Cuomo appointees to explore new Bills Stadium

[A Dog Named Kelso]

You are generalizing without knowing what held things back. The big reason was the NFTA which for some reason controlled all the Buffalo waterfront. What changed is NFTA giving up control to the city. That, plus Brian Higgins got things moving. Mayor Brown did a lot to clear a path, but the A-numero-uno reason is Terry "Daddy Warbucks" Pegula. You need a billionaire patron and Buffalo has one now.

 

 

 

The group you are referring to is sort of an outlier. It's not government stopping them. Even the Bills are not interested in what that group is saying. And don't kid yourself. NOTHING gets done privately without government being involved at some level.

 

PTR

 

One has to wonder why that is. I someone else builds a stadium and they can play there why would the Bills or any other team with the a similar option turn that down.

[SRQ_BillsFan]

 

 

One has to wonder why that is. I someone else builds a stadium and they can play there why would the Bills or any other team with the a similar option turn that down.

 

It all has to do with the selling price. If there is a new stadium, there has to be a lease. This limits options for a new owner, which may lower the selling price.

 

 

[machine gun kelly]

This is great news for the Bills & keeping them in B/lo ! I am impressed that they are moving forward due to what was said when the talk of using the water front as a site was mostly of a negative vibe .

 

If the Bills want to stay viable in any way they need to have a new stadium & the people & the area have to start realizing that there are only 32 NFL teams in the league which is something special to have .

 

The Bills are a part of the great history of the city & it would be terrible if they left for all concerned . The city, state & county would lose a ton of revenue & jobs that help the local economy not to mention what the mentality of the area would be with out the team .

 

I'm not saying they need to stay at all costs but i am saying they need to do as much to keep the Bills in Buffalo as the were willing to give the Mets & Yanks new homes , beside the Bills are the only true NY state team ! The others only have the name but the Bills are the real deal in NY !!

 

Go Bills !!!

 

I never expected this to happen as I didn't think NYS would pony up the billion dollars it would take to build an up to date stadium. It would be great to model our stadium like Seattle, not because they won the SB, but the partilal dome, cut down on the wind, smaller at 65,000 seats, and closer to Canada and Rochester to encourage more regionalism. This would be the smart move as you could sell out that much easier pulling from Rochester, and Canada even more solidifying a team in Buffalo for the long haul. We'd sell more luxury boxes, and this is what an ownership group wants to see.

 

Go Bills!!

[sodbuster]

 

 

The Ralph is a perfectly fine place to see a game as long as it remains structurally sound.

New is not necessarily better. Ask any season ticket holder from other teams that had to pony up for a large PSL.

Since Cuomo is a self serving hack who is motivated by by his political aspirations, I take whatever move he makes RE: The Bills with a grain of salt.

yeah. Once the election passes, this will shrivel up and blow away.

[PromoTheRobot]

One has to wonder why that is. I someone else builds a stadium and they can play there why would the Bills or any other team with the a similar option turn that down.

 

That was a curious reaction from the Bills. Why wouldn't they want a new stadium? Maybe they don't want a long term lease tying the team to Buffalo, potentially driving down the sale price on the open market? Or maybe that waterfront stadium group didn't really have the chops to get such a project done and the Bills knew it? The Bills were certainly more welcoming of Cuomo's committee.

 

PTR

 

I know people disagree with me, but IMO those outdoor December games sell out present day if the team is competitive and the ticket market/resale market structured the way it is. I have Season Tickets and I dont show up to December games, not because the weather, it is because I dont want to invest (another) entire day in a meaningless game in this seemingly endless cycle.

 

History says no. To me the whole romance around an open stadium in frigid weather is a myth. No one really wants to freeze for 3 hours. I'm convinced if the Bills had a dome those December games would sell out even without a playoff team.

[bbb]

That was a curious reaction from the Bills. Why wouldn't they want a new stadium? Maybe they don't want a long term lease tying the team to Buffalo, potentially driving down the sale price on the open market? Or maybe that waterfront stadium group didn't really have the chops to get such a project done and the Bills knew it? The Bills were certainly more welcoming of Cuomo's committee.

 

PTR

 

 

 

History says no. To me the whole romance around an open stadium in frigid weather is a myth. No one really wants to freeze for 3 hours. I'm convinced if the Bills had a dome those December games would sell out even without a playoff team.

