If Rams owner Stan Kroenke is successful in his bid to purchase the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, that would raise cross-ownership issues, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "Yes, and (Kroenke's) aware of that," Goodell said at the league owners meetings. "Baseball's aware of that. It would have to be addressed by our membership." Goodell revealed Monday that he already has talked to baseball Commissioner Bud Selig on the topic. "If (Kroenke's) is ultimately the winning bid, we would immediately move with our committees to have a discussion with our membership. So we would move as quickly as possible knowing it's an important issue for baseball." NFL cross-ownership rules allow a league owner to own teams in other major sports leagues (baseball, basketball, hockey) but only in his or her own NFL market or in a non-NFL market. According to Goodell on Monday, even though Los Angeles doesn't currently have an NFL franchise, "We do consider it a league market." In which case, owning the Los Angeles Dodgers and the St. Louis Rams would violate cross-ownership rules. But if Kroenke should move the Rams to LA, he would be in compliance with cross-ownership rules because the Dodgers and the Rams would be in the same market and this, obviously makes Rams fans even more antsy about the future of the team in St. Louis given the current stadium lease situation at the Edward Jones Dome. "We've often said that's an extraordinary stadium site up at Dodger Stadium, and it's something that we were interested in going back to the '90s," Goodell said. Source: The Redzone
So basically if he wins the bid he's moving the Rams to Los Angeles? Uhm. Didn't they just sign a lease with the city of St Louis? And to be honest, this is a stupid rule.
Manchester isn't considered an NFL market even though they play games over there. But honestly, LA shouldn't be an NFL market either.
