Checketts wants to buy Rams

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts is heading a group seeking to buy the NFL's Rams and keep the team in St. Louis.

On Monday, the Rams announced that the family of former owner Georgia Frontiere has hired the investment firm of Goldman Sachs to review the assets of her estate, including the NFL team. The move was seen as potentially expediting a sale of the franchise.

A spokesman for Checketts, Eric Gelfand, said Checketts first approached Frontiere's son, Chip Rosenbloom, several months ago about buying the team. Rosenbloom and his sister, Lucia Rodriguez, inherited 60 percent of the Rams when their mother died in January 2008. Billionaire Stan Kroenke, owner of the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche, owns the remaining 40 percent.

Gelfand said Checketts has put together a group consisting of St. Louisans and outside investors. He provided an e-mail from Checketts expressing confidence the group was a good fit to buy the franchise, which Forbes magazine estimates has a value of $929 million.

"We have the ability to get this done and we have communicated this to the Rams," Checketts wrote in the e-mail. "Last week, we communicated to Chip in no uncertain terms, that he now has a clear St. Louis buyer. We are that buyer."

Gelfand would not disclose other members of the group.

An NFL rule allows ownership of NFL teams and teams in other sports, but only if they are in the same market. That would be a problem if Kroenke wanted to become majority owner of the Rams.

Checketts' company, SCP Worldwide, owns Utah's Real Salt Lake Major League Soccer team. But NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the cross-ownership rule does not apply to MLS.

"We have reason to believe the NFL would approve our group, as we have carefully explored their ownership requirements," Checketts wrote.

The potential sale of the Rams has been rumored since Frontiere's death. Her children are both involved in other interests and neither has ties to St. Louis.

The sale has raised concerns in St. Louis given the city's spotty record with the NFL. The football Cardinals left after the 1987 season. The NFL passed over St. Louis for the smaller Jacksonville market when it awarded an expansion team in 1993. Two years later, civic leaders convinced Frontiere, a St. Louis native, to move the team from Los Angeles, the nation's second-largest market, back to her hometown.

Los Angeles is still without a team, and a loophole in the Rams' lease allows them to move as early as 2014 if the Edward Jones Dome is not deemed among the top quarter of all NFL stadiums. Though just 14 years old, the dome is fast becoming one of the league's older venues, and getting it into the top quarter seems unlikely.

Gelfand said Checketts is well aware of the stadium issues. "He also knows it's too early to address it specifically," he said.

Gelfand said Checketts' "main goal" is keeping the team in St. Louis.

"Given his relationship with the Blues, he feels like he's a St. Louisan and wants to do what's best for the community," Gelfand said.

Checketts, 53, and his Sports Capital Partners and Towerbrook Capital Partners purchased the Blues in 2006 from Bill and Nancy Laurie. The Blues have gradually rebuilt under his leadership and made the playoffs this past season for the first time since 2004.

Checketts became the youngest person ever to run an NBA team at age 28 when he became president and general manager of the Utah Jazz in 1984. He later ran the New York Knicks and Madison Square Garden.


Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

David W. Checketts founded SCP Worldwide (SCP) in September 2001. One of the most heralded sports, media and entertainment executives currently serves as Chairman of this fast growing company.

Under his direction and leadership, SCP has acquired an impressive stable of assets. In June 2006 the company acquired the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League, Scottrade Center and Kiel Opera House in June 2006. In 2004, SCP acquired the twelfth Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise launching Real Salt Lake in Checketts' hometown of Salt Lake City, Utah. In addition, SCP owns sports-talk radio station KALL 700 AM "The Zone", also in Salt Lake City, has a controlling interest in Running Subway, an entertainment production company, and this year acquired Tupelo-Honey a heralded media production company.

