buffalo_bills Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I can see where you're coming from, but there were 24,000 ticks unsold, I don't think any owner would buy that many tickets just to have the game televised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Best Player Available Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I got a little upset about a week before the titans game when everyone was mad that ralph wouldnt purchase the remaining tickets to guarantee a sellout. I thought hey you know what im going to the game because im a bills fan, if you want to watch it, buy a ticket. Well i was wrong. In the back of my head i knew as we all did that there was no way in the world denver was selling out and surely that was why ralph wasn't buying tickets to tennessee or miami to sell it out. I just KNEW that he and perhaps another partner would surely purchase the tickets for denver so we could watch the game on christmas eve. Well......i was wrong. The 5-9 record aside, this organization has just proved to me that they don't care about me. Forget the "fans"...i dont know most of them personally....i only know im a fan....and they dont care about me. They wont throw me a bone and show me they care. On christmas eve most other fans will get to watch there team play, none of which are facing a certain 12 year playoff drought. Im 26. First bills memory was them celebrating the afc conference championship for the first time. 21 years later, through all of the tears of super bowl losses, homerun throwbacks, monday night debacles, and 5-2 starts the only reason i have left to like the bills is because its what ive always done. I've finally realized that the organization doesnt care about what i think or any of us for that matter. I say the organization because i dont even know if ralph has anything to do with much lately. The bills are in my blood and that will never change, but there has to be something we can do to change things. It's been done in the past, by both Ralph and others. I don't fault anyone for not buying it out. Some teams like the raiders up till just a few games ago NEVER sell out. Jacksonville, ha I think they failed to sell out a playoff game once. Come on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 If you want to see the game, buy a ticket. No owner will buy 24,000 tickets, which is ~1/3 of the stadium capacity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramblin' Rob Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I was wrong. I thought they would sell out because they would be 9-5 not 5-9. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 If you want to see the game, buy a ticket. No owner will buy 24,000 tickets, which is ~1/3 of the stadium capacity. perhaps the ralphie bean-counters should take a look hard look in the mirror and ask themselves why there are so many empty seats. Penny-wise and pound foolish. Save a couple of mil in the short term by trading Evans, but then they didn't have the foresight to see how that would affect the team (and fanbase, thereby affecting the bottom line) down the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamtenp Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I think its even more pathetic that western ny as a whole with a population of roughly 2.5 million complains that the bills wont buy the remaining tickets...i want to watch the bills, so ill be at the game. I just find it hard to believe that our "fan base" had such a pessimistic view even at 5-2 that no one bought tickets to these games earlier in the year I agree. But then u cant blame people who don't have a job to support an NFL team. Lets face it. WNY cannot afford an NFL franchise.Maybe in the past it could, but not now.Buffalo should feel lucky to just have an NHL franchise. I left Buffalo for greener pastures in Florida 21 yrs ago. I still watch the Bills from Florida and will continue supporting them when they leave Buffalo.By own admission I hear people on this site say that they enjoy watching the game on TV anyhow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) It's interesting how you think anyone who complains on this board is just like you "WERE" and now you are above it all. It says a lot about your ego. What's your take on fans with Stockholm Syndrome? What you call ego I call perspective. You've been here 3 years. I've been here 13. My 15,000+ posts don't include 3 years of posts SDS lost in a crash. Everyone comes here thinking they are the first ones to realize Ralph is cheap or we can't draft, etc etc. It's a broken record. It feels good to get it off your chest. To commiserate. To vent. Eventually you notice nothing changes. Just the names and the avatars. PTR Edited December 22, 2011 by PromoTheRobot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammered a Lot Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I agree. But then u cant blame people who don't have a job to support an NFL team. Lets face it. WNY cannot afford an NFL franchise.Maybe in the past it could, but not now.Buffalo should feel lucky to just have an NHL franchise. I left Buffalo for greener pastures in Florida 21 yrs ago. I still watch the Bills from Florida and will continue supporting them when they leave Buffalo.By own admission I hear people on this site say that they enjoy watching the game on TV anyhow. The greener pastures of Florida could not sell out 5 phins games this year. Was it not the phins owners who bought up the tickets so they would be sold out? It seems to me, Florida cannot afford the phins and Jags. Time to rename the phins stadium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordio Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) I agree. But then u cant blame people who don't have a job to support an NFL team. Lets face it. WNY cannot afford an NFL franchise.Maybe in the past it could, but not now.Buffalo should feel lucky to just have an NHL franchise. I left Buffalo for greener pastures in Florida 21 yrs ago. I still watch the Bills from Florida and will continue supporting them when they leave Buffalo.By own admission I hear people on this site say that they enjoy watching the game on TV anyhow. Tampa/Jacksonville/Miami don't sellout either so maybe Florida with all those retirees can not support any team either. Last year Tampa went 10-6, were in the playoff hunt right to the end & still did not sellout 4 of their 8 games. Their fan support is so great that the owner has volunteered for Tampa to be the "home team" every year in the London games. Miami does not sellout & that is even with fans from northern cities going down there in the thousands to purchase tickets to get away from the cold & watch their team play every year. Jacksonville, well all they had to do was cover up 15,000 seats with a tarp & they still do not sellout. Those in glass houses should not throw stones. You ever think just maybe, that after 12 years of a horrible product the fans have just had about enough & that is why there are still 20K + tickets left? Nah that could not be it. Blame in on the poor economy as we are all living on dirt floors up here in WNY & barely could afford to pay our utility bills up here. Fuggin Douche. Edited December 22, 2011 by Gordio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanC883 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Lol it devalues the product... you know what else devalues the product: not bringing in talent, not keeping your best players, failing in the draft each and every year, not spending to the cap, bringing in mediocre coaches/gms... Not making the playoffs in over a decade.. This is the part that I found offensive. I understand a team not buying the remaining tickets, but how can Russ say with a straight fact that it "devalues" the NFL's undisputed worst team (ie. only team not to make the playoffs or come close) over the past 12 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8-8 Forever? Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Brandon is performing a public service based on the comments I'm reading. PTR Yep. the bills have "a great face for radio" right now.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDD Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Brandon is performing a public service based on the comments I'm reading. PTR Yes, he's sparing WNY of watching a bad footbal team play from the comfort of their homes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
