Bills/Toronto headed for a season split!?

[bills1960]

once again, for the bijillionth time, if this franchise doesnt find a way to get toronto companies to buy boxes in bflo then this team is gaan

 

- luxury boxes are what bring in the biggest money for nfl teams

- you could double the price of regular tickets and sell out every game forever and it still wouldnt be enough to keep this team here

- bflo simply does not have enough large corporations to get what they need for their boxes with just bflo companies

- even if you include rochester, there still arent enough corporate customers to keep the team here (hence the toronto campaign)

- by having games played in toronto you can force toronto companies to buy boxes in bflo if they want to have one in toronto

 

ive said for almost ten years now i expect this team to leave sooner rather than later if they dont figure this out; thus, i would begrudgingly accept up to half the games being played in toronto

 

listen numnuts, you better damn well get 100% behind this toronto partnership. you have no choice if you want a team in bflo AT ALL. if this partnership fails this team is GAAN. so you better damn well pray they continue to have games in hoserland, and most likely more than one regular game per season

 

reading over these posts im sure it feels great to beat your chest and demand ralph get out of toronto

 

hows that gonna feel in five years when theres no team here at all?

Then why hasn't this team "gaan" in the past 50 years? Oh, right because we make money! More than a lot of other teams do (Cleveland, Jacksonville, etc.), and the Bills aren't going any where because all that would do for the NFL is loose money.

Edited November 6, 2010 by bills1960

[NoSaint]

Then why hasn't this team "gaan" in the past 50 years? Oh, right because we make money! More than a lot of other teams do (Cleveland, Jacksonville, etc.), and the Bills aren't going any where because all that would do for the NFL is loose money.

 

The only reason that is true is because everything is bought and paid for. New ownership means loans, loans mean interest, interest means no longer profitable without a change.

[buffalobillsfootball]

Can someone please explain where all those corporations are surrounding Green Bay? Jacksonville? New Orleans?

 

Oh... thought so.

 

The Bills brand and market is bigger than Buffalo - it's not going anywhere - settle down and go buy tickets and jerseys.

[Marv's Neighbor]

That's just insane! Toronto has shown they don't care about the BILLS, and they especially don't care about any team that's 0 for the season.

 

Moving the team there would be the equivalet of Jacksonville North. I guess they wouldn't have to cover the seats because it's in a Dome.

 

IF an NFL franchise had any value in Toronto, maybe they could buy Jacksonville and create a new rivalry.

[May Day 10]

its not so much about "sharing" the team. It sucks losing home games... but losing 1 or more home games with home field advantage handicaps the team before one down is played in the season. Its bad enough that Ownership and Management are so handicap. If by some fluke they ever make a playoff run, they are behind the 8-ball gifting home field advantage to a quiet, neutral, cavernous, soulless building.

[Bob in STL]

Ralph Wilson is an Idiot! Bill Polian showed ole ralphie that "if you build it, they will come" back in the 90's, but perhaps now that Wilson is in his 90's, and is so senile that he forgets important things like that.

 

My point is, that if the stadium sells out game after game, year after year for a 7-9 team ....then just imagine what the fans would do if the team ever became competitive again! This Bills fans base is such a loyal, die-hard, bunch of crazies that have been deprived of winning for so long that they still cling dearly to a team that was successful 20 years ago.

 

Selling corporate is what is needed to sell those luxury suites and those types aren't fooled by the morons in the Bills front office / marketing the same way normal fans are, they want to see wins, and lots of them. Bringing in a T.O. or a new rookie QB isn't going to fill those suites, the only thing that will fill them is a competitive playoff team. Sadly, the only way that is going to happen is ownership needs to change. The guy has to know and understand the difference between a Polian and Nix, between a Chan Gailey and a Chuck Knox, or maybe he doesn't anymore.

 

 

There are several alternatives out there to fix this team correctly, just hiring Marty Schottenheimer as HC and let him do his thing would get the team into the playoffs in one year or so, but this singular move most likely won't win a SB, unless Marty is able to hire his son away from the Jets to run the offense. Hiring Bill Cowher as GM / HC would be another positive move in hiring someone that knows what they are doing, plus with both job titles it would merit the salary that would need to pay him.

 

Another alternative would be hiring current Atlanta Falcons GM Thomas Demitroff away from the Falcons and promoting him to GM/ president and then let him build the Bills they way he did with the Falcons, that way at least when the team drafts a rookie QB this next draft they will get someone worth the money they will need to pay him. The last ten years of drafting has been a royal cluster!@#$ for this franchise with way more misses then hits. I've already seen one Buddy Nix draft and free agency, we don't need to see anymore Cornell Greens or maybe RB's This team needs some people at the very top making the right decisions, Nix / Gailey are not the answer, although now I can see why Cowher wanted Gailey as his OC, but that still doesn't make him a quality head coach.

 

 

See bold above and here is what is wrong with your thoughts regarding coporate tickets:

 

1. Corporate buys seats no matter what. They give their seats in the luxury suites to their executives as perks. Some Exec's use them to take customers, potential customers, and key suppliers to games. Sometimes "regular employees" get them as performance recognition. Bottom line: Corporate ticket buyers do not care either way if the team is good or not, they buy the tickets for reasons beyond team loyalty.