The 53-year-old Mr. Checketts created his sports media company after a successful ten-year career at Madison Square Garden (MSG). As President and Chief Executive Officer for seven years, Mr. Checketts oversaw all operations of one of the most powerful sports and entertainment companies globally, including the "World's Most Famous Arena" and its three sports franchises, the New York Knickerbockers of the NBA, the New York Rangers of the NHL, and the New York Liberty of the WNBA - along with the award winning MSG Network and FOX Sports Network. In 1997, while at his post, Mr. Checketts took on the ambitious acquisition and comprehensive restoration of New York's historic Radio City Music Hall. Although MSG, under his leadership, was awarded with many accomplishments such as being named Arena of the Year for six straight years, the achievement he takes most pride in is the establishment of the MSG "Cheering for Children" foundation which created after school programs for thousands of New York City school children.

Mr. Checketts began his career at Madison Square Garden as President of the New York Knicks in March 1991. In the four seasons he served as President, the team finished twice in first place, made it to the Eastern Conference Finals twice and captured the Eastern Conference Champion Title in 1994. During this time, the team set records in attendance, ratings and revenues including setting the all-time sellout streak of 460 games at The Garden. Forbes named the Knicks the most valuable franchise in the NBA.

In his role as Governor of the Knicks (NBA), Rangers (NHL) and Liberty (WNBA), Mr. Checketts was instrumental in all three leagues development and mission. For the NBA, he was part of both the Planning Committee and the Labor Relations Committee which including being a lead negotiator in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) in 1999. For the WNBA, he was one of the founding partners and served on the League's Operating Committee.

Prior to joining the Knicks, Mr. Checketts spent one year as General Manager of NBA International, working with NBA Commissioner David Stern on building a presence for the league in broadcasting and licensing around the world.

In 1983, Mr. Checketts was named President and General Manager of the Utah Jazz. At 28 years old, he became the youngest chief executive in the history of the NBA. During his six year tenure, the team captured two Midwest Division titles and enjoyed a multi-million dollar economic turnaround.

Mr. Checketts did his undergraduate studies at the University of Utah and earned his MBA from Brigham Young University (BYU) in 1981, where he graduated with top honors. Upon completion of his studies, he joined the Boston based consulting firm, Bain & Company.

Mr. Checketts serves on the Board of Directors of JetBlue Airways, International Management Group (IMG) and Republic Mortgage. He plays an active role with each company, serving as the Chairman, Compensation Committee for JetBlue.

He resides in Connecticut with his wife Deb. They have six children and four grandchildren.

Dave Checketts

Dave Checketts (born c. 1956) lives in Connecticut and is a familiar face to those who follow sports. At 28, he became president and general manager of the Utah Jazz, making him the youngest chief executive in National Basketball Association history. He then spent a year as the general manager of NBA International, where he worked to increase the league's presence around the world.

He became president of the New York Knicks in March 1991, and in his four seasons as president, the team made it to the Eastern Conference Finals three times and went to the NBA Finals in 1994 and 1999. The team set records for attendance, television ratings and revenue under his watch.

He went on to become president and chief executive officer of Madison Square Garden, the company that owns the New York Rangers, New York Knicks, New York Liberty of the WNBA and Madison Square Garden and the MSG television network. In 1997, MSG acquired Radio City Music Hall. From 1998 to 2001, the Rangers failed to make the playoffs four straight seasons despite having one of the highest payrolls in the NHL.

In September 2001, Checketts founded Sports Capital Partners Worldwide, a consulting and investment service firm for sports teams. In 2002, SCP acquired SportsWest Communications, a syndicated broadcaster of college sports. In July 2004 SCP bought into Major League Soccer and established a team in Utah, Real Salt Lake, which began play in April of 2005.

On September 29, 2005 it was announced that SCP had officially signed an agreement to purchase the St. Louis Blues.

Checketts attended the University of Utah and got a master's degree in business administration from Brigham Young University. After graduation, he joined the Boston-based consulting firm of Bain & Company.

Checketts is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was featured in a book titled The Mormon Way of Doing Business.