The NFL has resolved its remaining business in St. Louis.
With payment of $790 million, the league will settle the litigation arising from the relocation of the Rams. PFT has confirmed the amount of the deal.
The settlement occurred thanks to a mediation session that began on Tuesday. The negotiations culminated in an agreement that avoids the uncertainty of a trial, which the NFL could have lost badly. Also, St. Louis could have prevailed, but with a much smaller judgment than the payment the public entities will receive. The public entities also don’t have to wait while multiple layers of appeals are pursued.
It’s not yet known whether Rams owner Stan Kroenke will pay the full amount, or whether he managed to foist some of the responsibility onto his partners. In recent weeks, Kroenke began to lay the foundation for litigation over whether and to what extent he’ll indemnify his partners. It’s possible that they reached a global settlement with St. Louis, and that the indemnity issue will be litigated separately.
Regardless, the case will now end. Although it’s possible that a glitch or two will arise as the final documents are drawn up, it’s unlikely that the settlement will be scrapped for a full-blown trial.