DE Bills Fan

TOTALLY AGREE with you. It's about the NEW business model the new owner will have to address, not the one Ralph is working with today (No Debt). You are absolutely right. As long as Ralph is alive, so are the Bills in Buffalo, but once he is gone, his daughter has stated several times that she wants no part of the team and that it will have to be sold which then brings in everything which I and you have just stated, that the only logical alternative is to move the team to a city which will give the new owner subsidies as well as a much larger revenue steam to counteract the ever increasing CAP.

You bring up great points. I think the Bills draft was good this year, but it could have been great had Levy made some stronger moves. Drafting Whittner was a mistake. We needed up front help and the jury is still out on McCargo. We could have gotten a game changing player at #8. I still think Levy did not take advantage of the opportunity he had.

Totally agree. I think everyone in this thread is missing the point. It's not about winning. It's about $$$$'s and the Bills won't have any once Ralph Wilson is gone. The CBA is going to increase CAP expenses and the new owner will NOT be able to service their debtload without moving the team. The area cannot sell out now, and the new owner will need to not only fill the stadium but also increase ticket prices, sell luxury boxes at premium prices, institute PSL's and sell merchandise just to be competitive to address the debt which he will need to buy the team, none of which will be able to take place in the current environment. Remember , Ralph Wilson has very little debt and a boatload of equity. The new owner will not have that business model, so it is inevitable that the team will need to be moved, probably to a city which will give huge incentives such as land, infrastructure, practice facilities, etc. New York State cannot offer these after the bad situation it was put in after 9-11. Most communities are screaming for aid and the tax base is out of control relative to other states. You may not like this scenario, but it is the most realistic one. You can't look at a situation with rose colored glasses...

I like your approach. You make a very good arguement and I agree with you. The only thing I can't get past is how a new owner will be able to service the tremendous debt load he will have if he buys the team for $600MM-$700MM. Also, can anyone turn a profit with the lowest priced seats and luxury boxes in the league, all within an escalating salary cap which will put more of a squeeze on the new owner in a depressed market. I think you are right that some sort of partnership needs to be done, probably with a group in Toronto. That's the only scenario I see for the Bills long-term survival as it seems to me that Ralph is posturing to sell the team as he gets too old to manage it. Good post. One of the best and most well thought out ones I have read on this topic.

THE BILLS IN BUFFALO ARE HISTORY. WHOMEVER PURCHASES THE CANNOT RECOUP HIS INVESTMENT OR SERVICE THEIR DEBT LOAD WITHOUT GARNERING MUCH MORE REVENUE. SINCE THE BILLS CANNOT REASONABLY RAISE TICKET PRICES OR GET HIGH PAYING CORPORATE SPONSORE, ITS GAME OVER. AS SOON AS RALPH PASSES, HIS DAUGHTER WILL SELL THE TEAM TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER.

you are out of your mind. I want some of what you are smoking!!!

none

totally agree. this team can't be counted on to do anything right!

why should there be any. they suck!

As was said before the season started, the Bills stink. They are going nowhere fast and will never win with Jauron and Losman. Yes, they may win some games against some teams even more hapless than themselves like Tenn and Houston, but that will only mask the problem. It would be better to be really bad, than just bad as they will be stuck in the 6-10 mode for years. They had a chance to change some things after MM, but they chose cronyism with Ralph's pals. Buckle up for a long and bad ride. This team will never be a winner as constructed.

I love your avatar. It "ROCKS". Who is it?

He is right on. The Bills are really, really bad. Hopefully, they will be even worse than the Jets and SF and get the #1 pick. I have been a long-time Bills fan and this is the first time I am not excited about the season, but also the first time in 15 years I will not be giving my money to Ralph Wilson. From Wilsom, to Levy to Jauron to the players, the entire organization needs an overall. It;s going to be really bad this year!!!!

They are right. We do stink. Looks like the worst Bills team in a long time. The critics even agree. WE are #31 out of #32 teams in the power rankings. Usually it is very subjective, but very accurate in the Bills case. Troy Smith #1 Draft pick in 2007

Why can't anyone here get it. WE STINK! Plain and simple. The no respect thing has been going on for quite a while, but right now, the Bills are at one of the lowest points I have ever seen. If they win more than three games this year, it will be amazing.

Why. Just because everyone else says the Bills suck and you don't like it does not make it right. The Bills are a team in transition and to expect more than 3 to 4 wins with the paucity of talent they have would be a stretch.

NO!!!!!!!!!!!

you are dreaming. Face reality. The Bills are a bad franchise with an owner getting rrady to move/sell, a GM out of his league, a below average coach and below average players with very few young and up & coming stars. I have never seen a future so bleak since I started rooting for the Bills over 30 years ago

Your picture "ROCKS"

Great post! I could not agree with you more. The Bills have become the laughingstock of the league. To even mention the fact that there is a possibility they could go 0-16 by any media person shows just how bad they are and for anyone to take issue with critisim of the Bills shows they are not being realistic. When you consider the following, how can anyone feel that the Bills are even remotely credible: * Marv Levy as GM. Does anyone really think he was even close to the best candidate in an ever-changing NFL world. Pure cronyism as Ralph's pal * Dick Jaroun as HC. Are you kidding. He had one winning season fraught with good luck (blocked kicks, turnovers, you get the picture). Again, to think he was even close to being the best HC candidate is follishness at best * The draft/Free agency. Are you kidding. The Bills had the WORST OFFENSE in team history, yet did not address the OL except for role players. On top of that, they brought in a #3 QB to compete for the starting spot. What a joke. On Defense, they cut Sam Adams and are touting Tim Anderson to be a good starter. Teams can't wait to run against us. * Overall, this is the saddest I have ever seen the Bills seince the mid-80's and I really think the team is hopeless in all phases (Management/Coaching/Players). If they are lucky, they will win 3 games. It's looking more and more like a set-up to sell and move the franchise. Anyone wishing for even 5 wins will be greatly disapponted, and the future is even more bleak since hey show no signs of addressing their major problems (QB/OL/DL). That is what wins, not a SS)!!!!!!