dwight in philly Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 i am aware that ralph is first and formost, a businessman. however, i do think he has established relationships in WNY that he cares about. i would assume he would have an open ear if some of these relationships are informing him that a deal can made with local interests to sell the team to. i cannot believe that he would not consider that somewhat of a priority. i cannot believe that he is not thinking in those terms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 If he feels he is getting good value (say $250 million) for the 30% stake, the businessmen in Ralph would be inclined to take it. I never suggested he would sell below market value, or make a sweetheart team to a local interest. Not necessarily. Every year that he is alive he can expect in the range of a $30-35 million profit. In addition, (estimating) if the team is appreciating at 7% the value of his franchise goes up $55-60 million. With respect to the Bills Ralph Wilson never had business partners or even minority partners. That is not how he operates. As I stated before he has operated the Bills for half a century in a certain way. I don't expect him to change how he operates. Your points are well made and make sense. But your sense and my sense are not Ralph Wilson's sense. The owner has stated that owning the team is fun for him. He added, it keeps him going. I don't believe he is going to sell off any portion of it while he is alive. If he hasn't sold part of the business when he was 85, why not when he was 90, or 92? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Ralph Wilson born 1918 1918?!?! 1918?!?! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918 Dude was born during WWI. WWI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K Gun Special Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 this discussion is completely silly. Ralph is a top notch businessman. He has attorneys working for him who understand the tax implications. He does not own the team outright but owns the corporation who does; therefore the situation you are all describing isnt relevant. Ralph cares very much about his legacy, and isnt going to "let the team leave with the highest bidder" Yes, I have direct knowledge of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwight in philly Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 this discussion is completely silly. Ralph is a top notch businessman. He has attorneys working for him who understand the tax implications. He does not own the team outright but owns the corporation who does; therefore the situation you are all describing isnt relevant. Ralph cares very much about his legacy, and isnt going to "let the team leave with the highest bidder" Yes, I have direct knowledge of this. i feel the same way about "how he feels about his legacy". just think he feels loyalty to the area. he can be both! a loyal man who is SHREWD BUSINESSMAN! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K Gun Special Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 i feel the same way about "how he feels about his legacy". just think he feels loyalty to the area. he can be both! a loyal man who is SHREWD BUSINESSMAN! too much self pity woe is me in WNY. Theres more money here than people think and I've spoken with the person who helped RW create the structure a long time ago. He doesnt own this team like you own your house or car. Assurances and safeguards are in place. Its still possible the team leaves but it would look nothing like how people are describing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 I don't know what you're getting at. Are you talking about after he dies? Right now Ralph is the sole owner. He can't give the team to his kids now because he would have to pay a gift tax (so that people can't just give away things before they die to avoid the estate tax.) Paul Brown and son Mike beat the tax man. I wish I could recall the details - they somehow "lent" a substantial portion of the team's value to a family friend, and were able in large part avoid taxation on the franchise's appreciation in value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwight in philly Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 too much self pity woe is me in WNY. Theres more money here than people think and I've spoken with the person who helped RW create the structure a long time ago. He doesnt own this team like you own your house or car. Assurances and safeguards are in place. Its still possible the team leaves but it would look nothing like how people are describing it. i guess that is somewhat comforting, but i have maintained that if the L A market gets filled (by another franchise), there isnt any viable other places. toronto?, no suitable stadium, none in the works. i have felt that something you are describing was in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K Gun Special Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 i guess that is somewhat comforting, but i have maintained that if the L A market gets filled (by another franchise), there isnt any viable other places. toronto?, no suitable stadium, none in the works. i have felt that something you are describing was in place. The NFL wants LA bad, they feel its the best market opportunity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwight in philly Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 The NFL wants LA bad, they feel its the best market opportunity. i agree, but i pray that the bills are not on the short list. how can jax, san diego,not be considered the hot prospects?, or al davis? before the bills.