NoSaint Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 Ever heard of the Green Bay Packers? Their region is the whole state of Wisconsin. Part of building that was even playing games in Milwaukee for awhile. But a lot of it is having Lombardi, favre and now Rodgers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trader Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 The city of Buffalo and it's suburbs including Rochester and Syracuse will not be able to support the 21st century Bills in the post Ralph era. Sorry traditionalists but you are on the wrong side of history. Buffalo is not Green Bay. Buffalo is in a unique border town situation. We are a short commute from a huge population center. If you want to save the Bills get ready to accept the inevitable and welcome an association with Toronto. I do think a stadium near the border is a must. I also think that we need to offer something to those Canadian fans that will turn them from NFL spectators to Niagara Frontier Fans. There is a huge difference in those two concepts. I know that there are some small minded provincials in Buffalo who demonstrate the lack of creativity that is our regions reputation. I do believe that the majority of fans in Buffalo are far more hospitable and open minded than most fans. It's time to embrace the new opportunities of regionalization and have some fun with it. "If you always do what you have always done you always get what you always got." Isn't it time to try something new? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsWatch Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 It is more important to fix the transportation connections between Ontario and Western New York. if that bottleneck was corrected location of the stadium would be a lot smaller location. It would be good if Bills helped on this including sponsorship of transportation/ticket packages and helped emphasis importance of this connection not just for Bills but business for WNY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Fong Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Buffalo Bills of Niagara. Problem (if you can call it that) solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trader Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 Buffalo Bills of Niagara. Problem (if you can call it that) solved. Actually that is not a bad start. I also think the transportation suggestions and the stadium location ideas have a great deal of promise. I do think the Bills could be more creative in thier promotions north and south the border by offering groupon like hotel/transportation packages at attractive prices. What I do know is this, we will be hearing more about this topic in the nearer than we think future. We the fans might want to get in front of the issue where we can contrbute the process rather than wine about the result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trader Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 (edited) Buffalo Bills of Niagara. Problem (if you can call it that) solved. The International Buffalo Bills The Can-AM Buffalo Bills The Niagara Regional Buffalo Bills. Has there ever been a bi National sports team in history other than the Buffalo Toronto World Team Tennis experiment? The concept seems to fit the Mary Wilson story in the news rather well methinks! Another Thought How about another uniform when playing North of the Border? College teams (Oregon) do great with this. Edited July 15, 2012 by Trader Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Yes. What a fantastic idea! Think of all the excellent naming possibilities that would trounce that tired, haggard name - The Buffalo Bills. Why, they could be renamed the Niagara Nincompoops, or the Lake Ontario Salmon, or the Erie Freezers, or the Niagara Riverwakers. The Niagara Steelhead… except then Miami fans could say "Squish the Fish." Part of building that was even playing games in Milwaukee for awhile. But a lot of it is having Lombardi, favre and now Rodgers. Also Curly Lambeau and Don Hutson… Clarke Hinkle. The Green Bay franchise has had a very long and storied history. Winning is a huge factor in franchise success. To those that argue the contrary, sure every team has a down year here and there. But that's not the same thing as going 14 years without a playoff appearance… or having an all-time winning percentage of .466. If this team continues its regionalization efforts (including locating a future stadium more strategically) and can develop a consistent competency, they will be just fine in WNY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billykaykay Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 If the Bills ever leave Buffalo, it will not be because of fan support. It will be because we are a small TV market. Why are we a small TV market? Because Toronto is not considered to be part of our TV market. Why? Who knows! All I know is that when I visit Toronto & stay at a hotel, the cable system carries the local Buffalo stations. If the NFL or the Networks counted all these viewers, we would obviously not be considered a small TV market. Perhaps, someone could explain this apparent contradiction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillnutinHouston Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 The city of Buffalo and it's suburbs including Rochester and Syracuse will not be able to support the 21st century Bills in the post Ralph era. Sorry traditionalists but you are on the wrong side of history. Buffalo is not Green Bay. Buffalo is in a unique border town situation. We are a short commute from a huge population center. If you want to save the Bills get ready to accept the inevitable and welcome