Who is Ralph Wilson Jr?

[BillsfaninFl]

Wilson took over the successful insurance business of his father and invested in Michigan area mines and factories. He eventually purchased several manufacturing outlets, construction firms, and radio stations, and founded Ralph Wilson Industries. His passion is in being a horse breeder and owner with facilities in France and the U.S.

 

A minority owner of the Detroit Lions, Wilson got wind of Lamar Hunt's plans for a new league, the American Football League, to challenge the NFL. He tried to put together a team in Miami, but was turned down. So he put a team in Buffalo.

 

The Bills never were a high priority for Ralph and are a small piece of his financial portfolio even today. Anyone who thinks he dwells on winning a Super Bowl, the future of the Bills, or appreciating the Bills fans is delusional. I confess to being delusional many times about the Bills, but no longer. I still feel a connection to the Buffalo Bills football team because of my Buffalo roots (and my fondness for the people of western New York, but not the ownership or organizational staff of the Bills.

 

Wilson is simply a business man who made lots of money bringing mediocre entertainment to Buffalo as a sidebar to his main business ventures.

[WVUFootball29]

??? was there a purpose behind this impromptu history lesson?

[erynthered]

Water is wet.

[White Linen]

When I take my family to the zoo, we expect to see animals.

[Maddog69]

Wilson took over the successful insurance business of his father and invested in Michigan area mines and factories. He eventually purchased several manufacturing outlets, construction firms, and radio stations, and founded Ralph Wilson Industries. His passion is in being a horse breeder and owner with facilities in France and the U.S.

 

A minority owner of the Detroit Lions, Wilson got wind of Lamar Hunt's plans for a new league, the American Football League, to challenge the NFL. He tried to put together a team in Miami, but was turned down. So he put a team in Buffalo.

 

The Bills never were a high priority for Ralph and are a small piece of his financial portfolio even today. Anyone who thinks he dwells on winning a Super Bowl, the future of the Bills, or appreciating the Bills fans is delusional. I confess to being delusional many times about the Bills, but no longer. I still feel a connection to the Buffalo Bills football team because of my Buffalo roots (and my fondness for the people of western New York, but not the ownership or organizational staff of the Bills.

 

Wilson is simply a business man who made lots of money bringing mediocre entertainment to Buffalo as a sidebar to his main business ventures.

 

 

This part is simply not true. The Bills make up the vast part of Ralph's net worth. They are worth close to a Billion and he is not listed as a Billionaire so the remainder of his fortune is clearly not that big.

Edited December 19, 2011 by Maddog69

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

I like the part where you did an irresponsibly cursory look at Wilson's life and then pretended to know what the man does/doesn't care about.

 

Are you under the impression that most NFL owners are ravenous football fans who just happen upon a billion dollars?

[apuszczalowski]

I like the part where you did an irresponsibly cursory look at Wilson's life and then pretended to know what the man does/doesn't care about.

 

Are you under the impression that most NFL owners are ravenous football fans who just happen upon a billion dollars?

Of course they are, all of the owners in the NFL care only about 1 thing, and one thing only, Winning football games. making a profit is an afterthought/secondary thing Only Ralph Wilson cares about being fiscally responsible and about money first

 

??? was there a purpose behind this impromptu history lesson?

Of course there was.

 

RALPH WILSON IS A HORRIBLE PERSON THAT DOESN'T CARE ABOUT FOOTBAL/WINNING AND IS JUST TRYING TO GET EVEN RICHER OFF OF THE POOR BUFFALO BILLS FANS. (and I am assuming the point was also that we will all be much happier when he is dead and the many Local Billionaires will all step forward and buy the team which they will throw their money around to buy championship after championship!)

[nucci]

I may be mistaken but I thought Ralph sold most if not all of his other business ventures and just has the Bills.

[RkFast]

No.....Ralph Wilson doenst care....just one of the greedy one percent.

 

And he purposely drags his 90 year old ass a few weeks after major hip surgery, not to watch the team, but just do laugh at all the common folk in the stands.

[apuszczalowski]

No.....Ralph Wilson doenst care....just one of the greedy one percent.

