BillnutinHouston Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 The connection between the two is inescapable. Ralph makes $80 million on the Toronto deal, then spends in the same neighborhood ($100 million) for Mario. Also, significantly, the Bills are in the midst of negotiating with Toronto on a new deal. Certainly, Mario's signing adds some buzz and sizzle that was not there before. So my question is, is the ability to pay a Mario Williams and having a shot at competitiveness in today's NFL worth giving up some home games? I say absolutely. What say you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frostbelt City Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Yes. I don't mind one game a year in my second favorite city in the world - Toronto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Im fine with it, as well...just wish the fans there would figure out which team to root for...idiots. I actually really like Toronto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARMchairgm Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 it's really in the bills best interest to play a game there, the money and world wide audience is too much to pass on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FleaMoulds80 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Yes. I don't mind one game a year in my second favorite city in the world - Toronto. Your 2nd favorite city in the WORLD? You gotta travel a bit more bruh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddog69 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 If they are going to use the money to improve the onfield product and not just the bottom line I am fine with it. Especially since the Toronto people and the Bills are saying that they have no intention or increasing the number of games north of the border Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwight in philly Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 absolutely hate the toronto money grab. the fans from toronto who are bills fans, prefer to come to the ralph. the money that ralph paid for mario is there regardless of the toronto game. please! i for one, do not want to give up the edge that the ralph gives us.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillnutinHouston Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 the money that ralph paid for mario is there regardless of the toronto game. Care to elaborate? Do you mean that our owner should take it out of the bottom line even if that means losing $? If so, how does that formula secure the franchise long term? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 The Toronto series has not worked for one major reason, the Bills have sucked during those years. Sure, there were all kinds of mistakes made with the tickets and pricing and tailgating issues and everything else. All of that is true. What is more true, however, is that if the Bills were on a roll and there were playoff implications and the team was fun to watch, the games would gather huge interest there and the Bills would be a reasonably big hit in Toronto. As a Buffalo native and lover of Bills football, do I want to lose a home game to Toronto? Hell no. As a Buffalo native and lover of Bills football do I think this is a necessary evil to keep the team in Buffalo and expand its fan base and sponsorships and corporate dollars coming in? Hell yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 The Toronto series has not worked for one major reason, the Bills have sucked during those years. Sure, there were all kinds of mistakes made with the tickets and pricing and tailgating issues and everything else. All of that is true. What is more true, however, is that if the Bills were on a roll and there were playoff implications and the team was fun to watch, the games would gather huge interest there and the Bills would be a reasonably big hit in Toronto. As a Buffalo native and lover of Bills football, do I want to lose a home game to Toronto? Hell no. As a Buffalo native and lover of Bills football do I think this is a necessary evil to keep the team in Buffalo and expand its fan base and sponsorships and corporate dollars coming in? Hell yes. Well said. Hopefully once our record is better the Toronto fans will get a clue as to which team to root for...when we destroyed the Redskins this year there was a lot of confusion in the stands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hsp08 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Im fine with it, as well...just wish the fans there would figure out which team to root for...idiots. I actually really like Toronto. I am a Bills fan in Toronto and I have been for many years. Since the city doesn't have a NFL team, I think they have the choice of rooting for who they want? Why are they idiots? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campy Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I am a Bills fan in Toronto and I have been for many years. Since the city doesn't have a NFL team, I think they have the choice of rooting for who they want? Why are they idiots? Because they're Leafs fans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hsp08 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Because they're Leafs fans Yep, they are blind when it comes to hockey, but you have to feel for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Amazing how sentiment changed on this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 The connection between the two is inescapable. Ralph makes $80 million on the Toronto deal, then spends in the same neighborhood ($100 million) for Mario. Also, significantly, the Bills are in the midst of negotiating with Toronto on a new deal. Certainly, Mario's signing adds some buzz and sizzle that was not there before. So my question is, is the ability to pay a Mario Williams and having a shot at competitiveness in today's NFL worth giving up some home games? I say absolutely. What say you? You realizr Ralph does not make 80M on that deal? They paid $78M for the 8 game sand the Bills make about almost $4M more per game so over 5 years about 32M.....so basically on average Ralph made about 6M more a year than he would have if the game was played at the Ralph. Not nearly as much as the 78M sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillnutinHouston Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 You realizr Ralph does not make 80M on that deal? They paid $78M for the 8 game sand the Bills make about almost $4M more per game so over 5 years about 32M.....so basically on average Ralph made about 6M more a year than he would have if the game was played at the Ralph. Not nearly as much as the 78M sounds. You may well be factually correct. I'm really more interested in people's opinions on the larger point. My opinion is that as distasteful as it is, "sharing" the Bills with Toronto is a necessary evil that is important to the long term financial viability of the franchise in Buffalo. I believe most understand this in their head, but their hearts are not listening. I was curious to know if the fanbase has recognized, while basking in the glow of the Williams signing, how Toronto plays into this. I also think it's no accident that this signing comes as negotiations with Toronto enter into a critical phase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cru Jones Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Holy Cripes! Bills fans are so happy about signing Mario that the Toronto game has become more palatable? I despise the Toronto game, but as I read I couldn't help but agree,(with the exception of the two being connected somehow)this is a mind f*ck. Thank you Buddy & co. Now as we always say in Buffalo, I'm going to GO enjoy this march weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I am a Bills fan in Toronto and I have been for many years. Since the city doesn't have a NFL team, I think they have the choice of rooting for who they want? Why are they idiots? The idiots are the ones who root for the opponent in protest of the Bills arrangement with Toronto. They know who they are. The cheers are typically far louder when the other team scores than when we score. This year during the redskins game, you could hear a pin drop in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RealityCheck Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 (edited) If the Bills were a perennial playoff team instead of a perennial failure the Ralph would have a waiting list for tickets, they would be much more expensive, and regionalization through the exportation of home games would be considered sacrilege. Winning would have prevented this entire situation. Since we are dealing with today's reality I cannot imagine the Toronto series being popular for season ticket holders if we were to reemerge as a perennial playoff team. After a few seasons of winning, paying for 2 preseason games, and losing a home game to Toronto that situation would begin to get old real quick. The Ralph has the mojo, and even though we beat the Redskins up there, that is actually the game that started the downward spiral. That place flat out s***s! It's only a matter of time before we have to play the Pats or Jets up there. 2 road games against either of those teams is a kick in the balls if you ask me and a major disadvantage. Edited March 16, 2012 by RealityCheck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hsp08 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 The idiots are the ones who root for the opponent in protest of the Bills arrangement with Toronto. They know who they are. The cheers are typically far louder when the other team scores than when we score. This year during the redskins game, you could hear a pin drop in there. I think they can cheer for whomever they want as paying patrons and Toronto really is a neutral site. The Bills have done a crappy job putting competitive teams on the field during this series and they have themselves to blame. No way I would pay $250+ for the recent product, and most in town would agree it is a money grab. If you go back to the glory days of Kelly, Smith & company, the town was made up of 50% + Bills fans. Can Toronto support their own NFL team? Yes it can. The town's got money, population and passion for the NFL and would thrive with their own franchise & identity. Most are with you, Bills belong in Buffalo, they want their own franchise. And I agree, Rogers Center STINKS for sports and needs to be replaced. Somebody paid somebody off in our Government in the 80's picking this Rogers Center design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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