 

2. The problem with Buffalo/WNY and Rochester is that there are little corporate $$$ to pull from. Not many Fortune 500 companies in the area anymore. Buffalo has to rely on real fans. Owners like Ralphie have to share the gate on the "real fan" revenue but not on the luxury boxes. Toronto gives Ralphie the opportunity to get more luxury suite revenue and also to demand much high prices’ for the non-luxury seating.

 

Nothing against luxury suites but whoever came up with the revenue loophole is now killing the small markets and taking the game away from the real fans.

 

Ticket prices are ridiculous, both owners and players are making fortunes but it is the fans decide that in an open market. The market is setting the prices.

[NoSaint]

its not so much about "sharing" the team. It sucks losing home games... but losing 1 or more home games with home field advantage handicaps the team before one down is played in the season. Its bad enough that Ownership and Management are so handicap. If by some fluke they ever make a playoff run, they are behind the 8-ball gifting home field advantage to a quiet, neutral, cavernous, soulless building.

 

Do you think that would be true in a playoff run? I think fans would be there in full support. Thats just personal opinion though. I think all those people that would never go to a toronto game on principle would go because they couldn't miss a game that big, on principle.

 

Is buffalo a homefield advantage at this point either? Do you think Chicago is sayin phheewww we don't have to go to buffalo. Start winning and the fans will be back, and they will be there in toronto too.

[Buffalo Billy]

Chris Zelkovich Sports Reporter

 

 

Rogers Communications is committed to its current deal with the Buffalo Bills, but has no plans beyond that.

 

Rogers vice-chairman Phil Lind denied an Associated Press report Friday that the company was committed to continuing the series when the deal expires in 2012. He also denied reports that Rogers was considering expanding the series and possibly moving half of the Bills home games to Toronto.

 

``No discussions have taken place,” Lind told the Star Friday afternoon. ``We are committed to the NFL, but in what way I can’t say because I don’t know what it is right now. There have been no discussions about extending the series.”

[The Senator]

Chris Zelkovich Sports Reporter

 

 

Rogers Communications is committed to its current deal with the Buffalo Bills, but has no plans beyond that.

 

Rogers vice-chairman Phil Lind denied an Associated Press report Friday that the company was committed to continuing the series when the deal expires in 2012. He also denied reports that Rogers was considering expanding the series and possibly moving half of the Bills home games to Toronto.

 

``No discussions have taken place,” Lind told the Star Friday afternoon. ``We are committed to the NFL, but in what way I can’t say because I don’t know what it is right now. There have been no discussions about extending the series.”

But may I still opine my multi-paragraph massive missive on how unjust it is for the Bills to be moving more games to Toronto, and offer numerous nonsensical notions on how to keep them here is Buffalo - even though nothing at all has been proposed that would change the current status quo??? :wallbash:

[Bob in STL]

Can someone please explain where all those corporations are surrounding Green Bay? Jacksonville? New Orleans?

 

Oh... thought so.

 

The Bills brand and market is bigger than Buffalo - it's not going anywhere - settle down and go buy tickets and jerseys.

 

 

Green Bay is exempt from the conversation since the city owns the team. They are not driven by excessive greed. The entity can retain all earnings and use them to pay players, coaches and staff. They do pull also from Milwaukee’s fan base which is larger than Buffalo.

 

Jax is on its way out. I was just in Jacksonville and it is much larger and vibrant than Buffalo. There is lots of development going on there. The problem with Jacksonville is they have a college football mentality and they prefer the Gators to the Jags. Everyone knew this when they awarded a team to Jacksonville over St. Louis but the league went ahead anyway.

 

New Orleans’ tourism revenue alone drawfs Buffalo.

 

Looks at what happened to the Colts, Cardinals, Browns and Raiders? The Bills Brand and market is big in Buffalo/WNY, Rochester, and Southern Ontario. I watched the Bills-Pats game in a Binghamton Sports Bar and guess what? There were more Giants and Jets fans in the place. Heck, there were more Steelers fans in the place too. Try buying a Bills shirt or hat in St. Louis, or LA, or Miami, or Dallas? It is practically impossible. You can get Cowboys, Pats*, Raiders, Colts, Yankees, Lakers, etc , in any city.

[bills1960]

Green Bay is exempt from the conversation since the city owns the team. They are not driven by excessive greed. The entity can retain all earnings and use them to pay players, coaches and staff. They do pull also from Milwaukee’s fan base which is larger than Buffalo.

 

Jax is on its way out. I was just in Jacksonville and it is much larger and vibrant than Buffalo. There is lots of development going on there. The problem with Jacksonville is they have a college football mentality and they prefer the Gators to the Jags. Everyone knew this when they awarded a team to Jacksonville over St. Louis but the league went ahead anyway.

 

New Orleans’ tourism revenue alone drawfs Buffalo.

