DC Mom Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/stor...cksonville/Main Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaineMoxie Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 That's what kills me. National media people always like to talk about the Bills moving and yet we have one of the most dedicated fan bases in the league. What we don't have enough of is the corporate and luxury box support I guess and in this day and age that seems to be all that matters. Jacksonville will stay put if it can sell those luxury boxes even if they only get 40k fans per game. There's something wrong with a sports league where the fans are no longer one of the key components. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucci Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 That's what kills me. National media people always like to talk about the Bills moving and yet we have one of the most dedicated fan bases in the league. What we don't have enough of is the corporate and luxury box support I guess and in this day and age that seems to be all that matters. Jacksonville will stay put if it can sell those luxury boxes even if they only get 40k fans per game. There's something wrong with a sports league where the fans are no longer one of the key components. Well said but unfortunately this has been going on for a while now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvermike Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 Honestly, I think our best long-term arrangement is sharing the team with Toronto. Once Ralph Wilson dies, there is always going to be more profit in buying the team and moving them to LA (or London, the way they talk lately) than keeping it in Buffalo. Any time the team comes up for sale, we need to hope for some sentimental billionaire to keep them around. Toronto is our best chance to sell luxury boxes and keep the team local. Buffalo supplies the numbers, Toronto supplies the money, and we go 4 and 4. That, or Buffalo could embark on the stunning economic recovery we're at least 40 years overdue for. Any thoughts? Maybe abandoned factories will be like the Pyramids for future tourists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucci Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 Honestly, I think our best long-term arrangement is sharing the team with Toronto. Once Ralph Wilson dies, there is always going to be more profit in buying the team and moving them to LA (or London, the way they talk lately) than keeping it in Buffalo. Any time the team comes up for sale, we need to hope for some sentimental billionaire to keep them around. Toronto is our best chance to sell luxury boxes and keep the team local. Buffalo supplies the numbers, Toronto supplies the money, and we go 4 and 4. That, or Buffalo could embark on the stunning economic recovery we're at least 40 years overdue for. Any thoughts? Maybe abandoned factories will be like the Pyramids for future tourists. is that possible? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weehawk Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 It's easy to have a dedicated fan base when the average ticket price is $35. What happens to that base when they hit the league average of $75? Goodbye Bills, especially after 10+ losing seasons and no hope on the horizon. It's been said many times on this board. People go for the party, not for the Bills. Will people pay $75 simply to tailgate? I doubt it. Here's my take: 1) Ralph dies 2) Team goes up for sale to (probably) the highest bidder who has to borrow a lot of money or leverage a lot assets to afford the team, which is currently valued at $909 million 3) New owner claims that they love the city and the franchise 4) Another losing season comes and goes. New owner cant afford talent. He's paying off the huge loan to buy the team 5) New owner starts claiming that he cant field a winning team without more money 6) New owner raises ticket prices 7) Another losing season 8) New owner claims that the franchise may not be viable in the area even though we sell out every game 9) Ticket prices go up again. 10) Team still sucks and prices are now on par with NFL average of $75 11) Season ticket sales drop to all-time lowest level for Rich/RW Stadium 12) Team comes closer to playoffs, but still not in 13) Ticket sales continue to decline 12) New owner claims that the area wont support the team and he is "exploring options" 13) ??? Simple economics are in play here. * You likely wont get 73000 people to pay an average of $75 a ticket to watch a bad team. * There is no large corporate base in the area to keep the team going during leaner times. * No one is going to pay $909 million to keep the team in an economically depressed area with no large corporate base I predict that the team will be gone within three years of Ralph's demise. I hope I'm wrong. ote name='MaineMoxie' date='Nov 7 2009, 05:55 PM' post='1626765'] That's what kills me. National media people always like to talk about the Bills moving and yet we have one of the most dedicated fan bases in the league. What we don't have enough of is the corporate and luxury box support I guess and in this day and age that seems to be all that matters. Jacksonville will stay put if it can sell those luxury boxes even if they only get 40k fans per game. There's something wrong with a sports league where the fans are no longer one of the key components. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zazie Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 It's easy to have a dedicated fan base when the average ticket price is $35. What happens to that base when they hit the league average of $75? Goodbye Bills, especially after 10+ losing seasons and no hope on the horizon. It's been said many times on this board. People go for the party, not for the Bills. Will people pay $75 simply to tailgate? I doubt it. Here's my take: 1) Ralph dies 2) Team goes up for sale to (probably) the highest bidder who has to borrow a lot of money or leverage a lot assets to afford the team, which is currently valued at $909 million 3) New owner claims that they love the city and the franchise 4) Another losing season comes and goes. New owner cant afford talent. He's paying off the huge loan to buy the team 5) New owner starts claiming that he cant field a winning team without more money 6) New owner raises ticket prices 7) Another losing season 8) New owner claims that the franchise may not be viable in the area even though we sell out every game 9) Ticket prices go up again. 