Lawyers have struck a deal to settle the four-year-old Rams relocation lawsuit for $790 million, sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations told the Post-Dispatch on Wednesday.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell approved the settlement before noon. The settlement ends the lawsuit. The league will pay the money within a month, and will determine internally how much will be shouldered by Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke, and how much by the league and owners.
According to The Saint Louis Post Dispatch, what is left unaddressed is the apparent backdoor collusion among team owners that made the Rams’ Los Angeles move a fait accompli even as the NFL and Kroenke presented the public illusion of good-faith consideration of St. Louis’ bid to keep the Rams here.
A joint statement from St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones and St. Louis County Executive Sam Page said the “historic agreement closes a long chapter for our region, securing hundreds of millions of dollars for our communities while avoiding the uncertainty of the trial and appellate process.”
The city, county and Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority “are still determining how settlement funds will be allocated,” the statement said.
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