an association with Toronto. I do think a stadium near the border is a must. I also think that we need to offer something to those Canadian fans that will turn them from NFL spectators to Niagara Frontier Fans. There is a huge difference in those two concepts. I know that there are some small minded provincials in Buffalo who demonstrate the lack of creativity that is our regions reputation. I do believe that the majority of fans in Buffalo are far more hospitable and open minded than most fans. It's time to embrace the new opportunities of regionalization and have some fun with it. "If you always do what you have always done you always get what you always got." Isn't it time to try something new? This is exactly correct. WNY'ers need to think beyond the end of their nose (for once), or the NFL will pass you by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Lightning Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 The Bison-nauts.....The Argo-Bills......not feeling it. I'm in Rochester and never want to see the ROC-Bills or Buff-Chester. It's the Buffalo Bills and all of Western New York and Southern Ontario are welcome to hop on the Bills Bandwagon! Flags and patches are fine...but the name and logo are off limits! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobilz Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Bufronto bills Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papazoid Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 It is more important to fix the transportation connections between Ontario and Western New York. if that bottleneck was corrected location of the stadium would be a lot smaller location. It would be good if Bills helped on this including sponsorship of transportation/ticket packages and helped emphasis importance of this connection not just for Bills but business for WNY. not to get off track....but,the "bottleneck" is with U.S. & Canadian Custom Agents. the bridges are not properly staffed with inspection officers, especially during bills games. when a bridge becomes a defacto parking lot, it's not an infrastructure issue (roads,bridges & toll booths). our area is already serviced by the Peace, Rainbow, Lewiston-Queenston & Whirlpool Bridges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 not to get off track....but,the "bottleneck" is with U.S. & Canadian Custom Agents. the bridges are not properly staffed with inspection officers, especially during bills games. when a bridge becomes a defacto parking lot, it's not an infrastructure issue (roads,bridges & toll booths). our area is already serviced by the Peace, Rainbow, Lewiston-Queenston & Whirlpool Bridges. I don't know what the issue is on the bridges, but it really has to be fixed. I have to give so much credit to the Canadian fans (including the whole row of guys in front of us) who put up with that long delay on top of the possibly long ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#34fan Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 (edited) If we start kicking a$$, all this talk about Toronto, L.A. and changing names will be history. Whoever started this thread, has horribly underestimated two factors 1)the loyalty of this fanbase. 2)the diaspora of the Bills fanbase. Many of us have relocated to other states. There's also a ton of true Billievers who have NEVER even lived in upstate or Western New York. I thank our cross-border fans for all their support, but the Bills are an ALL-AMERICAN TEAM. That means red, white, and blue baby! -NOT red and white. I choose to have the "if you build it, they will come" mentality. If we start out 7-1, I guarantee that many of us New York State ex-pats will start flying back for home games. To me, this is clearly a situation where the fans need to be re-energized, not re-located. Edited July 16, 2012 by #34fan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillnutinHouston Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 This is a quote from Mary Owen (Ralph's niece by marriage) in the recent Buffalo News article, on the team's regionalization efforts: "Did we know that we would experience some backlash? We did. But you say, 'We're doing this for the benefit of that fan base.' That's another thing with working for Mr. Wilson, working for Russ Brandon, is we have the right intentions. People will get it as they watch our actions and see us go along this process. You've probably noticed, over that period of time people now understand: 'OK, we get it.'" If you are Mary Owen there are only 2 possible reasons why you say this: 1) because you're naive and being completely taken in by Ralph - unlikely or 2) the sentiment is sincere. I've long believed that the Bills genuinely believe they NEED to regionalize just to keep up with the rest of the league. The rest of us just need to get on board and drop the parochial mindsets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmur66 Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I ain't buying this crap. They are and always have been the BUFFALO BILLS that play in the NATIONAL Football Leaque. All they need to do is show an honest commitment to winning and the fans will support the team. Up until the last off season they have not really done that in quite a few years. There were many disgusted fans ready to jump ship that also quit going to games. If management does their part then the fans will do their part. If that ain't good enough then there is something wrong and they might as well go to LA or wherever because I am tired of hearing this Canada crap. There is nothing wrong with a Canadian being a Buffalo Bills fan but this kissing their asses has to stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Bills