Checketts: Limbaugh out of group looking to buy Rams

Sports Network | October 14, 2009

St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - Amid scrutiny from numerous decision makers in the NFL community, Dave Checketts released a statement on Wednesday announcing Rush Limbaugh has been dropped from the group seeking to purchase the St. Louis Rams.

When it was revealed Limbaugh was part of the group to buy the Rams last week, several people, including NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, stated their ambivalence with the conservative radio personality having stock in the league.

Checketts, also the owner of the St. Louis Blues, has decided to move forward on the bid without Limbaugh in the mix, according to the St. Louis Post- Dispatch, seemingly as a result of the controversy.

"Rush was to be a limited partner - as such, he would have had no say in the direction of the club or in any decision regarding personnel or operations. This was a role he enthusiastically embraced," Checketts said in the statement obtained by the paper.

"However, it has become clear that his involvement in our group has become a complication and a distraction to our intentions; endangering our bid to keep the team in St. Louis. As such, we have decided to move forward without him and hope it will eventually lead us to a successful conclusion."

The Rams have been controlled by the Rosenbloom family since 1972 when Carroll Rosenbloom traded the Baltimore Colts, which he had owned since 1953, for the franchise then based in Los Angeles.

The Rosenblooms have not officially stated the team is up for sale.