 

And he purposely drags his 90 year old ass a few weeks after major hip surgery, not to watch the team, but just do laugh at all the common folk in the stands.

I bet thats why he keeps the team, just for his own amusement, to laugh at the miserable Bills fans that he seals money from every game! What an evil genius he is!

[Homey D. Clown]

Wilson took over the successful insurance business of his father and invested in Michigan area mines and factories. He eventually purchased several manufacturing outlets, construction firms, and radio stations, and founded Ralph Wilson Industries. His passion is in being a horse breeder and owner with facilities in France and the U.S.

 

A minority owner of the Detroit Lions, Wilson got wind of Lamar Hunt's plans for a new league, the American Football League, to challenge the NFL. He tried to put together a team in Miami, but was turned down. So he put a team in Buffalo.

 

The Bills never were a high priority for Ralph and are a small piece of his financial portfolio even today. Anyone who thinks he dwells on winning a Super Bowl, the future of the Bills, or appreciating the Bills fans is delusional. I confess to being delusional many times about the Bills, but no longer. I still feel a connection to the Buffalo Bills football team because of my Buffalo roots (and my fondness for the people of western New York, but not the ownership or organizational staff of the Bills.

 

Wilson is simply a business man who made lots of money bringing mediocre entertainment to Buffalo as a sidebar to his main business ventures.

 

Ralph is cheap. I completely agree with you that he runs the team as a low risk, low reward profit only organization. Sadly though, when he goes, so does the team.

[birdog1960]

I bet thats why he keeps the team, just for his own amusement, to laugh at the miserable Bills fans that he seals money from every game! What an evil genius he is!

he has convincingly proven himself to be one of the least successful (in terms of winning) major sports owners over a 50 year period while having an amazing roi. and yes, he acheived this by exploiting bills fans everywhere but especially the citizens of erie county. it's difficult for the exploited to admit it, but it's the truth. i don't know if he's evil but i'm certain he's contemptable.

[Wilson's Ears]

he has convincingly proven himself to be one of the least successful (in terms of winning) major sports owners over a 50 year period while having an amazing roi. and yes, he acheived this by exploiting bills fans everywhere but especially the citizens of erie county. it's difficult for the exploited to admit it, but it's the truth. i don't know if he's evil but i'm certain he's contemptable.

 

...apparently keeping a franchise for 50 years gets you in the Hall of Fame these days. God knows being successful didn't do it for him...!!!

[KollegeStudnet]

Wilson took over the successful insurance business of his father and invested in Michigan area mines and factories. He eventually purchased several manufacturing outlets, construction firms, and radio stations, and founded Ralph Wilson Industries. His passion is in being a horse breeder and owner with facilities in France and the U.S.

 

A minority owner of the Detroit Lions, Wilson got wind of Lamar Hunt's plans for a new league, the American Football League, to challenge the NFL. He tried to put together a team in Miami, but was turned down. So he put a team in Buffalo.

 

The Bills never were a high priority for Ralph and are a small piece of his financial portfolio even today. Anyone who thinks he dwells on winning a Super Bowl, the future of the Bills, or appreciating the Bills fans is delusional. I confess to being delusional many times about the Bills, but no longer. I still feel a connection to the Buffalo Bills football team because of my Buffalo roots (and my fondness for the people of western New York, but not the ownership or organizational staff of the Bills.

 

Wilson is simply a business man who made lots of money bringing mediocre entertainment to Buffalo as a sidebar to his main business ventures.

Thanks for citing Ralph's Wikipedia page!

[Jauronimo]

Wilson took over the successful insurance business of his father and invested in Michigan area mines and factories. He eventually purchased several manufacturing outlets, construction firms, and radio stations, and founded Ralph Wilson Industries. His passion is in being a horse breeder and owner with facilities in France and the U.S.

 

A minority owner of the Detroit Lions, Wilson got wind of Lamar Hunt's plans for a new league, the American Football League, to challenge the NFL. He tried to put together a team in Miami, but was turned down. So he put a team in Buffalo.

 

The Bills never were a high priority for Ralph and are a small piece of his financial portfolio even today. Anyone who thinks he dwells on winning a Super Bowl, the future of the Bills, or appreciating the Bills fans is delusional. I confess to being delusional many times about the Bills, but no longer. I still feel a connection to the Buffalo Bills football team because of my Buffalo roots (and my fondness for the people of western New York, but not the ownership or organizational staff of the Bills.

