Checketts in market to expand his empire

Standing in an entry tunnel at Rio Tinto Stadium last week, Dave Checketts was clearly in command. Dark power suit, silk tie, soft leather shoes. It was halftime of the Real Salt Lake game, and he was talking with several reporters. In the background (foreground?), the stadium's sound system thundered.

"Should we go inside?" Checketts said politely.

"We're fine," one of the writers said.

After a couple of minutes, the noise increased.

"Let's go inside," he said.

This time it wasn't a question. After all, it was his interview, his team, his decision.

Hasn't it been that way for a long time? He's been making the calls since he was in his 20s. There have been setbacks, naturally. He never did buy the Los Angeles Dodgers, as he once had hoped. But here he is, a quarter century after becoming the youngest chief executive in NBA history, and now he's trying to buy the St. Louis Rams.

He already owns RSL and the St. Louis Blues of the NHL. But owning an NFL team would put him in an entirely different zone.

"It would be a great next step, it really would," said Checketts. "So it's time to buy another one."

In terms of personal wealth, Checketts is no Paul Allen (Seattle Seahawks) or Robert Kraft (New England Patriots). He heads a company (SCP Worldwide) that acquires assets, such as professional teams. But don't dismiss him. It seemed unlikely he'd be able to bring and/or keep a Major League Soccer team in Utah, due largely to stadium opposition. But before long, he was presiding over a ribbon-cutting in Sandy.

"You know, we invented something out of thin air," he said of RSL, "and that continues to be invented."

He surprised many when he acquired the Blues, too.

Now, he hopes to invent an NFL team for himself. Uncharacteristically, Checketts is saying little about his strategy. Fans worried that the current Rams ownership would sell the team to someone who would move it. But Checketts materialized, saying he wanted to keep the team in the Gateway City.

But asked last weekend to elaborate on his status with the Rams, he merely smiled and said, "I pretty much said what I'm going to say on that. It would be pretty bad to give the Salt Lake papers more than I've given the St. Louis papers."

No wonder they love him in St. Louie. He kept the Blues in town, could be saving the Rams and holds scoops for the St. Louis media. There have even been stories speculating he might bring the NBA back to Missouri.

"I actually don't believe there are any bad cities, just bad organizations," he said. "I like to believe maybe we'll get a shot at doing something with it (the NFL). But it's a long shot."