As the (sort of) new kid in town, the Los Angeles Rams are subject to the whims of the NFL. Rams owner Stan Kroenke got his wish, moving his team to SoCal from St. Louis, so it's likely that he'll be plenty amenable to whatever is asked of him and his franchise by league commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL's 31 other owners.
First up for the Rams will be appearing on the 2016 version of HBO's annual inside look at the NFL, "Hard Knocks." But even more interesting than that, it's expected that the Rams will be playing in China come 2018.
The @NFL was serious about a game potentially being in China. Sounds like it's gonna be the #Rams as a home team for 2018.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 23, 2016
The team announced on Wednesday, after a bevy of reports came out of the NFL's owner's meetings, that the Rams will be appearing on this year's "Hard Knocks" series.
"This is an exciting time for our franchise," Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said. "'Hard Knocks' will be an outstanding way to bring our fans into our training camp and preseason, and give a glimpse of the hard work and dedication of our players, coaches and staff as we prepare for the 2016 season."
Of course, appearing on "Hard Knocks" isn't usually considered a privilege, and is instead viewed as something of a chore to be avoided at all costs, especially for football coaches who tend to be ultra-secretive about their schemes and deployment of personnel.
But the biggest thing to come out Wednesday wasn't the Rams' appearance on "Hard Knocks" - it's the fact that they'll apparently be one of the first NFL teams in the history of the league to play in China.
"International is a big push right now," New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch said Monday.
Tisch, Kroenke and the rest of the league's owners are desperate to develop the sport further around the globe. The international series in England has drawn crowds and developed a seemingly interested fanbase across the pond. But the NFL isn't done yet.
London and Mexico City are expected to host games this year, with China, Germany and Brazil considered "possibilities" in the not-too-distant future.
China, of course, presents a number of potential logistical problems, from travel to time change and back.
But if the recent reports are to be believed, the Rams will be one of the first teams to help the NFL expand into one of the most populous countries in the world in 2018.