 

Wilson is simply a business man who made lots of money bringing mediocre entertainment to Buffalo as a sidebar to his main business ventures.

Does the media know about this? Don't tell me you've been keeping this dirty little secret to yourself all these years? You owe it to the American people to go public with this truly explosive, nay incendiary, bit of common knowledge. The truth must be known!

[starrymessenger]

You might forgive the man for lacking a little fire for football in his belly as he stands on the threshold of eternity. Then again, perhaps not.

[eme123]

The purpose of being in business is to make as big a profit as possible. That's the game Ralph Wilson is in. He's winning in blow out fashion right now. Frankly, I don't blame him one bit. At least someone is getting something positive out of the Bills.

 

Also, the bigger the profit the Bills show the more viable they are in Buffalo. A potential owner would add close to a billion dollars in future expenses if he/she decided to buy

[RTW2012]

I confess to being delusional

 

Question: Can a delusional person really know if he's delusional?

[todd]

Men like boobs.

 

Water is wet.

[BillsfaninFl]

This part is simply not true. The Bills make up the vast part of Ralph's net worth. They are worth close to a Billion and he is not listed as a Billionaire so the remainder of his fortune is clearly not that big.

 

Guess again. If the Bills sell for a billion, which I doubt, the Wilson family does not walk away with anything close to that figure. Regarding the list of billionaires, it is based on public records and is often distorted toward lesser figures. There are a lot more billionaires in the U.S. than is publicly known.

 

My point was that Wilson is an absentee owner who does not consider the Bills his passion (see horses) and doesn't care about the folks in western New York. Do you disagree?

[ICanSleepWhenI'mDead]

Question: Can a delusional person really know if he's delusional?

Edited December 20, 2011 by ICanSleepWhenI'mDead

[BillsfaninFl]

I like the part where you did an irresponsibly cursory look at Wilson's life and then pretended to know what the man does/doesn't care about.

 

Are you under the impression that most NFL owners are ravenous football fans who just happen upon a billion dollars?

 

No. I believe that the owners are rich men who want to get richer. However, I also believe that some of them are passionate about winning in the NFL. I'm sure you could think of a few.

[BillsNeedaQBin2012]

12 years no playoffs

11 starters sucking

10 key injuries

9 losses this season

8 first round busts

7 losing seasons

6 years for Fitz

fiiiive laaaame coooaaachess

4 bad linebackers

3 first round backs

2 crap play-callers

and an owner who needs to sell the team

[BillsfaninFl]

I may be mistaken but I thought Ralph sold most if not all of his other business ventures and just has the Bills.

 

If you are interested, IcansleepwhenI'mdead listed some of Wilson's other businesses in his post of June or July, 2011.

[K-9]

...My point was that Wilson is an absentee owner who does not consider the Bills his passion (see horses) and doesn't care about the folks in western New York. Do you disagree?

 

I certainly disagree. Just because RW has other passions doesn't mean the Bills AREN'T a passion. And, until the last couple years, while Wilson didn't call WNY home, he was NEVER an absentee owner. He's attended nearly every home game since their inception. And it's ironic that anyone would call him absentee when all he's ever been accused of is being a meddling owner. Also, I'm unaware of Wilson bailing out two other horse owners so they could keep their operations afloat and not go out of business.

 

As to not caring about the people in WNY, his public remarks about the home fans over the years suggest otherwise.

 

There's a difference between an owner who doesn't operate the team in a manner that YOU see fit and one who doesn't care about the fans.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[BaaadThingsMan]

Buffalo was prolly convenient because of its close proximity to detroit and because of all the steel money. Now its just a burden to him it seems.

[MattM]

Guess again. If the Bills sell for a billion, which I doubt, the Wilson family does not walk away with anything close to that figure. Regarding the list of billionaires, it is based on public records and is often distorted toward lesser figures. There are a lot more billionaires in the U.S. than is publicly known.

 

My point was that Wilson is an absentee owner who does not consider the Bills his passion (see horses) and doesn't care about the folks in western New York. Do you disagree?