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K Gun Special Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 i agree, but i pray that the bills are not on the short list. how can jax, san diego,not be considered the hot prospects?, or al davis? before the bills.. from what ive heard, the bills are a possibility, but not the target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trolls_r_us Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Jaguars are going to LA. It's inevitable. The Bills will not move in the forseeable future. IF they do, it would be only after every effort was made to keep them here. The NFL does not need or want another PR disaster like the Browns on their hands. Loyal, blue collar fans who pack the stadium having their team RIPPED from them. The Jags, quite frankly, few would care. People in Jacksonville apparently don't even care enough about the team to go to games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwight in philly Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 from what ive heard, the bills are a possibility, but not the target. i think that "possibility" stems from the fear factor. that is attributable to what is being discussed. the lack of a succession plan. if there was one, the bills would not be a "possibility". you are saying and i agree, that there are people with bucks in WNY and that should negate the bills as a "possibility", but until ralph dies or something changes about what happens upon his death, that "possibiilty" will never go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 If Ralph dies before January, his family gets the team tax-free. His wife can have it tax free any time he kicks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Jaguars are going to LA. It's inevitable. The Bills will not move in the forseeable future. IF they do, it would be only after every effort was made to keep them here. The NFL does not need or want another PR disaster like the Browns on their hands. Loyal, blue collar fans who pack the stadium having their team RIPPED from them. The Jags, quite frankly, few would care. People in Jacksonville apparently don't even care enough about the team to go to games. Oh? When are they moving? Where is the stadium they are moving to? And what is the history of the people in LA? Have they cared enough to go to games? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLynchTrain Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 Al Davis born 1929 Bill Bidwell born 1931 Virginia McCaskey born 1923 Jerry Jones born 1942 Pat Bowlen born 1944 William Clay Ford, Sr. born 1924 Tom Benson born 1927 John Mara born 1954 Steve Tisch born 1949 Alex Spanos born 1923 Bud Adams born 1923 Ralph Wilson born 1918 isn't that unique. I submit that all of these owners need to consider estate planning. Al Davis born 1929 - I doubt it. Al will hold on til the reaper Bill Bidwell born 1931 - No way. keep in family Virginia McCaskey born 1923 - Possibly Jerry Jones born 1942 - No way. Keep in family Pat Bowlen born 1944 - Very distinct possibility William Clay Ford, Sr. born 1924 - No way. Keep in family Tom Benson born 1927 - Possibly John Mara born 1954 - No way. Keep in family Steve Tisch born 1949 - No way. Keep in family Alex Spanos born 1923 - Very possible Bud Adams born 1923 - Same as Big Al. My gut goes with the Chargers. Spanos is old and didn't isn't his trucking company doing crappy? Also I believe the family announced not too long ago his health is declining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Cubed Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 here's all the info on the stadium you need if a team came to LA http://www.losangelesfootballstadium.com/ honestly, living in LA and being from western NY, these people don't care about the NFL. I think even if a team does move here, they will pay little attention to it. Yes maybe at first, but the friggin stadium they wanna build is pretty far away. Especially far away from where all the actual money is in LA, which is the west side. With no public transportation thats any good and highways that are jam packed, it would be such a pain to get there. Every other major LA sport is centrally located and easy to get to. Idk just my 2 cents Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 There might have been a period of time a very long time ago where he might have made more money moving to another market, even that is disputatble, but that was at least 20 yrs ago or longer. Ralph has done quite well in the western NY market. A stadium was built for him and it was later upgraded with no contribution from him. While the team has been very poor on the field for a decade and still counting he has still made a sizeable profit during that same wretched football period. Ralph could have moved the team anytime up until when Houston was looking to replace the departed Oilers (1997, the year prior to Ralph looking for a commitment from WNY) with no financial commitment/debt on his part. After that all of the feasible markets, outside of LA (which has been a repeated failure, casting doubt on it being a "feasible" market) were tapped-out. And with the 2006 CBA, the cost of relocation has gone up exponentially and will continue to do so, while the economy is a major impediment to new locations providing substantial monies for new stadiums. So the team is the safest it has ever been. But there are still no guarantees. And do you know who paid for that shiny and new Texans stadium, John? I can tell you one person who didn't, besides Ralph. BTW, this 30% sale isn't for the Bills. Kelly already has stated he wants-in and it won't take a 3rd party to get it done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 here's all the info on the stadium you need if a team came to LA http://www.losangelesfootballstadium.com/ honestly, living in LA and being from western NY, these people don't care about the NFL. I think even if a team does move here, they will pay little attention to it. Yes maybe at first, but the friggin stadium they wanna build is pretty far away. Especially far away from where all the actual money is in LA, which is the west side. With no public transportation thats any good and highways that are jam packed, it would be such a pain to get there. Every other major LA sport is centrally located and easy to get to. Idk just my 2 cents And, yet, (mysteriously) you continue to live there. I'd do the same thing if I were you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubes Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 too much self pity woe is me in WNY. Theres more money here than people think and I've spoken with the person who helped RW create the structure a long time ago. He doesnt own this team like you own your house or car. Assurances and safeguards are in place. Its still possible the team leaves but it would look nothing like how people are describing it. I don't suppose you'd be in a position to elaborate a bit on this, perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts