St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke stated last week that he plans to build an 80,000-seat stadium in Inglewood, Calif., which raised questions about his intentions to move the team. To relocate, it is generally accepted that an owner needs 24 of 32 votes to get approval, but Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says that is not the case, per the New York Times:
Jerry Jones says teams can relocate without NFL permission
The Cowboys’ owner believes a franchise can move without getting the three-quarters vote from the NFL.
"As it would turn out now, apart from the league saying no, you can move there," he said. "Keep in mind that teams have moved without the permission of the league. They just have."
Jones reiterated his stance on a potential move for Kroenke, saying “He can if the league says he can’t,” and “there are just certain things clubs can do,” according to the story.
Currently, the league holds control of Los Angeles and has already said the Rams, San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders will not be moving to California's largest city in 2015. However, Kroenke and the Rams are on a year-to-year lease at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, making things more intriguing. Last week, St. Louis made public plans for a 64,000-seat stadium on the banks of the Mississippi River in hopes of keeping the team in town.
Rams relocation?
Should the Rams ultimately move back to Los Angeles, where they were from 1946-94, Jones believes it is justifiable regardless of the league’s approval:
"The idea of Stan going ahead and making his announcement was driven by all of the right things," said Jones, who cited Kroenke’s having a deal for a location and his owning a team with "a great legacy."
If Kroenke were to buck the league’s conventional rules and move without permission, it would not be the first time it has happened in the NFL. The Oakland Raiders moved to Los Angeles in 1982 after then-owner Al Davis decided to move his franchise elsewhere. Former commissioner Pete Rozelle attempted to block the move through legal proceedings, but the Raiders still left before ultimately returning to Oakland on their own accord in 1995.
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