 

Yeah, he's an absentee owner just out for the most profit he can haul in. Ohhh, wait, the guy spent most of the last 30 plus summers in WNY at training camp and could have probably nearly doubled his money moving the team to LA. He may not be competent at running the team, but I personally suspect his heart's in the right place. I also personally suspect that he gave up running this team at anywhere near a microwavel a looong time ago. Want someone to blame for the penny-pinching ways? May want to look at those around Ralph first, namely those whose pockets get lined with the Littman-saved loot....

[BaaadThingsMan]

I certainly disagree. Just because RW has other passions doesn't mean the Bills AREN'T a passion. And, until the last couple years, while Wilson didn't call WNY home, he was NEVER an absentee owner. He's attended nearly every home game since their inception. And it's ironic that anyone would call him absentee when all he's ever been accused of is being a meddling owner. Also, I'm unaware of Wilson bailing out two other horse owners so they could keep their operations afloat and not go out of business.

 

As to not caring about the people in WNY, his public remarks about the home fans over the years suggest otherwise.

 

 

Ralph has always lived in Detroit...he just used to make all the games till his health went bad. I thank him for his service to the Bills and the community through the years. I only hope he does us one more solid and sells the team to a group from Buffalo who will keep the team "home"......or atleast instruct his heirs to sell locally!!!!!

 

There's a difference between an owner who doesn't operate the team in a manner that YOU see fit and one who doesn't care about the fans.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Bob in STL]

This part is simply not true. The Bills make up the vast part of Ralph's net worth. They are worth close to a Billion and he is not listed as a Billionaire so the remainder of his fortune is clearly not that big.

 

 

thank you for correcting this person.

 

Guess again. If the Bills sell for a billion, which I doubt, the Wilson family does not walk away with anything close to that figure. Regarding the list of billionaires, it is based on public records and is often distorted toward lesser figures. There are a lot more billionaires in the U.S. than is publicly known.

 

My point was that Wilson is an absentee owner who does not consider the Bills his passion (see horses) and doesn't care about the folks in western New York. Do you disagree?

 

 

You excel at being wrong.

[BillsfaninMyrtleBeach]

Who is Ralph Wilson? Yoda's evil twin.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

while the o.p. may or may not have his facts wrong, he nailed the sentiment. sometime soon after escaping form john butl;er's final "cap hell" year, ralph decided he was going to nickel and dime it from then on...fans be damned. he has not wavered and probably russ and the beancounters have him convinced we're in the playoff hunt.

 

we all know nothing is going to change until he dies and considering he's sitting on more money than every member of this site combined, it is at least a little conemptible that he's clearly not trying to win.

 

but whatever. some fans have their identity wrapped up in wilson's "right" to screwover a fan base by pretending we're anything other than the washington generals of the nfl. i think he sucks. it just shows what a rotten !@#$ he is to the core. i rmember thinking that about him when he was nickel and diming oj and running ahmad rashad out of town. that's just who he is. a rotten embarrassment for western new york. i'll be happy when he's dead whether or not the team stays. i know MANY other fans feel the same way- i wish more of them had the balls to admit it.

 

I think you take football too seriously.

[BillsZubaz]

A team from Buffalo to watch on TV.....

 

The hot start raised expectations beyond where they should have been. I still maintain that if not for all of the key injuries this was a 7-9 -- 9-7 team. Next year will be telling...

 

In the meantime.. Go Buffalo (break my heart again)

[jester43]

I think you take football too seriously.

i heard you coming bro...but it's more about the death of our region's identity. he's rich beyond our wildest imagination because of the fans and now he's tackinga dump on them. only a real scum does that.

[n3wyork13]

There should be a clause or something in the contract when you buy an nfl franchise, that you have the best interst in the team and the city that they are located in to bring a winning franchise there, with that said... you dont end up with the finacial stability to buy an nfl franchise without having being a winner... my point is that you shouldnt be able to field a crappy team year after year to get finacial gains you should only be able to reap those benefits by fielding a winning team. The NFL (for owners) should only be about making money when your winning....

