John Bongiovi interested in buying the Bills

[Hammered a Lot]

I've always been of the opinion that there *is* a plan in place and has been for quite some time.

 

I don't see Ralph Wilson being a man who leaves his legacy to chance. I don't see the Wilson family allowing their father's legacy to be dictated by others.

[machine gun kelly]

I'm not saying LaCanfora has ANY special insight into the situation, but it's interesting to see the article littered with references to "the region", which includes Toronto.

 

Those continuing to resist the Bills in Toronto series really are misguided in thinking the Bills have any chance of staying in Buffalo long term, absent some type of Toronto connection. The winning bidder is going to be in DEEP, and the economics of a "Buffalo only" franchise just aren't there for the successful bidder who needs to see a return on his investment - and that doesn't even include taking on debt from a potential new stadium.

 

Well said. The end game is we stay in Buffalo! So in business terms we move the stadium closer to Canada on the order with a sweet deal from either the Canadian side or NYS (which i doubt given a democratic state and spend happy so always broke), and two games in Toronto. Tey can be non-division games + a pre-season game (who cares) in Toronto.

 

From a financial perspective it is the best way to keep Buffalo, in Buffalo. Do you want three pre-season games, and 6 regular season games, with a chance down the road of playoffs, or would you prefer the LA Bills, or even worse, they change the name and we are nothing but a memory with no hope ever again of getting a team. There is no money or ownership group that gets us another team. Ever.

 

The economics are the economics. This is not an indictment of my home. I love Buffalo. You can keep the team or not. If not creative, we will lose this team. I'm praying I'm wrong, but doubt it.

 

I want the Bills to be in Buffalo forever, and of that means compromise, then so be it. My hope which is awful is Ralph passes restfully as he was our founder, and one of the billionaires with ties to the area buys the team. If happens soon, they are more motivated by making it work with the 8 year deal with the state.

[TedWilliamsFrozenHead]

Sounds like a real dick move with Richie Sambora. If you treat your lifelong partner that way, I don't like what it says about you.

 

PTR

He got a lot of delusional self importance with that "I'ma cowboyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy" crapola. (I'm gonna toss if I ever hear that sch!tt again.......)

[Kemp2Warlick]

Toronto Sun ‏@TheTorontoSun7m

From @simmonssteve: Real chase for Buffalo #Bills has yet to begin. http://ow.ly/rbaV1

[BillsFan-4-Ever]

and it all turns out to be a bunch of hooey

[Kirby Jackson]

Toronto Sun ‏@TheTorontoSun7m

From @simmonssteve: Real chase for Buffalo #Bills has yet to begin. http://ow.ly/rbaV1

 

I wouldn't be surprised if John Bon was involved in a group interested in the Bills. I think where they are in the process is what's being way overblown. We are still a long ways from the team being sold.

[DollarBills]

I'm curious as to whether any progress has been made in regards to a new stadium in WNY. Planning for a future stadium was part of the lease deal.

 

The last I heard anything was back in March....http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/206188/13/Sources-Sites-For-New-Bills-Stadium-Already-Under-Discussion

[The Real Buffalo Joe]

I'm sure this has been brought up before, and I'm sure there's more to it than this, but why doesn't Ralph sell 49% of the team to someone? He'd still have controlling interest, and then when the time comes, he can sell that other 51% easier.

[Kirby Jackson]

I'm curious as to whether any progress has been made in regards to a new stadium in WNY. Planning for a future stadium was part of the lease deal.

 

The last I heard anything was back in March....http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/206188/13/Sources-Sites-For-New-Bills-Stadium-Already-Under-Discussion

 

I'm told the studies have begun and they have a handful of locations targeted (and a few that they have eliminated).

Edited November 26, 2013 by Kirby Jackson

[3putt]

Build a stadium in Lockport or at a minimum north and east. Make Rochester closer to the action and Syracuse as well. Between the three you have enough of a fan base to fill the seats. Toronto was and is a mistake. The cbc isn't part of the tv contract. Screw them.

[ExiledInIllinois]

Gotta admit, it (Bills) would be the perfect team for him:

 

"Shot through the heart and the Bills were to blame, they gave love a bad name, bad name!"

 

Okay... Sorry, somebody had to do it!

