PRO FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : RAMS : Shaw Calls Reports of Deal Incorrect

Ram President John Shaw denied a published report Tuesday that there has been an agreement on the partial sale of the team, and dismissed the notion that he is closer to signing a lease to play in St. Louis.

“The report is inaccurate,” Shaw said. “There are several large unresolved lease issues and no deal is imminent.”

It’s known that talks between the Rams and St. Louis officials stopped more than a week ago. In an effort to re-open such talks, St. Louis directed a new proposal for Shaw’s study Tuesday.

The Orange County Register reported Tuesday that the Rams had reached a “verbal agreement” to sell a minority share of the team to Missouri businessman Stan Kroenke.

Shaw said Kroenke has not agreed to buy a minority interest of the team, and Ram owner Georgia Frontiere has not agreed to sell a share of the team.

“The only point we’re at is that Georgia has met several times with Kroenke, and it appears they would be comfortable as partners,” Shaw said. “Possible percentages and sales prices have been discussed, but nothing specifically has been agreed upon. Kroenke hasn’t even agreed to purchase a minority interest in the team and Georgia has not signed off any such agreement because there is no agreement.

“If we were to move to St. Louis and ownership decided to sell a minority share of the team, this is the guy with whom we would deal. But presently there is no deal.”

Kroenke might prefer 100% ownership of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rather than owning a share of the Rams with no say in team matters and no opportunity to gain majority interest at a later date. Kroenke met with the Buccaneer trustees in Tampa last weekend after visiting with Shaw.

“There will be no minority sale of the team until the team is in fact going to move,” Shaw said. “The first step is the lease, and there are still a number of things to be discussed there.”

Shaw declined to provide a date when matters might be resolved, but it appears the team’s future will remain in doubt until after the Rams’ regular-season finale, Dec. 24 against Washington.