Amid recent NFL owners meetings, the instability of the Rams’ future in

St. Louis still lingers in the minds of fans in the metro area. Diehards fear the potential departure of the Rams, and many hope for a sparkling new stadium to appear on the riverfront.  Aside from the fact that the Rams desire a nearly 1 billion dollar stadium, the NFL provides substantial positive impacts.

Economic Impact:

     Since Busch Stadium was built in 2006, the economy has been positively impacted. In 2013, 5.9 million dollars was generated for the city economy each post season games for the Cardinals. According to Athlon sports, the new Busch stadium ranks number 5 out of thirty for experience and view. The old Busch stadium did not provide a fresh and clean place to watch a baseball game. Using Busch stadium as an example, a new football stadium in St.Louis would generate revenue for St.Louis and increase activity for downtown businesses. The construction of a new stadium would open an endless door of opportunities, including an MLS team or SuperBowl.  An estimated 200 to 500 million dollars in revenue is brought

into the host city of a Super Bowl. To put the icing on the cake, a riverfront stadium would be an iconic building that revives the city.   

Civic Pride:

     Looking past the economic impact, there is a general pride among NFL fans. The streets of downtown are buzzing with people decked out in Rams gear, and the TV’s of St.Louisans tuned into the game. One could say the mood of the city depends on the Rams outcome. A certain unique esteem fills fans while they cheer on their home team. For example, if the Rams replace the St.Louis with an L.A. on their logo, watching them would not be the same as if they were playing alongside the arch.

     After looking at the two impacts the Rams and the NFL itself brings, an exit for the Rams would be detrimental to the fans and city of St.Louis, on a civic and economic level.