 

;-)

[RuntheDamnBall]

Gotta admit, it (Bills) would be the perfect team for him:

 

"Shot through the heart and the Bills were to blame, they gave love a bad name, bad name!"

 

Okay... Sorry, somebody had to do it!

 

;-)

This is debatable.

[dubs]

The major issue I see in this that gets constantly overlooked is why buffalo and the bills are in this position to begin with.

 

In my opinion, it starts and ends with the lack of leadership, vision and courage from our elected officials. For the last 40 years, buffalo has been plagued by inward focused politicians who were more concerned about getting elected and ruling over their little fiefdoms than looking outward for ways to keep the city competitive.

 

There are so many opportunities to grow this area and so many positive characteristics that would attract both individuals and businesses, yet little has been done to do so. If Buffalo had at least kept pace with the rest of the country, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.

 

I think about this often. I love this city more than anything other than my wife and family. I've lived in big metropolises for most of my adult life and recently moved back. But it took a huge career change and owning my own business to make it happen. That's not the choice native buffalonians should have to make. Rather, greater opportunities need to be present here and it all starts with making sure the right people are running the city and region.

 

For example, it boggles my mind that Buffalo hasn't poached more businesses from NYC or at least attracted more huge corporations from NYC to move their middle tier jobs to Buffalo. If a company could offload 1000 workers and cut their salary by 100,000 per year, that's a pretty big cost saving.

 

I could go on, but you get the point. If the bills do end up leaving, it's not the Wilson's who are to blame or the future buyer. It's the failed leaderships over decades who let Buffalo fall behind. Fortunately, I don't believe the story has been fully written and I'm hopeful that we wake up and get the right people in place to lead us to prosperity. I just hope it's not too late to keep the Bills here.

Edited November 26, 2013 by dubs

[ICanSleepWhenI'mDead]

Here is something few people know about Canada: things like luxury boxes and club seating are not tax deductible.

What's your source? I had never heard this before and found it surprising, so I decided to check it out and found this article published in the last month:

 

http://sportslawnews...lfing-expenses/

 

Canadian companies can deduct the cost of hockey, football and other professional sporting events,concert tickets and expensive meals, all of which invites the question: why is golf not included amongst this category?

 

If you read the whole article, the deduction in Canada is for 50% of the cost, not 100% of the cost.

 

I also found this 1996 Interpretation Bulletin published by the Canada Revenue Agency:

 

http://sbinfocanada....r/it518r-e.html

 

]Entertainment

¶ 18. Paragraph 67.1(4)(b) includes amusement and recreation as "entertainment." Section 67.1 also mentions the "enjoyment of entertainment." This refers to the mere attendance at or experience of the event or service. While not an exhaustive list, the following items are considered to be entertainment expenses and are subject to the 50% limitation:

 

(a) the cost of tickets for a theatre, concert, athletic event or other performance;

(b) the cost of private boxes at sports facilities;

© the cost of room rentals to provide entertainment, such as a hospitality suite;

 

 

 

The "private box" and "hospitality suite" that can be deducted sound a lot like "luxury box" and "club seating" to me. But they are only 50% deductible, so unless you have a better source, I think you are half right.

Edited November 26, 2013 by ICanSleepWhenI'mDead

[mrags]

Can somebody please break into Jim Kelly's house and steal his iPod to see if Jon Bon Jovi is something he has in his favorites or not???

[vincec]

Honestly, I would rather see the Bills move to LA than to Toronto. It'd be like your next door neighbor stealing your wife and having her move in with him. Of course, she's already having an affair with him and she told you to deal with it because it's the only way she'll stay with you at all. Nice wife.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

 

Bills next owner?

 

LOL

 

He got a lot of delusional self importance with that "I'ma cowboyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy" crapola. (I'm gonna toss if I ever hear that sch!tt again.......)

 

Anyone that names a band after himself definitely has a lot of delusional self importance.

 

Build a stadium in Lockport or at a minimum north and east. Make Rochester closer to the action and Syracuse as well. Between the three you have enough of a fan base to fill the seats. Toronto was and is a mistake. The cbc isn't part of the tv contract. Screw them.

 

For any group considering stadium locations, I think the Canadian market will weigh in that decision.

 

Also you bring up an interesting incentive for NFL owners: the sale of Canadian TV rights fees. Isn't this a possible gold mine for the league (independent of a Bills move)?

