Seat Campaign in St. Louis Successful So Far for Rams

Early returns from St. Louis’ personal-seat licensing (PSL) campaign, a key component of the city’s deal to bring the Rams to Missouri, indicate that it will be a smashing success.

As of Wednesday, applications covering 21,000 PSLs had been received and processed, and 10,000 more envelopes had been received but not opened, according to FANS, Inc., the St. Louis group that negotiated the Ram deal.

FANS officials estimate they have enough applications to fill all 46,000 PSLs currently on the market, and spokesman Al Kerth said “all signs are that we will have more applications than PSLs available.”

St. Louis pledged to sell 30,000 PSLs by Feb. 16, the day NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue will hold a special owners’ meeting in Dallas to discuss the Rams’ move; 40,000 by mid-March, when owners are expected to vote on the move at the Phoenix league meetings, and 50,000 by the start of next season.

The Rams’ move, announced Jan. 17 in St. Louis, is contingent on the city’s selling 40,000 PSLs by mid-March and approval from 23 of 30 NFL owners at the league meetings.

FANS officials braved miserable weather Friday to take drive-up applications for PSLs in front of the city’s convention center. Orders received through midnight will be added to those already processed, and a precise count won’t be ready until next Wednesday.

“I think as a town we proved we want the Rams,” said John Payne, an off-duty police officer who provided security at the site.

PSLs, which range in price from $250 to $4,500, are one-time fees for the right to buy season tickets in the city’s new 65,300-seat domed stadium. PSL proceeds will be used to pay $60 million-$70 million in Ram relocation costs.