The St. Louis
Convention & Visitors Commission has reached an agreement with
the Rams to amend the current stadium lease to allow the Rams to play
one "home" game in London next season. The Rams originally
had an agreement with the NFL to play one "home" game in
London each of the next three seasons, but the CVC wants to leave
that open to future negotiations.
In exchange for the right to travel
over 4,500 miles to get drubbed by the Patriots instead of staying at
home for it, the Rams have agreed to make up the lost week of pay to
the Dome's contracted employees, which include the ticket takers and
ushers. The lease has also been amended to allow the city to use the
Dome twice a month during football season for conventions. This had
been limited to once a month. I'm unaware of conventions clamoring to
come to St. Louis during football season, but the CVC is positive the
extra dates will "more than make up" for revenues lost by
the loss of a Rams game downtown.
I doubt this agreement amounts to
anything in the long run, other than each side has shown willingness
to cooperate with the other. So far the negotiations between the city
and the Rams have been much closer to cordial than to acrimonious,
which is always a good thing.
I hesitate to mention we're a week away
from the Rams' very likely rejection of the Dome upgrade plan
proposed last month. We'll then be another two months from hearing -
at long last - Stan Kroenke's thoughts on the issue.
-$-
While they're at it, since the Rams are
slated to play at Buffalo this season, why don't they push the league
to be the road opponent for Buffalo's "home" game in
Toronto? Why not be the first NFL team to play regular-season games
in three different countries? And Toronto could make for another cool
excuse for a road trip...
-$$-
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