I come here sometimes. I dont often post but I read twobills and always look at the news.
I am glad you folks liked my post thanks.
On this point, if I may:
I agree I do not know the behind the scenes hard facts and details, but I do know the crux of it.
One main point is: The state and county provided a total of 95 million dollars in funds and Ralph Wilson signed a lease agreeing to potentially pay 800 million dollars in penalities for breaking that lease, which is insane.
The team at that time was valued at $850 million. In essense they said you break the lease we take the team.
The league approved that lease.
Either that means they routinely approve leases that are bad beyond belief, or that they did not notice it.
I think they did not notice it because of the things they said and did. Bon Jovi and Rogers for example had the backing of three high profile owners, and yet had no idea of the provisions of the lease.
And the commisioner made remarks that were reported to amount to stating that the league might allow the team to stay, but that we would have to build a new stadium. I don't know the exact words he said, but the reports were that is what he meant.
So they approved a lease that made any ambition they may have had to move the team, virtually impossible. And they sure didnt seem to know it.
And as you say now that there is a new owner, the league has little to say about those things.
Thats why I figure they were hoodwinked.
They approved a lease where the penalty for defaulting on 95 million in funding, was 800 million dollars plus possible jail time, and they then talked as if they thought they could move the team and make us build a stadium and they could do neither of those things. And they kind of look like morons for saying those things especialy because the lease forbids anyone from buying the team who intends to move it.
And Ralph Wilson milked at least 100 milion dollars out of Rogers for those games, but signed a lease making it next to impossible for him to buy the team and bring it to Toronto. I am thinking Rogers would probably be pretty angry about that. Wouldn't you be? But we didn't hear any howling about it from Rogers.I dont think he knew.