A judge has denied a request to dismiss a relocation lawsuit filed by St. Louis, St. Louis County and the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority against the NFL and the Los Angeles Rams.

The core claim is that the NFL broke its own relocation rules that were established decades ago to avoid antitrust liability and encourage teams to stay in their home cities.

The Rams played in St. Louis for 21 seasons before returning to Los Angeles.

Absent a settlement, the lawsuit will go to trial and many NFL owners will be called to testify as will Roger Goodell.