St. Louis Rams have been sold

moklerman · February 10th, 2010, 10:07 PM

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

Quote:

[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 · February 11th, 2010, 04:47 AM

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

cardsfanmd · February 11th, 2010, 04:56 AM

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

b8rtm8nn · February 11th, 2010, 05:35 AM

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

Southpaw · February 11th, 2010, 05:38 AM

Good 'stache.

ColorWerx · February 11th, 2010, 06:04 AM

"KHAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNN!"

RugbyMuffin · February 11th, 2010, 06:14 AM

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 · February 11th, 2010, 06:18 AM

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

splitsecond · February 11th, 2010, 06:21 AM

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

CardLogic · February 11th, 2010, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by splitsecond

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.

ColorWerx · February 11th, 2010, 07:19 AM

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 · February 11th, 2010, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColorWerx

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 · February 11th, 2010, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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 · February 11th, 2010, 07:50 AM

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 · February 11th, 2010, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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

AFC South ?

Indy, Hou, Ten, and St. Louis ?

I could see that working.