Limbaugh, Checketts interested in buying the Rams
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10/06/2009 06:05 PM ET By JIM SALTER (AP)
ST. LOUIS -The lowly Rams have someone who loves them. Conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh said Tuesday he is teaming up with St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts in a bid to buy the Rams, owners of the NFL's longest losing streak at 14 and just 5-31 since 2007.
In a statement, Limbaugh declined to discuss details, citing a confidentiality agreement with Goldman Sachs, the investment firm hired by the family of former Rams owner Georgia Frontiere to review assets of her estate, including the NFL team.
Limbaugh also declined to discuss other partners that might be involved in the bid, but said he and Checketts would operate the team.
"Dave Checketts and I have made a bid to buy the Rams and we are continuing the process," Limbaugh said.
Forbes magazine has estimated the Rams franchise has a value of $929 million.
Frontiere's children, Chip Rosenbloom and Lucia Rodriguez, inherited 60 percent of the Rams when their mother died in January 2008. Billionaire Stan Kroenke of Columbia, Mo., owns the remaining 40 percent. It wasn't clear if the Limbaugh/Checketts bid was for 100 percent of the Rams or just the share owned by Rosenbloom and Rodriguez.
"Our strategic review of our ownership of the Rams continues," Rosenbloom said in a statement released late Monday. "We will make an announcement upon the completion of the process."
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello declined comment. Spokesmen for Checketts and the Blues declined comment.
Limbaugh is a native of Cape Girardeau, Mo., about 100 miles south of St. Louis. He's so popular among conservatives — fans of his show call themselves "dittoheads" — that he has been called by some the voice of the Republican Party.
Limbaugh, who lives and works in Palm Beach, Fla., once worked for the Kansas City Royals and is an avid sports fan.
In 2003, Limbaugh worked briefly on ESPN's NFL pregame show, but resigned after saying Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed.
Checketts, 53, and his SCP Worldwide and Towerbrook Capital Partners purchased the Blues in 2006 from Bill and Nancy Laurie. The Blues have been gradually rebuilt under his leadership and made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2004.
Checketts first approached Rosenbloom in early 2009 about possibly buying the Rams. Eric Gelfand, a spokesman for Checketts, said in June that Checketts had put together a group consisting of local and outside investors.
An NFL rule allows ownership of NFL teams and teams in other sports, but only if they are in the same market. That would be a problem if Kroenke wanted to become majority owner of the Rams because he owns the NBA's Denver Nuggets and the NHL's Colorado Avalanche.
Checketts' company owns Utah's Real Salt Lake of the MLS. But an NFL spokesman has said the cross-ownership rule does not apply to the MLS.
The potential sale of the Rams has been rumored since Frontiere's death. Her children are both involved in other interests and neither has ties to St. Louis.
The sale has raised concerns in St. Louis, which lost the Cardinals franchise after the 1987 season when Bill Bidwill moved the team to Arizona.
The NFL passed over St. Louis for the smaller Jacksonville, Fla., market when it awarded an expansion team in 1993. Two years later, civic leaders convinced Frontiere, a St. Louis native, to move the team from Los Angeles, the nation's second-largest market, back to her hometown.
Los Angeles is still without a team, and a loophole in the Rams' lease allows them to move as early as 2014 if the Edward Jones Dome is not deemed among the top quarter of all NFL stadiums. Though just 14 years old, the dome is fast becoming one of the league's older venues, and getting it into the top quarter seems unlikely.
Checketts became the youngest person ever to run an NBA team at age 28 when he became president and general manager of the Utah Jazz in 1984. He later ran the New York Knicks and Madison Square Garden.
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Associated Press Writer Brian Skoloff in West Palm Beach, Fla., contributed to this report.
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Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Rush Limpass can go to hell.
If they recognize him as a good business owner with a head for football... I seriously doubt any would have a problem with him!
Who knows, maybe they all know as well that McNabb is overrated! He's a decent quarterback, but not a great one.
BTW, you really need to start using your head & thinking things through & not just repeating things that liberal idiots have told you.
Nope... don't think that works very well... but it was a funny thought.
Klanahan... Good then... please do boycott both teams... we'll all be the better for it! We can then get REAL fans of the clubs taking your place.
SO LET SEE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE POLITICAL PARTY TEST FOR TEAM OWNERS. I AM SURE SOMEONE WILL BUY A TEAM AND NOT WANT THE BEST PLAYERS. THEY WOULD PREFER TO HAVE ONE COLOR OR RACE BEFORE WINNING?
I don't listen to Limbaugh, but we should forget all this race crap, he has an opinion like anybody else, just like Rev. Wright, I don't listen to him either, Me and millions of others wore the uniform of our country so all have a right to say and think what they wish.
If the Ram's don't annouce that they will not entertain any offer from any group that includes Rush Limbaugh, I will boycott the Rams immediately. This man made his millions selling hate and devisiveness, pandering to simpletons and right wing kooks, and obstructing progress in our country via lies, half-truths, innuendo, racism and supposition. He is a disgrace that has hurt our country. He should not be allowed to own a team.
Same goes for the St. Louis Blues. If Mr. Checketts doesn't disassociate himself from Rush, I will boycott all blues games, broadcasts, and paraphenalia.
Same as he does about politics!! Nothing!!
Just because someone says they think the media overreacts to blacks when it comes to the NFL football league doesn't make you a racist. He wasn't attacking blacks, you idiots, he was obviously attacking the media for their, in his mind, gross overreaction to a quarterback who, I happen to agree, IS overrated!!!! Donovan McNaab hadn't done anything, suuuuureee he led the eagles to some playoff games, but when it came down to it, he CHOKED!!! And the media DID make him out to be the second coming of Joe Montana, which was plain BS!!!!
WHAT DOES RUSH KNOW ABOUT FOOTBALL??
GO MIAMI HURRICANES !!!!
to be renamed St Louis Republicans ? how cool !!!
to be renamed St Louis Republicans ? how cool !!!
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RUSH LIMBAUGH IS A BIG FAT RACIST BLO HOLE!!!!!!!!!If they let that oxycontin eating fat pig buy a NFL team, it will be the sadest day in sports!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You people can say whatever you want, but he's one of the most divisive individuals in this country. I couldn't care less about his money, money don't buy basic human respect for others. If you all think he's not a bigot, then you're in denial.
Welcome to the United States of the offended.
Blacks say all sorts of racist things about "whitey" and themselves:)
Come on white America .When will the revolution start?
I'm ready
no where in that article did it say he was racist , even though in my mind rush limbaugh is a racist hot head, but thats neither her nor there, all the article said was he resigned after making that remark which could be taken very literally as being racist cuz if he didnt mean that to be taken that way he shouldnt have said it, no matter how you look at it or dissect it it comes off to be racist . saying Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed.... how can that not be taken as a racist remark . maybe he didnt mean it to be that way but thats surely the way it came off.....
what are you talking about the man is great buisness man thats why he has all the money and you dont
you have no idea what you are talking about he said nothing racist only the facts which were not racist next time listen to the broadcast insead ofletting someone tell you what happened. second he is probably going to be a great owner he is a great football person that why they hired him to do monday night football in the first place not you and unlike you he is a really big winner thats why he can buy a team and you cant he must be doing something right to have all THAT MONEY