Boxer Urges NFL to Block Rams’ Move
U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), claiming that Orange County’s offer to keep the Rams is “equally viable” to the St. Louis deal to attract the team, urged NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue Monday to block the Rams’ move to Missouri.
In a letter to Tagliabue, Boxer cited several reasons to keep the Rams in Anaheim, including a base of more than 15 million potential fans, a surrounding television market that is the nation’s second largest and the city’s plans to upgrade the entire Anaheim Stadium area.
“It seems wrong to destroy 50 years of tradition for no apparent reason,” Boxer wrote. “Please make the right decision for the NFL and professional football by keeping the Rams in Orange County.”
Tagliabue has called a special owners meeting for Feb. 16 in Dallas to discuss the Rams’ proposal to move. To move, the team needs approval from at least 23 of 30 NFL owners, in a vote that probably will take place at the March 12-17 league meetings in Phoenix.
Meanwhile, officials of FANS Inc., the civic group that lured the Rams to St. Louis, have scheduled a news conference Wednesday at the new domed stadium to announce totals from the first wave of its personal seat licensing campaign. It’s anticipated that the 46,000 licenses, ranging in price from $250-$4,500, already have sold out.