[8-8 Forever?]

He didn't "stake his claim" to Totonto, he pimped out his team to Toronto for some quick cash and now will leave the team to get passed around to various canadian bidders after he passes.

 

The relocation fee is $275 million.

 

 

 

Jerry Jones owns the team and the stadium and all of the revenue generated in it and from the team, so it makes no sense to compare to a third party stadium builder/owner.

 

Kraft owns the team and the stadium and of the revenue generated in it and from the team.......etc.

 

Soldier field and the new 49ers field were built/refurbished mainly with public money, which will not be the case with a third party owner/builder in Toronto, so it makes no sense to compare them either.

 

So that leaves no precedent for what you are suggesting.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want the team to move. But this opportunity only comes along once every 20 or 25 years; an open , high-bidder -wins auction for an NFL franchise. Whether or not a pure comparable situation exists, big money will be pursuing this auction , and the higher the bidding goes , the less likely the franchise will be operated in the severely limited WNY marketplace, the latter fact offset by the cost of new stadium construction, relocation fee, etc. Will be interesting how the owners and league play this one. On one hand, the Bills have a legacy, etc, on the other hand, the NFL needs to expand, increase revenue, etc. and WNY brings none of that. Should be fun to watch when the time comes. The Redskins auction in the 90's was huge drama.

Edited November 26, 2013 by 8and8Forever

[Kirby Jackson]

 

Don't get me wrong, I don't want the team to move. But this opportunity only comes along once every 20 or 25 years; an open , high-bidder -wins auction for an NFL franchise. Whether or not a pure comparable situation exists, big money will be pursuing this auction , and the higher the bidding goes , the less likely the franchise will be operated in the severely limited WNY marketplace, the latter fact offset by the cost of new stadium construction, relocation fee, etc. Will be interesting how the owners and league play this one. On one hand, the Bills have a legacy, etc, on the other hand, the NFL needs to expand, increase revenue, etc. and WNY brings none of that. Should be fun to watch when the time comes. The Redskins auction in the 90's was huge drama.

 

The NFL has a say in this as well. When the New Orleans Hornets went up for sale there were significantly larger offers to purchase the team that would have moved them (Larry Ellison to San Jose). David Stern felt that it was important to keep the team here assuming a favorable long term lease deal could be worked out.

 

I suspect that may be the case with the Bills. The NFL certainly wants to keep a team in that region (by region I am counting all the way to Toronto). At the same time they do not want to alienate Buffalo, Rochester, etc... by moving them to TO. Those areas have proven that they could support the NFL for years - Toronto has not. That stability is not to be overlooked. Toronto is the new area of growth for the NFL. There are lots and lots of other obstacles like the CFL, do TV rights from the networks get split by a city that does not even have those networks, etc., etc., etc...I suspect that the new stadium will be in the Niagara Falls area to further tap into the Canadian fan base without alienating the NY fan base. The best of both worlds IMO.

[Wayne Cubed]

The NFL has a say in this as well. When the New Orleans Hornets went up for sale there were significantly larger offers to purchase the team that would have moved them (Larry Ellison to San Jose). David Stern felt that it was important to keep the team here assuming a favorable long term lease deal could be worked out.

 

I suspect that may be the case with the Bills. The NFL certainly wants to keep a team in that region (by region I am counting all the way to Toronto). At the same time they do not want to alienate Buffalo, Rochester, etc... by moving them to TO. Those areas have proven that they could support the NFL for years - Toronto has not. That stability is not to be overlooked. Toronto is the new area of growth for the NFL. There are lots and lots of other obstacles like the CFL, do TV rights from the networks get split by a city that does not even have those networks, etc., etc., etc...I suspect that the new stadium will be in the Niagara Falls area to further tap into the Canadian fan base without alienating the NY fan base. The best of both worlds IMO.

 

I'd add to that, that these games in Toronto has to make the NFL a bit cautious that a team would work there. Look at how the Rodgers Centre has looked on game day. I know it's only 1 game a year, but the fans are hardly coming out. One could argue that it's the Bills and they haven't preformed really well. Well, the London game/s, has put some pretty terrible teams on the field and the fans still come out. So much so that they've made it into 3 games a year event.

 

If I was a new NFL owner, I would be very cautious about the Toronto market.