[Mr. Ralph does NOT have the right to simply sale to his bidder]

One thing that is funny about several threads (as I have seen this point stated as fact in several different threads I am starting a new one to make a point about reality) is that some posters keep insisting its Mr. Ralph's team and his will clearly says )an/or the law forces him to) sell the team to the highest bidder regardless of what anyone else thinks.

 

My sense (and to some extent this is an opinion based on staight-forward observation rather than seeing the actual contract Ralph signed when he bought the franchise so I happy to be PROVEN wrong by someone linking to the actual contract- though I suspect others will merely have their own fact-free opinions about this) is that:

 

When Ralph bought the franchise from the AFL long ago for mere pennies in modern dollars, he agreed contractually be buy the franchise subject to the rules of the AFL.

 

When the AFL merged with the NFL, Mr. Ralph's ownership by his agreement became subject to the rules of ownership of the NFL.

 

Under current NFL rules Mr. Ralph or his estate cannot simply sale the team to the highest bidder regardless of what anyone else thinks. The NFL retains the right to veto any sale of a team unless 75% of the current ownership approves by vote of this new owner.

 

If Mr. Ralph's will were to state that the franchise he owns under NFL rules will simply be sold to the highest bidder, this is all well and good as long as his fellow owners vote to approve such a sale, otherwise it is null and void and then off we go to the courts for them to decide with power or equity and stare decisis how ownership is to be determined.

 

If you are looking for an example of this look no further than last week where we saw the NFL do just what us cynics expect would happen. The owners looked at where the money was and the money lies with the TV networks which currently provide over 2/3 of current NFL revenue.

 

The networks have little interest in large conflict that a row with the broader public, or with the owner's partners in the NFLPA would cause, Tagliaboo-boo made this clear to the owners in negotiations over the last CBA. Owners that instead put their faith in the old George Halas style NFL where the team owners simply did as they wanted were beaten in a 30-2 vote.

 

We saw in the unequal battle over Limbaugh that a mere letter from the NFLPA was enough to get the bid team's organizer Dave Checketts to show Limbaugh the door as part of the bidding team as there was no way they were gonna score 75% of the owners with Limbaugh controversy weighing down the bid.

 

If Mr. Ralph's estate simply sold to the highest bidder and this bidder turned out to be the modern equivalent of Adolf Hitler (or actually was someone controversial be it Limbaugh or Madonna or PETA) this owner would fail to get 75% support and the deal would be null and void.

 

If Mr. Ralph's fellow team owners judge it not be in their business interests to fight through the NFLPA, through threats to their partial exemption from antitrust laws or whatever, the deal would not go through as auctioned and the whole thing would end up in the courts.

 

There is a reason that I read everything on here but do not post much. However, this post is SO wrong AND bad that it warrants my reply. You have gone so far over the usual mindless dribble - not to mention your neglect of the English language - that I am compelled to point it out to you. Mr. Wilson may sell anything that he owns - it is his right. Might I suggest you sell some of the things you own and take some night courses in English and perhaps American Government.

[RUMOUR: Holmgren to the Bills?]

 

Sorry Senator it is "Goo goo g' joob" not "coo coo ca choo", if the reference is to I Am The Walrus!

[Official Gameday Thread]

Go Bills!