Rams Fight Fans’ Class Action Over LA Move

The St. Louis Rams urged a judge to dismiss a class action lawsuit alleging the National Football League team deceived fans about its upcoming move to Los Angeles, claiming that the possibility of the team’s relocation was not a secret.

The Rams class action lawsuit was filed by plaintiffs James Pudlowski, Louis C. Cross III, Gail Henry and Steve Henry on Jan. 13, one day after the NFL announced that it would allow the Rams to move the team from St. Louis, Mo. to Los Angeles.

The plaintiffs claim that they had purchased tickets, concessions, and/or merchandise from the Rams with the understanding that the team’s owner had no intent to relocate the team.

The Rams class action lawsuit seeks reimbursement of ticket, concession and other purchases made by putative Class Members between 2010 and Jan. 4, 2016. The plaintiffs claim they were deceived into making these purchases from the Rams based on false statements that the team would remain in St. Louis.

Under Missouri law, it is illegal to sell merchandise using “false promise, misrepresentation, unfair practice or the concealment, suppression, or omission of any material fact,” according to the Rams class action lawsuit.

The Rams disagree with the plaintiffs’ assertions that they were deceived by statements made by team representatives. The team says it was clear that there were significant financial decisions that made it difficult to stay in St. Louis and that they were in negotiations with the city to make improvements to the existing stadium.

“Plaintiffs’ legal conclusion is factually controverted, and therefore rendered implausible, by the very interviews cited in the complaint, which each show that the possible relocation of the Rams was both openly disclosed and widely discussed throughout the putative class period,” the Rams state in support of their motion to dismiss the class action lawsuit.

“Plaintiffs selectively quote from three interviews (out of hundreds of interviews and articles published during the five year putative class period) that each affirmatively discloses the possibility of the Rams relocating away from St. Louis,” the Rams argue.

The NFL team also argues that the plaintiffs have not suffered an ascertainable loss because they have already obtained the benefit of the tickets to the games they attended, concessions they consumed and merchandise they purchased. According to the Rams, “their claims for refunds are therefore barred as a matter of law.”

The Rams continue by arguing that, even if the plaintiffs had experienced a loss, the damages they experience are not based on any misrepresentations – they stem from the Rams’ “entirely legal, and NFL-approved, move from St. Louis to California.”

The Rams have asked that the court dismiss the NFL team relocation class action lawsuit with prejudice, which, if granted, would bar the plaintiffs from filing an amended complaint.

The plaintiffs are represented by Steven J. Stolze of Holland Law Firm.

The St. Louis Rams Relocation Class Action Lawsuit is Pudlowski, et al. v. St. Louis Rams LLC, et al., Case No. 4:16-cv-00189, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

UPDATE: On May 10, 2016, the soon-to-be Los Angeles Rams have one loss on the scoreboard as a federal judge tossed back a proposed class action lawsuit to Missouri state court.

UPDATE 2: January 2020, the Rams tickets and merchandise class action settlement is now open. Click here to file a claim.