The St. Louis Rams announced their majority owners have agreed to sell the team to Urbana, Illinois businessman Shahid Khan. Khan plans to keep the team in St. Louis. Chip Rosenbloom and Lucia Rodriquez, the children of late owner Georgia Frontiere will sell their 60% of the team. It must be approved by 75% of the NFL owners.
Stan Kroenke, a billionaire from Columbia, Mo., owns the other 40 percent of the franchise, as well as the Denver franchises in the NBA, NHL and MLS. Kroenke has 60 days to decide what to do with his stake in the franchise.
Khan was born in Pakistan and came to U.S. as a teenager. He attended the University of Illinois in Champaign which is located right next to Urbana. The 55 year old businessman is president of an auto parts manufacturer, Flex-N-Gate. The fact that he has roots in the midwest is a good sign he’d keep the team in St. Louis. He is a Rams fan…attends game and is supportive of his alma mater Illinois.
If he passes the NFL owner’s screening process he’ll take over a team that went 1-15 and has had attendance issues and some shaky ground ahead for the NFL as they approach labor agreement deadlines. However, I like the move if not from the simple fact that it seems very positive that the team will remain in St. Louis.
As far as everyday operations, nothing changes. Kevin Demoff, the VP of football operations, says it will be business as usual as the team looks to improve through the upcoming draft and free agency.