Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke fires back with $400M lawsuit as SoFi Stadium fight with Inglewood over billboards escalates

| Global Sports Desk | TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Jan 13, 2026, 18:15 IST

For Rams fans, the focus right now should be simple. The team looks strong, the season is heading toward its most important stretch, and there is real optimism that Los Angeles can make a deep playoff run. But just as the football side starts to feel settled, the business side has pushed itself back into the conversation in a big way. Behind the scenes, a long-running dispute between Rams owner Stan Kroenke and the city of Inglewood has flared up again. What began years ago as tension over development and control around SoFi Stadium has now grown into a lawsuit that could approach $400 million. It is the kind of off-field fight that reminds fans how closely football, money, and city politics are tied together.

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Why the fight between Stan Kroenke and Inglewood has reached a breaking point

The latest chapter of the dispute centers on digital billboards. Earlier this year, Inglewood approved a deal allowing WOW Media to install up to 60 digital advertising signs in and around the Hollywood Park area near SoFi Stadium. The city would receive a share of the advertising revenue, creating a new income stream tied to the traffic and visibility around the venue.
Kroenke’s companies objected, arguing the billboards violated a 2015 development agreement connected to the stadium project. That agreement, they said, barred billboards near the complex. The challenge went to court, and Kroenke lost. A judge ruled the agreement was not properly enacted and therefore could not be enforced.
That ruling did not end the conflict. Instead, Kroenke escalated it. In new filings, his side claims the city owes nearly $400 million for infrastructure and services tied to SoFi Stadium and the surrounding development. The claim includes money spent on roads, sewer systems, upgrades, and ongoing police and fire protection.

The city’s response was sharp and direct. Inglewood officials argue the development agreement Kroenke relies on has no legal force and cannot be used to limit how the city manages public land or generates revenue. From their perspective, the lawsuit is less about reimbursement and more about control. City leaders framed the issue as a broader test of authority, pushing back against what they see as an attempt to use financial pressure to influence city decisions. In that context, officials delivered a blunt message that quickly grabbed attention. “Billionaires are not above the law,” the city said.
The situation has sparked speculation. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk even raised the idea that the Rams could theoretically leave the stadium if the standoff worsens, though any such move would be extremely complicated unless Kroenke sold the venue to another party.
Kroenke has faced city battles before. His move of the Rams from St. Louis to Los Angeles ended with a $790 million settlement after years of litigation. Whether this fight with Inglewood follows a similar path remains to be seen.