 

Looks at what happened to the Colts, Cardinals, Browns and Raiders? The Bills Brand and market is big in Buffalo/WNY, Rochester, and Southern Ontario. I watched the Bills-Pats game in a Binghamton Sports Bar and guess what? There were more Giants and Jets fans in the place. Heck, there were more Steelers fans in the place too. Try buying a Bills shirt or hat in St. Louis, or LA, or Miami, or Dallas? It is practically impossible. You can get Cowboys, Pats*, Raiders, Colts, Yankees, Lakers, etc , in any city.

Binghamton is much closer to the New York market than Buffalo so there's no surprise there. Plus, there's Steeler fans every where. Why? Because they're always good.

[Buffalo Billy]

But may I still opine my multi-paragraph massive missive on how unjust it is for the Bills to be moving more games to Toronto, and offer numerous nonsensical notions on how to keep them here is Buffalo - even though nothing at all has been proposed that would change the current status quo??? :wallbash:

I don't see how they are all nonsense. Extra revenue + (attempt at) increased fanbase and promotion.

[bkc]

You have to think long term here. You have L.A. sniffing for a team. Rogers probably has a handshake deal with Ralph to buy the team. Now the Rogers Centre is barely passable for an NFL stadium but who's to say they don't try to build new one down the road? Plus I think the NFL would like to avoid the black eye of moving another franchise like the Bills, one that still gets good support.

 

A deal like this sends a message to L.A. that the Bills are spoken for. Then it will probably bee a slow transition to a new stadium in Canada. Tickets will be more expensive but current season ticket holders will be given the chance of buying. End result is the Bills won't be in Buffalo but won't be so far away that you couldn't see a game if you wanted to. It sucks but it's not like WNY has any white knight billionaires ready to ride in and save the team.

 

PTR

[/quote

 

 

Not sure I am as sure as you about the transistion to Toronto but you can paint other scenerio's that are not as bleak. I do think when the leagues adds two games the extra game will be north of the Boarder making it 7-2

[Captain Hindsight]

None of this matters anyway because I am buying the team with my billions and relocating them here in Albany so I don't have to drive 4 hours every time I want to see them play. "The Buffalo Bills of Albany." Man wouldn't that be a travesty?

You hole!

[The Senator]

I don't see how they are all nonsense. Extra revenue + (attempt at) increased fanbase and promotion.

And you think that Ralph doesn't have a full staff working round-the-clock trying to find new ways to maximize revenues and squeeze every last dollar out of the existing fan base and supporting municipal and corporate entities???

 

Guess again.

 

There's nothing posted here on TSW, nor will there ever be, that hasn't been considered and/or already implemented - unless the idea is so ridiculous as to be totally without merit, as most of them are.

[May Day 10]

like Stadium naming rights

[The Senator]

like Stadium naming rights

A perfect example. Thank you!

 

How many insurance salesmen have a $200-300M sports complex named after them without spending a dime of their own money on it?

 

(I guarantee that if someone offered RW $100M to put their corporate name on RW Stadium, it'd be renamed with new signage up before dusk - there just are no 'takers' for that kind of naming fee here in WNY.)

[Just Jack]

Try buying a Bills shirt or hat in St. Louis, or LA, or Miami, or Dallas? It is practically impossible. You can get Cowboys, Pats*, Raiders, Colts, Yankees, Lakers, etc , in any city.

I was working on Long Island last week, and had to stop at a WalMart. Of course I saw Giants and Jets hats, but what surprised me was they also had Syracuse University hats. Of course there were no Bills hats to be found.

Edited November 6, 2010 by Just Jack

[Ramius]

Did any of you guys actually read the article? What about this?

 

But, Lind stressed, that talk is not coming from him.

 

"When I say splitting, I wouldn't even go near that," he said. "It could mean two and eight games. But splitting doesn't mean 50-50.

[thewildrabbit]

See bold above and here is what is wrong with your thoughts regarding coporate tickets:

 

1. Corporate buys seats no matter what. They give their seats in the luxury suites to their executives as perks. Some Exec's use them to take customers, potential customers, and key suppliers to games. Sometimes "regular employees" get them as performance recognition. Bottom line: Corporate ticket buyers do not care either way if the team is good or not, they buy the tickets for reasons beyond team loyalty.

 

2. The problem with Buffalo/WNY and Rochester is that there are little corporate $$ to pull from. Not many Fortune 500 companies in the area anymore. Buffalo has to rely on real fans. Owners like Ralphie have to share the gate on the "real fan" revenue but not on the luxury boxes. Toronto gives Ralphie the opportunity to get more luxury suite revenue and also to demand much high prices' for the non-luxury seating.

 

Nothing against luxury suites but whoever came up with the revenue loophole is now killing the small markets and taking the game away from the real fans.

 

Ticket prices are ridiculous, both owners and players are making fortunes but it is the fans decide that in an open market. The market is setting the prices.

Yea sure, tell that to Jerry Jones...

 

Complete horsehockey, after having owned my own business I can tell you that corporations won't buy tickets for perks to see perennial losers, not in this economy. Who in their right mind would want to buy into a losing franchise. You don't need fortune 500 company's to sell those suites, put a winner on the field and they will sell, to small businesses and large. Perhaps there are companies out there that don't really care if the team goes 0-16 and will buy suites just for the "perks"... although I highly doubt it.