Turf Show Times

The St. Louis Rams and the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission ironed out the lease issues that prevented the team from playing one home game in each of the next three seasons in London. Ticket sales for the Oct. 28 game against the New England Patriots in London's Webley Stadium resume on Monday.

Ticket sales for the game were suspended on Thursday, Feb. 2, the day general admission seats were supposed to go on sale. The CVC issued a public statement about the lease violation issue on Jan. 27, two days after club seat tickets went on sale for the London game.

Ticket sales were suspended in a cloud of mystery. Neither the NFL or the Rams said what was at issue - TST was told the delay was due to technical difficulties - around the suspended ticket sales until Rodger Goodell dropped a telling hint in his press conference last Friday. Later that day, reports began to surface from in the British media about the possibility of the Rams being replaced for the Oct. 28 date.

TST was the first outlet to look into the suspended ticket sales after fans told us that they were unable to buy tickets.

The details of the agreement between the Rams and the CVC to allow the Rams to play the game have yet to be released. It is at least a small sign of good faith between both parties as they negotiate over the larger issue of Dome renovations to satisfy an out clause in the lease that would let the Rams walk away in 2015.

A wave of negative reaction surrounded the Rams' announcement of the London games, as it added fuel to the fires of speculation about the team's uncertain future in the city. Rams COO Kevin Demoff spent most of his time calming those fears and talking about the lease during media appearances to promote the London games.