

As Balzer points out, legal proceedings in the cases will occur on March 23, just as owners are convening in Orlando for their annual meetings.

The impact, if any, on the approval process isn't known. But it's safe to say that the league will look closely into the situation before giving the green light to the transaction.