 

There are a lot of wimps, no doubt..........However, your notion that the Super Bowl teams didn't sell out late games is wrong. I just looked it up.

 

The only two games those four years that don't look like sellouts are this one:

December 12, 1992 Denver Broncos Rich Stadium W 27–17 10–4

71,740

 

 

And, the 12/26/93 game against the Jets that was one of the coldest games in history. 2nd coldest here and at the time, THE coldest. It was unreal............And, they still got 70K there. I'd be willing to bet it was sold out if that many showed up on that Arctic day.

[PromoTheRobot]

 

 

There are a lot of wimps, no doubt..........However, your notion that the Super Bowl teams didn't sell out late games is wrong. I just looked it up.

 

The only two games those four years that don't look like sellouts are this one:

December 12, 1992 Denver Broncos Rich Stadium W 27–17 10–4

71,740

 

 

And, the 12/26/93 game against the Jets that was one of the coldest games in history. 2nd coldest here and at the time, THE coldest. It was unreal............And, they still got 70K there. I'd be willing to bet it was sold out if that many showed up on that Arctic day.

I'm an old fart so I lived through those days. Getting the TV station, or a local business or Ralph himself to buy the last couple thousand seats was a common occurence. Even in the playoffs. (The famous comeback game against Houston was blacked out, though mainly not for weather reasons.) If the Bills ever do get a new stadium it should definitely be smaller, like 65K.

 

PTR

[May Day 10]

History says no. To me the whole romance around an open stadium in frigid weather is a myth. No one really wants to freeze for 3 hours. I'm convinced if the Bills had a dome those December games would sell out even without a playoff team.

 

We will continue to disagree on this, but Ill say it again. Event Tickets are a completely different animal than they were 20 years ago. Also, there was no regionalization.

 

All the Bills need to do is have 1 good season, maybe 2. Resale values will go way up. The few fast starts in recent years, many people contact me asking about tickets. I look on stubhub and the prices are more than double face value. You talk about a December game for the Division vs New England and a home playoff game, those tickets will fly and be a tough ticket to get. Especially with internet sales (and resales).

The following season people will overflow the demand for season tickets. fans, brokers, and fans who want to be part time brokers. There will be a waiting list and even a few bad seasons can sustain because people do not want to lose their spot for when they are good.

 

The Sabres are a perfect example of this and I have seen it happen elsewhere in sports (Phillies). The Sabres couldnt sell 14000 seats in the the 16000 seat aud in your "Superbowl" time period (92-93) with the most exciting team in the league as well as team history. New arena was lukewarm once the honeymoon period passed... then completely hit the wall in the early 00's. Once a few good teams came out in the internet/resale age, they are sold out into perpetuity.

 

 

Also, dont underestimate the "dark cloud" that the current ownership situation and uncertainty brings around the team. If there is a new local owner with the right attitude it will spring a hell of a lot of excitement

Edited February 14, 2014 by May Day 10

[bbb]

I'm an old fart so I lived through those days. Getting the TV station, or a local business or Ralph himself to buy the last couple thousand seats was a common occurence. Even in the playoffs. (The famous comeback game against Houston was blacked out, though mainly not for weather reasons.) If the Bills ever do get a new stadium it should definitely be smaller, like 65K.

 

PTR

 

You name the games then. I looked them up.

 

I lived through those years, too, I would say since we're on our 29th year of having season tickets, and I'll be on my 43rd straight year of going to at least one game a year. (Obviously way more than one the last 29 years, and most years before that).

 

May Day obviously knows how tickets work. He's spot on.

 

So much has to do with anticipation, as a team is getting better, etc.

[uncle flap]

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bills-nfl/can-buffalo-afford-a-new-stadium-for-bills-20140215

 

][/size]

“Stepping up is going to be expensive, and it’s not going to be easy,” said Marc Ganis, a Chicago-based sports consultant familiar with the NFL’s business side. “And the fans have to be willing to step up as well.

[PromoTheRobot]

 

You name the games then. I looked them up.

 

I lived through those years, too, I would say since we're on our 29th year of having season tickets, and I'll be on my 43rd straight year of going to at least one game a year. (Obviously way more than one the last 29 years, and most years before that).

