AZRamsFan93
Guest
Just keep supporting the Rams (or keep spending your money. However you want to look at it) and everything will be fine. I get that the silence and everything is a business decision. I realize it's a smart one. But I don't know. Call it the last gasp of idealism I have left after living in the world for 40 yrs, but something seems very wrong talking about giving a man worth 5.7 billion a ton of concessions. I know it's business, but look "the business" from the other side.
St Louis is still paying on the old house, and ol' Stan's product we'll be asked to buy has been crap for a long time. I know it's improving fast, but it's not public money improving fast. It's not filling the dome for next year fast. Hopefully that'll change this year.
There is zero support for public financing outside of the St. Louis metro area. It's lukewarm at best in St Louis. I'm no political science major, but it seems that this COULD have "it's a trap" written on it for wary politicians.
I have 3 friends that have let their season tickets go because they think the Rams are moving. 3 families, 13 seats between them, bought since the first season. Tempting to call them fairweather fans, but that's a lot of money. It's a better business decision to save the money and watch on TV until it's resolved, isn't it? What would Stan do? I bought a bike from Bicycle World in Belleville. Spent more than I wanted, but they have given me free minor repairs and yearly tune ups in the 5 years since I've bought it. Always unfailingly polite, no matter how jacked up my ride is. Point is, they ACT grateful I spent my money with them. My friends can't get an acknowledgement of that from Stan, just platitudes from flunkies who will be employed regardless of where the team is.
I know I sound bitter and fairweather. I'm not, otherwise I wouldn't be here posting and talking Rams in the summer. I'm always the one getting booed by people for stating support for Bulger, Bradford, etc. I love our team. I'm happy that there is finally some off-season hope.
I guess my point is that I'm not sure if Stan has the leverage he thinks he has over St. Louis. But then again, I'm a pessimist.
Blue, that is a well thought through and reasoned post. You may be right about Stan's leverage with the city.
If Stan is forced to build his own stadium with his own money (which I agree with BTW, aside from tax concessions the local government should consider), the question becomes where will he build it?
There is a pretty strong argument that the overall value of his investment (the team) will be much higher if he chooses to build it in SoCal.
That is the risk.