[BillsfaninMyrtleBeach]

Ralph probably doesn't even know what planet he is on half the time. You see him on tv during a game and he looks like he is sitting on someone's knee with their hand up his butt making him blink. Don't think he's making any kind of decisions about the team but somebody is and they don't give a rats behind if Buffalo wins or not, just sell those tickets, sell those Bills jerseys, and to hell with putting together a winning football team. Do I sound bitter? I have been a Bills fan a very long time, and I will be a Bills fan to my last breath (except if they move the team, then I am done with them). What has been the common denominator, the one thing that hasn't changed in decades, was it the players? No. Was it the coaches? No. Was it the GM? No again. It was Ralph. Think it will change with better players? No. Better coaches? No. Different GM? No. Different owner? I hope so.

[jester43]

Ralph probably doesn't even know what planet he is on half the time. You see him on tv during a game and he looks like he is sitting on someone's knee with their hand up his butt making him blink. Don't think he's making any kind of decisions about the team but somebody is and they don't give a rats behind if Buffalo wins or not, just sell those tickets, sell those Bills jerseys, and to hell with putting together a winning football team. Do I sound bitter? I have been a Bills fan a very long time, and I will be a Bills fan to my last breath (except if they move the team, then I am done with them). What has been the common denominator, the one thing that hasn't changed in decades, was it the players? No. Was it the coaches? No. Was it the GM? No again. It was Ralph. Think it will change with better players? No. Better coaches? No. Different GM? No. Different owner? I hope so.

he sucks hard...and it is a testament to the incredible inferiority complex that many wny-ers hold that so many of them seem to think they don't DESERVE any better.

 

you'll see these same guys shorting out their keyboards with freaking floodwater when the miserable old miser finally does kick it...they'll be the internet equivalent of those kooky north koreans flailing around over the death of kim jung-il, or whatever they called that maniac.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

i heard you coming bro...but it's more about the death of our region's identity. he's rich beyond our wildest imagination because of the fans and now he's tackinga dump on them. only a real scum does that.

 

See, there's the disconnect. I don't think a region's identity has very much to do with the success of its sports franchises. When you think of Seattle, what comes to mind? Starbucks, the grunge movement, technology...not the Mariners sucking and the Sonics leaving. If Buffalo has nothing else going for it except having an NFL franchise, that's not Ralph Wilson's fault.

 

As for Ralph, I certainly wish he were a more competent football guy, but I don't think he's scum.

[jester43]

ha...grunge is a "movement?" more like a bowel movement. i spent the summer of 93 in n.w. washington...never saw so-many educated, able-bodied pan-handlers in my life. it disgusted even me, and i've only voted republican once.

 

but regardng ralph...yeah i know, wny isn't ONLY the bills. i know, i know, you got the wonderful PEOPLE (news flash- most places have a lot of nice people), the falls, the chicken wings, the cool summers, etc. etc...

 

i say it's bull ****...wny is clinging to life and the bills are one of the few viable economic entities in the region, and ralph is using them to crap on the people who made him disgustingly rich, evidently because he has the "right" to.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

ha...grunge is a "movement?" more like a bowel movement. i spent the summer of 93 in n.w. washington...never saw so-many educated, able-bodied pan-handlers in my life. it disgusted even me, and i've only voted republican once.

 

but regardng ralph...yeah i know, wny isn't ONLY the bills. i know, i know, you got the wonderful PEOPLE (news flash- most places have a lot of nice people), the falls, the chicken wings, the cool summers, etc. etc...

 

i say it's bull ****...wny is clinging to life and the bills are one of the few viable economic entities in the region, and ralph is using them to crap on the people who made him disgustingly rich, evidently because he has the "right" to.

 

Can't really speak to NW Washington in 1993, seeing as I was 4.

 

But I was referring more to the rock movement than the social movement...some great bands came of it. Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog, Nirvana, Screaming Trees.

[jester43]

trust me, it was a mess out there. the price of flannel went through the roof. and besides, they owed it all to all the 2nd generation punk bands from 5-10 years before. please go watch "the decline of western civilization" before you go thanking seattle for grunge. grunge was 2nd generation punk turned into a commodity that could be "safely" sold in the midwest via mtv. by people like ralph wilson, no doubt.