section122 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 perhaps the ralphie bean-counters should take a look hard look in the mirror and ask themselves why there are so many empty seats. Penny-wise and pound foolish. Save a couple of mil in the short term by trading Evans, but then they didn't have the foresight to see how that would affect the team (and fanbase, thereby affecting the bottom line) down the road. Im so glad people feel this way. Too long we most fans held hostage by the idea of them moving and bought tickets to a mediocre/inferior product. It is not the cold or weather that keeps people from buying tickets to this game, it is the total lack of effort to put a quality team on the field! I loved LOVED going to games in december and that was only a few years ago when all I had was hope. This game would be sold out if the Bills were playing for even a wild card spot. 12 years of no playoffs in a league where everyone makes a run every few years (except for us and the lions who might even make it this year) is unacceptable! You gotta spend money to make money. For the first Christmas ever I asked for no bills gear. I am the standard what to get him oh just buy something with the Bills on it guy but no more. They may be saving money on salaries but they are losing just as much if not more on tickets, parking, concession, and merchandise. How can they not see this?! Maybe they are killing the brand so it is easier to move the team and maybe they are just lining the Wilson family's pocket. Either way it sucks to be a Bills fan right now - we can't even call ourselves the Clippers of the NFL right now! Maybe we will have to revise it to the Pittsburgh Pirates or KC Royals of the NFL - so sick to even compare ourselves to those franchises... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronc24 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I don't understand why franchises don't adopt that old adage from Field of Dreams: "If you build it, (they) will come." Build a winning franchise and the books take care of themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I don't understand why franchises don't adopt that old adage from Field of Dreams: "If you build it, (they) will come." Build a winning franchise and the books take care of themselves. There is nothing wrong with the books right now. Ralph made a tidy profit last season and I suspect he did this season as well. He probably prefers the other old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronc24 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 There is nothing wrong with the books right now. Ralph made a tidy profit last season and I suspect he did this season as well. He probably prefers the other old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." We will see how much he thinks things "ain't broke" with 24,000 unsold seats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 We will see how much he thinks things "ain't broke" with 24,000 unsold seats. That's merely a blip. As a sound businessman he will look at the bottom line after the season is over and smile at the tidy profit he made. Remember, he has no debt load like some other owners have with their mega-stadiums to pay for. 24000 unsold means about 50000 paid for, right? Money in the bank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronc24 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 That's merely a blip. As a sound businessman he will look at the bottom line after the season is over and smile at the tidy profit he made. Remember, he has no debt load like some other owners have with their mega-stadiums to pay for. 24000 unsold means about 50000 paid for, right? Money in the bank. Point taken. All I want for Christmas....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cash Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I wouldn't have much of a problem with the blackout rule if it was smaller in scope. The way it's currently enforced, any TV station that broadcasts into the blackout radius (75 miles from the stadium) is not allowed to show the game. This basically means that the Bills are blacked out on Syracuse stations. If you're in Syracuse, is it reasonable to ask you to buy a ticket on Friday for Sunday's game? It's like a 4+ hour drive each way with traffic. Even coming from Rochester is no quick jaunt. And if you take it to the extreme, what about the people at the eastern reach of the Syracuse stations? You know what else devalues your product, besides it being horrible? Letting people forget about it. The Bills should *want* people in Central New York watching the Bills on TV whether the game is sold out or not. They aren't going to go to a game because it's not on TV, and they're probably marginal Bills fans at best. Requiring blackouts in Central NY just pushes potential fans towards the Giants and Jets. (And make no mistake -- it's the NFL's rule, but the local enforcement comes at the Bills' request.) A related thing that really bugs me is the way the NFL network games are handled. Now, those are usually primetime games, so it's only happened once so far that I can recall, but once is enough. "Local" games, provided they sold out in time, are required to be shown on local TV. So if you don't get NFL network (or ESPN for the Monday nighters), it's no problem, because the game will be simulcast on a local channel. However, the NFL defines "local" for these purposes as the "primary market", which is Buffalo only. Rochester, even though it's fully subject to the blackout rule, is considered a "secondary market", and thus does not get NFL network games shown on local TV. Such BS. Especially when you consider that Time Warner has a cable monopoly in Rochester, and also refuses to carry NFL network. If you're subject to the blackout rule, then you should get the game on local TV when it sells out, no ifs, ands, or buts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cocktosten Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 What you call ego I call perspective. You've been here 3 years. I've been here 13. My 15,000+ posts don't include 3 years of posts SDS lost in a crash. Everyone comes here thinking they are the first ones to realize Ralph is cheap or we can't draft, etc etc. It's a broken record. It feels good to get it off your chest. To commiserate. To vent. Eventually you notice nothing changes. Just the names and the avatars. PTR Sounds like you've been humbled a bit by the JW thread. Congrats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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