Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Kroenke is King!

After months of anticipation, Rams Nation can rest easy. They now have solidity in the Front Office. The NFL owners have officially approved billionaire Stan Kroenke's bid to purchase the St.Louis Rams, making him the new majority owner.

The Rams' stability has been in question, ever since previous owner Georgia Frontiere passed away in 2008. The team was then inherited by her children; Chip Rosenbloom, and Lucia Rodriguez. Neither of her children had any interest in running an NFL franchise, so they put the team up for sale. Illinois billionaire Shahid Khan made an offer for the team; but Stan Kroenke, who was already a 40% minority owner of the team, executed his right of first refusal, and then announced he would make a bid for the team.

The NFL rules do not allow an owner to own another franchise (in a different sport), in a different market. So Kroenke's bid was not a sure thing, given he is also the owner of the Colorado Avalanche, and the Denver Nuggets.

But the NFL decided to make an exception in Kroenke's case, approving his bid, and making him majority owner of the Rams. This is great news for Rams fans. Free Agent spending was very limited this past off-season, due to the ownership issues. A new and dedicated owner will allow the Rams to be more aggressive in signing top-tier talent, especially since Kroenke is one of the wealthiest NFL owners. It is also possible that a new stadium could be in-store for St.Louis.

It will be interesting to see what Kroenke's first order of business is, and what visions he has for the team. But Rams fans can rest easy, as there is finally some stability.

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