Fan Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 (edited) If you don't get involved over there, you don't have to move there. But unfortunately, we got involved over there so here's what I say to that: Canadians. Giving us Beiber and saying "A" at the end of every sentence. Just because it's the first letter of the alphabet doesn't mean that you have to end every sentence with it! And then you guys have the balls to steal our football!?!?! you guys, you. It's actually "Eh" lol And I agree to leave everything as it is with the Bills! Dont change a thing! CBF Did someone from Canada murder a member of your family?? Such negative whining. Canadians are good people. Thank you! CBF Edited July 16, 2012 by Canadian_Bills_Fan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homey D. Clown Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I know this is a difficult subject I have been a Bills fan as long as there was an AFC. Looking at the demographics of Western New York I do not believe the franchise is viable post Ralph Wilson without successful regionalization into the Toronto market. The Bills will need to sell more tickets at higher prices to stay here. What facts do you base this assumption on? have you done a financial study on the revenue that needs to be made on local luxury suite sales, along with season ticket, and single seat sales, coupled with local advertising above the NFL licensing, revenue sharing and television contract profit disbursement income, minus stadium operating costs? Or did you just read all the propaganda written and force fed to fans around here and the local media fueled by Russ Brandon? Last time I checked, the team really doesn't have a problem filling seats beyond what most other teams would consider capacity, and that they were ranked somewhere in the middle for profits, considering the team has been dreadful to watch the last decade, give or take a game here and there. I am all for expanding the fan base, it just makes good sense, but there is no real financial reason the team would ever need to be moved, other than to coerce another city into building a big new shiny vulgar stadium. I have been to Dallas' new stadium, and while it's nice to look at, I could honestly give 2 ***** about anything more than my view of the game. If you need pretty concourses, overpriced shops, and restaurants, then that place is for you. If you want a great talegating experience, excellent seating in a neat part of the southern tier, then I'd take the pile of concrete in Orchard park every time. I go to watch a football game, and the Ralph does that quite nicely... now if I could just take a piss without missing a third of the game, then I'd be in heaven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark80 Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 The Bills in Western NY will always be the Buffalo Bills. If they move, it's going to be to LA or Toronto, in either case they are giving up on Western NY and most of us would give up on them. To suggest that a name change would encourage more regionalization is way off base in my mind. Anyone who knows anything about branding understands that brand value can account for upwards of 50% of a companys/brands worth (up to 70% for ones like Coke and McDonalds). You're not going to start over with a new name unless the potential benefits of doing so were extrememly high (as could be the case in a LA or Toronto move). To re-brand in Western NY would just break down the 50 years of brand loyalty and recognition that you have built. It would be a disaster in my opinion. I mean, how many times in the last 75 years have you seen this done in sports (not counting the Tennesse Oilers changing to the Titans a year after relocation)? It's only done with significant relocations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernMan Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Sounds like a pretty sound idea. Like you said, moving the stadium to Niagara. It would stink if they put a dome over there; it would be an amazing home field advantage to have the crowd AND *the roar of the falls*. I'm not sure how far it is but when we make the trip to the Falls from Derby, its about a 45 minute trip and it takes a half an hour to get to downtown Buffalo so 15 minutes away from downtown wouldn't be such a bad idea especially since the Ralph is already 5-10 minutes away from there. *Depending on how close to the Falls the stadium is* I love the idea of a multi purpose stadium in Niagara Falls that could support itself by being utilized by haveing events more than 15 times a year. My only concern is that like to many state of the art facilities, it would be minus two of the features that make the Orchard Park stadium experience so great - blue sky above and plenty of space for tailgating. At too many of the newer facilities (eg -The Georgia Dome) there is minimal parking for tailgating. It's one of those take the train, walk through the gate, watch the game, pay $8 for each beer, and go home kind of places. Tailgating at The Ralph and communion with fellow Bills fanatics is half the fun. Even if the Bills suck or get blown out that day, it's still a great day when you got to party all morning and afternoon with your brothers in arms. And domes? Ugghhhh. I get claustrophobic. They're like being in a circus tent. Just seems unnatural to have football played inside. And BTW teen hoser, Canadians don't say "A" referring to an alphabet letter - It's "eh?", as in "right?" or "hear what I'm sayin'?" It's hard to imagine that you didn't know that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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