 

May Day obviously knows how tickets work. He's spot on.

 

So much has to do with anticipation, as a team is getting better, etc.

 

Pretty much every playoff game after the first SB year and most December games had the specter of a blackout hanging over them. Most of the time someone stepped up and bought the remaining tickets, usually Ch.2 back when NBC was the AFC network, because they lost more in advertising if the game was blacked out.

 

But here is the perfect solution for funding a new stadium....legalize recreational pot in Erie County! Make a huge weed tax and put it all toward a new stadium. We can call it "Blunts for the Bills" or "Fatties for Football" or "Spark up for a Stadium."

 

PTR

[BillsfaninMyrtleBeach]

I hope we can get a dome. Yeah I know, Buffalo Bills fans don't need a "steeking dome" cause we're tough, but maybe it would bring

us a chance to have more families go to games, and maybe we might attract a super bowl to Buffalo?

[Buffaloed in Pa]

yatta,yatta,yatta. Smoke and Mirrors. Bullcrap,not even worth talking about.

[Hammered a Lot]

I hope we can get a dome. Yeah I know, Buffalo Bills fans don't need a "steeking dome" cause we're tough, but maybe it would bring

us a chance to have more families go to games, and maybe we might attract a super bowl to Buffalo?

Super Bowl? Not enough hotel rooms in WNY.

[bbb]

Super Bowl? Not enough hotel rooms in WNY.

'

 

It seems like every other week, they're announcing some new hotel in Buffalo, so maybe we're getting there!

[bbb]

Pretty much every playoff game after the first SB year and most December games had the specter of a blackout hanging over them. Most of the time someone stepped up and bought the remaining tickets, usually Ch.2 back when NBC was the AFC network, because they lost more in advertising if the game was blacked out.

 

But here is the perfect solution for funding a new stadium....legalize recreational pot in Erie County! Make a huge weed tax and put it all toward a new stadium. We can call it "Blunts for the Bills" or "Fatties for Football" or "Spark up for a Stadium."

 

PTR

 

I can tell you the playoff games we had. 1991 - Chiefs game. I remember no threat of a blackout. Broncos - ditto.

1992 - Oilers - why didn't anybody come to the rescue if this always happened? We still were 75K or more strong

1993 - Raiders - I know there were only 60K in the stands, and I doubt it was soldout, due to the coldest, life threatening game in Bills history. Chiefs - I doubt that was in any danger of not being soldout

1995 - Shula's last game. My memory is a totally full stadium

1996 - Kelly's last game. Ditto

[Buffaloed in Pa]

So tell me why does WNY have to build a billion dollar stadium ? Pittsburgh built Hines field for 281 million in 2002. Prices have increased a little since then.But not 25% .It seats 65,000. I think some fans want all the bells and whistles ,when all we need to do is play a football game. I guess Pitt fans are a little more into the game,than a overpriced shopping mall.

[KGUNBILLS]

What needs to happen is to get some giant corporate bank, that needs to invest some of their capital gains funding into a stadium. Or how about this "Exxon Mobil stadium" the new home of the Buffalo Bills. They must have oodles and oodles of slush fund money hanging around.

[DFITZ1]

Any new stadium needs to not only be a best fit for the Bills, but also be able to host other large attendance events, be it a Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four, Rock Concerts (remember these at Rich Stadium in the 70's), college football (UB vs Syracuse?). To me this calls or a retractable dome (OK - we'll open it in December if Miami is scheduled).

Edited February 17, 2014 by DFITZ1

[bbb]

Any new stadium needs to not only be a best fit for the Bills, but also be able to host other large attendance events, be it a Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four, Rock Concerts (remember these at Rich Stadium in the 70's), college football (UB vs Syracuse?). To me this calls or a retractable dome (OK - we'll open it in December if Miami is scheduled).

 

We're not getting the first two..........Bands aren't big enough any more to warrant many stadium concerts..........UB vs. Syracuse would get about 30K.

 

Here's is today's lead article in the Buffalo News. I personally like the 3rd option - retrofitting the stadium, like Soldier Field and Lambeau.

 

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bills-nfl/can-buffalo-afford-a-new-stadium-for-bills-20140215