St. Louis XFL team mocks Rams’ relocation to LA on April Fools Day

Apr 1, 2023 - 7:47 PM

The XFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks took a shot at the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams on April Fools Day after the team teased on social media that they were relocating from St. Louis, Missouri to Inglewood, California. This is an allusion to the Rams’ journey from the Midwest to Southern California in 2016. The franchise returned to its roots after leaving LA for Missouri in 1995 under the tutelage of then-owner Georgia Frontiere.

It’s an April Fools prank that plays well in St. Louis but likely resonates with few people outside of the STL metropolitan area.

The Rams haven’t looked back since they packed up and headed west eight years ago. They host their football games in one of the top entertainment venues on the planet—SoFi Stadium—and brought home the NFL’s Lombardi Trophy for their victory in Super Bowl LVI. While LA’s roster is in a state of flux, they still employ some of the biggest individual names in professional football: Aaron Donald, Sean McVay, Cooper Kupp, and Matthew Stafford.

The NFL’s handling of the Rams’ relocation resulted in a years-long lawsuit that ended with the league paying a large sum of money to the City of St. Louis. It’s fair to say there is still plenty of animosity between the Rams, the NFL, and the city after all this time.

But things aren’t so rosy for St. Louis. The city is clearly excited for the return of the Battlehawks after the COVID-19 pandemic ended their original tenure in 2020. They’re also filling the professional sports void left by the Rams with a Major League Soccer team, City SC, and their viral mascot, Toasted Ravioli Man.