[Elvis]

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football ... e8.twitter

NFL to update owners on Rams, stadium plans

BY JIM THOMAS

The Los Angeles-relocation/St. Louis stadium issue is on the formal agenda at the NFL’s May meetings this week in San Francisco. There will be no votes and no outside speakers this time around.

Instead, the full membership is expected to hear an update from NFL executive Eric Grubman on where things stand on all fronts. Specifically with regard to last month’s presentation in New York from representatives of stadium projects in St. Louis, Inglewood (Calif.) and Carson (Calif.) to the league’s committee on Los Angeles operations.

There had been some earlier rumblings weeks ago that a St. Louis delegation headed by Dave Peacock and Bob Blitz might make a presentation at these meetings, but that turned out not to be the case.

If nothing else, owners from all 32 teams will be brought up to date on what’s going on at the locales in question. But as the weeks fly by and the time creeps closer to when a decision could be reached on the fate of the Rams in St. Louis, there could be movement on a couple of fronts.

For one, results are expected soon on market assessment surveys done not only in St. Louis, Inglewood and Carson, but also Oakland and San Diego. In St. Louis, those surveys consisted of email questionnaires, focus groups involving current and former Rams season ticket holders, and phone interviews with executives of area companies. A few preliminary results have dribbled in to the St. Louis task force, but nothing substantive.

Also, there could be a decision made in San Francisco on moving up the timetable for relocation to Los Angeles. Under normal relocation guidelines, the next window for the Rams, the Oakland Raiders and the San Diego Chargers to file for relocation is Jan. 1 through Feb. 15, 2016.

The NFL is considering moving up that window to the fall of 2015. Proceeding earlier would give relocating teams a better opportunity to properly transition to a new marketplace.

“Which is the goal if there is a relocation,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said at the league’s March meetings. “So that’s been discussed. We certainly have not come to any conclusion on that.”

Obviously, an earlier relocation window does no favors for the three cities attempting to keep franchises in their markets — St. Louis, Oakland and San Diego.

St. Louis is significantly ahead of Oakland and San Diego when it comes to formulating a stadium plan, but work remains in terms of land assembly and financing. With the threat of a new timetable looming, Peacock and Blitz need to have both those boxes checked by the fall to have a chance at keeping the Rams in St. Louis.

Even without St. Louis representation in San Francisco, the May meetings represent another milepost in the process. Barring a special session, this will be the last time the entire membership of owners meets until October.

[Hacksaw]

Well LA Rambros, tomorrow is a big day. The fate of 3 teams and 4 cities hangs in the balance. The NFL must feel a bit empowered.
All 3 cities on the clock ave been going about their business. All making noise right before the meetings with the exception of the Rams. There typical silence is deafening.
The others all want to get picked, me, me, me, so who do you think is picking the team? The quiet guy with the biggest stick?
Wish I could tell you for certain, but I sure hope so anyways.....