10) Team still sucks and prices are now on par with NFL average of $75 11) Season ticket sales drop to all-time lowest level for Rich/RW Stadium 12) Team comes closer to playoffs, but still not in 13) Ticket sales continue to decline 12) New owner claims that the area wont support the team and he is "exploring options" 13) ??? Simple economics are in play here. * You likely wont get 73000 people to pay an average of $75 a ticket to watch a bad team. * There is no large corporate base in the area to keep the team going during leaner times. * No one is going to pay $909 million to keep the team in an economically depressed area with no large corporate base I predict that the team will be gone within three years of Ralph's demise. I hope I'm wrong. ote name='MaineMoxie' date='Nov 7 2009, 05:55 PM' post='1626765'] That's what kills me. National media people always like to talk about the Bills moving and yet we have one of the most dedicated fan bases in the league. What we don't have enough of is the corporate and luxury box support I guess and in this day and age that seems to be all that matters. Jacksonville will stay put if it can sell those luxury boxes even if they only get 40k fans per game. There's something wrong with a sports league where the fans are no longer one of the key components. Maybe three years. Maybe a midnight run that first off season a la the colts leaving Baltimore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 That's what kills me. National media people always like to talk about the Bills moving and yet we have one of the most dedicated fan bases in the league. What we don't have enough of is the corporate and luxury box support I guess and in this day and age that seems to be all that matters. Jacksonville will stay put if it can sell those luxury boxes even if they only get 40k fans per game. There's something wrong with a sports league where the fans are no longer one of the key components. The simple reason why Buffalo is constantly brought up as a cadidate to move is that the 91 yr old fading owner of the dismal Bills has it in his will that the team will be sold to the highest bidder. In addition, the person who discredits the western NY market the most is the same greedy owner who has made at least a quarter of a billion dollars over the last decade in that same market. There are a variety of ways to make sure that Wilson's estate gets a fair market value price for the team and still ensure that the team stays where it is presently at. The only obstacle is the owner who doesn't give a hoot about the region where his fabulously profitable business has been located for half a century. Ralph is Ralph. That is all you need to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Mom Posted November 8, 2009 Author Share Posted November 8, 2009 The point is that the Jaguars have problems right now. If it weren't for the ridiculously long lease, the Jaguars would be sure to move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaineMoxie Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 Honestly, I think our best long-term arrangement is sharing the team with Toronto. Once Ralph Wilson dies, there is always going to be more profit in buying the team and moving them to LA (or London, the way they talk lately) than keeping it in Buffalo. Any time the team comes up for sale, we need to hope for some sentimental billionaire to keep them around. Toronto is our best chance to sell luxury boxes and keep the team local. Buffalo supplies the numbers, Toronto supplies the money, and we go 4 and 4. That, or Buffalo could embark on the stunning economic recovery we're at least 40 years overdue for. Any thoughts? Maybe abandoned factories will be like the Pyramids for future tourists. Don't count Buffalo out just yet. It's been a maddening forty years, but I see glimpses of hope. It's quietly becoming one of the East Coast's major centers for nanotechnology. Despite the numbskull politicians and bureaucrats, Bass Pro still plans to come to town supposedly. I think Jim Kelly's idea to build a new stadium in Niagara county - closer to both Rochester and Toronto - is brilliant if it weren't for the fact that we're in a recession and WNY is a notoriously bad economic region. But if the money could be found (and the bureaucrats could be cajoled into not bickering over it) I think it could work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
True Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 ...It's quietly becoming one of the East Coast's major centers for nanotechnology. Despite the numbskull politicians and bureaucrats, Bass Pro still plans to come to town supposedly... Bass Pro has nanotechnology? Sorry. Anyways, I'm getting so pissed off at all the WNY people who have this "WOE IS ME" attitude!!! STop complaining about a "city in decline" and start thinking positive! Buffalo will never have its industrial roots back, most of the cities in North America are going AWAY from manufacturing. Those grain elevators will never be full again guys... The way to make the city shine is PRIDE! Believe in yourselves and your city. We do NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT! NEED A NEW STADIUM! I have said this before, the press box needs to be moved to the tunnel end, as it was SUPPOSED to 2 years ago as per County/State funding... Also, the concourses need to be redone, new concessions, bars, restaurants, PERHAPS URINALS!! large atrium... (See GREEN BAY) So thats what... $100 million perhaps? And we would lose the LIMO lot? Big deal! Also, first team to move will be RAMS to City of Industry! B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tcali Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 Honestly, I think our best long-term arrangement is sharing the team with Toronto. Once Ralph Wilson dies, there is always going to be more profit in buying the team and moving them to LA (or London, the way they talk lately) than keeping it in Buffalo. Any time the team comes up for sale, we need to hope for some sentimental billionaire to keep them around. Toronto is our best chance to sell luxury boxes and keep the team local. Buffalo supplies the numbers, Toronto supplies the money, and we go 4 and 4. That, or Buffalo could embark on the stunning economic recovery we're at least 40 years overdue for. Any thoughts? Maybe abandoned factories will be like the Pyramids for future tourists. thats like sharing your girlfriend...yukk no thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanInSouthBuffalo Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 That's what kills me. National media people always like to talk about the Bills moving and yet we have one of the most dedicated fan bases in the league. I can't defend the Bills in many instances, but Colin Cowherd's rant about Buffalo not deserving a team p**sed me off. Lumping us in with Jacksonville where no-one shows up isn't a fair comparison. BTW they should add the Raiders to that list who only are getting 40k at games right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zow2 Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 I can't defend the Bills in many instances, but Colin Cowherd's rant about Buffalo not deserving a team p**sed me off. Lumping us in with Jacksonville where no-one shows up isn't a fair comparison. BTW they should add the Raiders to that list who only are getting 40k at games right now. When did Cowherd say Buffalo did not deserve a team? I heard one of his NFL rants recently and he continually gave Buffalo props for supporting a ho-hum team during a crap economy. He said if Buffalo can do it, why can't xxxxxx? I forget who he was talking about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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