Will Rams Leave Anaheim Kicking Itself? : * Team May Not Get Away Through Loophole, but It Would Be City’s Fault If It Did
The Rams will be right where they ought to be today, playing at Anaheim Stadium against the visiting Atlanta Falcons. And they ought to stay there on future Sundays. Because the recent speculation about their possible departure for Baltimore or elsewhere hasn’t abated, a few comments about Anaheim as a host city are in order.
The good news for now is that the team’s executive vice president, John Shaw, issued an apparent vote of confidence in Anaheim when queried about the reports. The team has a long and storied association with Southern California, and after leaving the Coliseum in Los Angeles for the greener pastures of Orange County, it seems to have found a true home. There have been some bumps in the road, notably the pending litigation by the Angels against the city over plans for it and the Rams to build office buildings in the Anaheim Stadium parking lot. But the team draws well when it fields a winning team, so put to rest any question about whether the region can support several National Football League franchises.
At the same time, there is no question that the barn door is ajar. Shaw has refused comment on whether the Rams would explore a move, and the team has acknowledged its disappointment with ticket sales. The big question is why the city allowed the Rams several years ago to negotiate a loophole in their lease that effectively allows them to buy their way out of town, at a price that would really not be prohibitive for a team intent on moving.
Let’s hope it never happens. But the city, which is a host for an entertainment giant in the Walt Disney Co., and also now for several major league sports franchises, has yet another reminder that it has to look out for its best interests. It must be careful not to give away the store up front when a deal is done. Also, as the Rams speculation seems to suggest, it has to be careful what it does even after the terms are agreed to.
