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Top 5 questions regarding a Los Angeles Rams NFL return

By Nate Williams

Feb 11, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the downtown Los Angeles skyline before the NBA game between the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Lakers. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 11, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the downtown Los Angeles skyline before the NBA game between the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Lakers. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 15, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams tight end Lance Kendricks (88) celebrates with wide receiver Stedman Bailey (12) after catching a four yard touchdown pass against the New Orleans Saints during the first half at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 15, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams tight end Lance Kendricks (88) celebrates with wide receiver Stedman Bailey (12) after catching a four yard touchdown pass against the New Orleans Saints during the first half at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Is Stan Kroenke is seeking a return to L.A. or is his real intention to force St. Louis to build a more modern home for the Rams?

L.A. Sports Hub’s, Jason Gold:

"“The Kroenke-L.A. rumors have been swirling since he purchased the 60-acres at Hollywood Park, something we’ll cover in the next question. I honestly don’t know if he’s “seeking” a return to Los Angeles, but it seems like the NFL is focused on bringing a team to L.A. simply because the revenue lost from not being in Los Angeles is too steep. The Rams are a logical choice as a relocation candidate and I’m sure Kroenke has had conversations with Mayor Eric Garcetti and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about a possible move. If I were taking a stab at it, I would guess that Kroenke is open to a move to Los Angeles simply based on franchise value alone, but he would stay in St. Louis if there was a state-of-the-art facility being built with city money. I don’t think Kroenke is interested in privately financing a stadium himself in St. Louis.”"

Kroenke has made much of his fortune by way of land development and owns large amounts of land in California and elsewhere.

This could be nothing more than a leverage play to get what he wants in St. Louis. It wouldn’t be the first time Los Angeles was used in such a way. Since the Raiders and Rams left town, 22 new stadiums have been built for 23 teams. Many of those teams using the prospect of moving to Los Angeles to receive public financing to build a new stadium in their home market.

On the other hand, a move would not only return the Rams to their former home and the second-biggest market in the country but would raise the value of a franchise that is currently worth $875 million, according to Forbes, putting it in the bottom four of the NFL.

A move to Los Angeles and into a new stadium could push that value past $1 billion and make it one of the most valuable franchises in the league.

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