Rams Forced to Buck System : NFL: League committee says owners will approve move--for the right price.

Despite a negative recommendation from their commissioner, NFL owners admitted Sunday the Rams can buy their way to St. Louis.

A source on the NFL’s finance committee said the Rams will receive a list of demands, and if agreeable to team owner Georgia Frontiere, the committee will urge team owners to approve the proposed move to St. Louis.

“It’s a doable deal,” said Bud Adams, committee chairman and Oilers’ owner. “I think we will work something out. Anything as big as this takes a lot of time, but it’s definitely a doable deal.”

Commissioner Paul Tagliabue informed owners last week that he could not endorse the Rams’ move. If Tagliabue maintains his position, and the Rams fail to reach a financial accord with league owners this week, they expect to fall short in gaining the 23 needed votes for NFL approval.

In that event, the team is expected to join with FANS, Inc., and file a lawsuit in St. Louis. The NFL is prohibited from filing suit against the Rams, per a written agreement, before March 31, thereby allowing the Rams to pursue legal action on friendly turf in St. Louis.

If the Rams pursue legal action, they are expected to play the 1995 season in California, although not in Anaheim Stadium.

“If we’re voted down I think the chances of playing in L.A. are very good,” Shaw said. “Where? We haven’t even addressed that issue yet.”

The Rams could seek an injunction to allow for the immediate move to St. Louis, but such a move would be risky. An immediate move to St. Louis could result in huge losses for the Rams if they failed in their legal efforts. At the same time, by remaining in California, they would enhance their opportunity to gain more money in damages should they win their legal battle.

Joseph Alioto, a San Francisco attorney, who successfully represented the Raiders and Al Davis in their legal contest with the NFL to move from Oakland, said last week that the Rams could gain “$300 million to $400 million in damages” if they sued the league for blocking their move.

The way the Rams figure it, they can’t lose. They would like to win approval, move on and begin to realize the more than $20 million in anticipated profit in St. Louis. Should they be forced to fight, however, they believe they will ultimately move to St. Louis, and in addition, receive money for damages.

NFL owners don’t want a legal fight, but they claim one-third of the more than $70 million raised in the sale of personal seat licenses and club seats for the domed St. Louis Stadium, which is under construction, is ticket revenue and is owed to them under league rules.

“The NFL has to look at what money is not being factored (into revenue sharing),” said Dan Rooney, Pittsburgh Steelers owner.

The Rams disagree. They say the money belongs to FANS Inc. and has nothing to do with NFL revenue sharing. The Rams say they stand to gain only $13 million from the sale of seat licenses with the remainder going to the payoff of the Anaheim Stadium bond, FANS Inc. expenses and improvements in the St. Louis Stadium.

The league’s demand for a large share of the seat-license money took Shaw by surprise. In earlier discussions with league officials, it was his understanding that the money was not subject to be shared with others.

The Carolina Panthers raised $140 million in the sale of seat licenses to build a stadium, and the league asked for none of it. The league said Carolina asked for owners’ approval before raising the money, which makes its situation different than the Rams.

While willing to fight, Shaw admitted he is open to compromise and parting with some of the $13 million realized in the sale of seat licenses if it’s needed to buy the team’s ticket to St. Louis.

“Commissioner Paul Tagliabue has indicated that our proposal to move to St. Louis is not acceptable,” Shaw said. “I’d like to know what terms are acceptable, but I’m not going to start by putting things out there. It’s just a question of what they want.”

The Cardinals paid a $7.5-million relocation fee to move from St. Louis to Phoenix in 1988.

There also has been talk that the Rams’ move to St. Louis will adversely effect the salary cap. Fox TV has indicated it will be asking for a rebate of $500,000 per team if it loses the No. 2 market. The Rams also have come under criticism for purposely running their team into the ground to keep down attendance, and there have been reports that the Rams made huge profits despite reporting significant losses.

Shaw considered such talk much ado about nothing.

League owners have also expressed concern with Davis, the Raiders’ owner, and the prospect of no NFL team in Los Angeles.

“That’s the biggest part,” said Denver Bronco owner Pat Bowlen.

If the Rams are willing to share their wealth, however, NFL owners might be more willing to accept an L.A. market with only Davis in residence.

“L.A. will have a football team,” Shaw said.

“I would expect based on the Commissioner’s recommendation that it would have an affect on some of the owners’ votes.”

* WILSON SPEAKS OUT: Gov. Pete Wilson urges the NFL to halt Rams’ move to St. Louis. C12