2008 Woodie Awards
Rams' future in Macomb looks bleak
Jason Nevel
Issue date: 4/30/08 Section: News
According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, the St. Louis Rams will not be returning to Macomb this summer for training camp. However, the Rams have made no official call to Western Illinois University or Macomb Mayor Mick Wisslead's office stating they will not be coming back.
According to a source close to the university, the Rams have contacted the university but have never said they will not be returning to the place they called home for nine years. The source added that the Post Dispatch story might have been premature in the information it reported Monday.
Another university source said when the Rams decided not to return to Macomb for the summer of 2005, the university first learned the news that the Rams would be staying in St. Louis for training camp through the St. Louis media.
The Rams could not be reached for a response as of 4 p.m. Tuesday.
"We thought we had the best facility," Wisslead said. "We had everything the Rams could need, and the university has put on a good program."
The list for training camp hosts has been narrowed down to two, according to the Post Dispatch: Concordia University in Mequon, Wis., and Wisconsin-Whitewater. An official decision is expected to be made by late next week.
Western had hosted the Rams for nine years from 1996-2004. Wisslead said he expected the reason the Rams chose to move elsewhere was because they wanted to be close to other teams to scrimmage. He added that he does not believe holding training camp in Wisconsin helps the Rams build their fan base.
According to a source close to the university, the Rams have contacted the university but have never said they will not be returning to the place they called home for nine years. The source added that the Post Dispatch story might have been premature in the information it reported Monday.
Another university source said when the Rams decided not to return to Macomb for the summer of 2005, the university first learned the news that the Rams would be staying in St. Louis for training camp through the St. Louis media.
The Rams could not be reached for a response as of 4 p.m. Tuesday.
"We thought we had the best facility," Wisslead said. "We had everything the Rams could need, and the university has put on a good program."
The list for training camp hosts has been narrowed down to two, according to the Post Dispatch: Concordia University in Mequon, Wis., and Wisconsin-Whitewater. An official decision is expected to be made by late next week.
Western had hosted the Rams for nine years from 1996-2004. Wisslead said he expected the reason the Rams chose to move elsewhere was because they wanted to be close to other teams to scrimmage. He added that he does not believe holding training camp in Wisconsin helps the Rams build their fan base.
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