The case is over, but the controversy lingers.
The NFL paid St. Louis $790 million to resolve litigation arising from the relocation of the Rams. Team owner Stan Kroenke previously promised to indemnify his partners for any losses arising from the move. Presumably seizing upon poorly drafted language that arguably makes Kroenke responsible for the expenses of defending against the claim but not any eventual settlement or judgment, Kroenke has pushed back on paying all of it.
Daniel Kaplan of TheAthletic.com reports that Commissioner Roger Goodell previously appointed five owners to serve on a committee aimed at attempting to resolve the issue. Per Kaplan, both sides of the dispute have advocates on the committee. Kaplan also reports that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones — a Kroenke ally and supporter — is not a member of group.
Which begs the question. What other owner supports Kroenke’s effort to renege on his deal?
Litigation is a potential alternative to internal efforts to resolve the situation. The league would argue that the situation should be submitted to private arbitration, in large part because the league always tries to steer legal claims toward arbitration.
The NFL’s finance committee previously had the task of resolving the issue. At some point, that changed.
The league is possibly looking for a negotiated compromise in order to avoid a protracted legal battle among the members of Club Oligarch. And if the league eventually backs off, the league will have only itself to blame for creating paperwork not nearly as ironclad as it needed to be.