Jerry Jabber Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 My guess is Ralph will leave the team to his niece, Mary Owen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sodbuster Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I'm genuinely nervous about this. Not "jump off a bridge" nervous, more like "stagger around the streets shell shocked" nervous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonborn10 Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Team is sold to highest bidder. A large sum of money is paid to lawyers to find a way out of Buffalo as quickly as possible. The city of Buffalo and we the fans of the Bills need a virtual miracle. No matter what anyone says the NFL will let any owner leave for anywhere they want. They let Modell leave Cleveland for Baltimore which left for Indianapolis. Only a miracle or lawsuits will keep the Bills in Buffalo now. RW was our extremely flawed miracle for decades. Now we need another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Team is sold to highest bidder. A large sum of money is paid to lawyers to find a way out of Buffalo as quickly as possible. The city of Buffalo and we the fans of the Bills need a virtual miracle. No matter what anyone says the NFL will let any owner leave for anywhere they want. They let Modell leave Cleveland for Baltimore which left for Indianapolis. Only a miracle or lawsuits will keep the Bills in Buffalo now. RW was our extremely flawed miracle for decades. Now we need another. ....or you need to read the lease. It is possible that the team will leave in 7 years but no one is going to pay $400M to move and $900M+ to buy the team. That is why it is written like that. We need the sale to take place soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
major Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Kirby - unfortunately, there are deep pockets around this globe that will fork over $400 and $900 to buy an NFL team. Remember what our commish keeps wanting: Toronto, LA, and London. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Cubed Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 ....or you need to read the lease. It is possible that the team will leave in 7 years but no one is going to pay $400M to move and $900M+ to buy the team. That is why it is written like that. We need the sale to take place soon. And the NFL relocation fee which I believe is another $275 million... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 ....or you need to read the lease. It is possible that the team will leave in 7 years but no one is going to pay $400M to move and $900M+ to buy the team. That is why it is written like that. We need the sale to take place soon. someone may buy the team with the long term plan to move though. im not sure the 7 year clause really promises us anything more than 7 years (though it might chase off some less patient buyers) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 It just isn't going to happen. I am not saying this as someone with Bills glasses on but as someone who has worked on the sale of an NBA team (twice) and a 20 year lease agreement. These things are ironclad and written a certain way to not just steer behavior but to force it. Here is a good article on the nuts and bolts of the lease: http://www.buffalorumblings.com/2012/12/27/3800798/new-buffalo-bills-ralph-wilson-stadium-lease. someone may buy the team with the long term plan to move though. im not sure the 7 year clause really promises us anything more than 7 years (though it might chase off some less patient buyers) That is kind of the point. They are here for at least 7 more years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucci Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Team is sold to highest bidder. A large sum of money is paid to lawyers to find a way out of Buffalo as quickly as possible. The city of Buffalo and we the fans of the Bills need a virtual miracle. No matter what anyone says the NFL will let any owner leave for anywhere they want. They let Modell leave Cleveland for Baltimore which left for Indianapolis. Only a miracle or lawsuits will keep the Bills in Buffalo now. RW was our extremely flawed miracle for decades. Now we need another. Not necessarily. NFL owners have to approve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malazan Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 There is nothing classless about his thread. it's the same as when a family loses a loved one, the inevitable question is "what now"? quite normal under the circumstances. I think it was a reminder, not a judgement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KellyToTasker Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 (edited) Can we trust anyone that is not of the Western NY region or does not have ties to the Western NY Region? Will you? Ralph kept the Bills here. He was invested in the city and the region. He embraced it. In today's age, will an outsider have the same commitment? It's not the same as when Mr. Wilson put the Bills in Buffalo. Edited March 25, 2014 by KellyToTasker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 That is kind of the point. They are here for at least 7 more years. which is great, but its still a short term answer, with long term hope. im optimistic myself still... dont get me wrong. and i totally agree with you generally, just tempering with the fact that "wont move now" doesnt mean "wont move in approx 6 years and 300 days." thats more than several other teams can say about their situation though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobillsinytown Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I don't think anything is going to happen immediately. There will be a lot of issues to settle not only with the Bills franchise, but with all of Ralph's other business interests. Based on what I've read about this other businesses, he was pretty diversified. His main business was construction, but he was also invested in a wide variety of other fields. Even though I'm sure plans have been place as to the disposition of Ralph's assets for quite a while, I think that the minute details are going to take quite a while to work out. At least, I'm hoping that way. It would be nice if the team could focus on the season instead of the ownership issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dezertbill Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 (edited) With Ralph now gone, at the moment the Bills future is not guaranteed in Buffalo past 2020. That may change, and I pray it does. But there is work to do and investors to be found. The Bills won't survive an 11th hour. We need a long term deal in place years before the lease expires, or whenever they are able to break it. Or else someone will swoop in. Edited March 25, 2014 by dezertbill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 which is great, but its still a short term answer, with long term hope. im optimistic myself still... dont get me wrong. and i totally agree with you generally, just tempering with the fact that "wont move now" doesnt mean "wont move in approx 6 years and 300 days." thats more than several other teams can say about their situation though. That is why it is important when the sale takes place. If it is in a few years that is worse than if it is tomorrow. In addition, I would say that it is very, very, very likely that talks have already been have between the Wilson's and potential groups (very likely). That does not mean that anything concrete is done but this is not a process that is starting a square one. I am not saying that in the end the Bills will remain in WNY forever but I feel pretty good about the chances. I would put it over 85% that the team is in WNY long term and 99.99999% that they remain at least through the 7 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optometric Insight Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 One would think that an owner would only move a team if the team has a bad fan base and isn't winning. Fortunately, we have one of the best fan bases and the motivation to honor Mr. Wilson by winning for him could fix the losing situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullim4 Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Honestly I think there's a deal or some sort of arrangement to keep the team here. Everyone with ties to the organization that has discussed this topic in recent years has made it clear the team isn't moving - whether it be Jim Kelly's supposed shadow group, or Russ Brandon's comments every time this topic comes up. Brandon may have a reason to mislead or lie but I don't see Jim Kelly having one. He is the one guy that I truly believe would do anything he could to keep the Bills in Buffalo... why would he do something that didn't further that objective? Kelly is a blowhard but he's a good guy. Gaughan also mentioned in his article something I had forgotten about - Ralph voted against every franchise relocation that's ever come before the owners. I could be completely wrong and the team could go to the highest bidder and move, but if someone offers a few hundred million less to keep the team in Buffalo, I think the estate is likely instructed to take it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SF Bills Fan Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 There is a good write up in the Buffalo News about what comes next. The short of it is- nothing for several years while the estate sorts everything out. Then sold to highest bidder, but there are many reason why it would be prohibitive to move them, lease, fees and support. Golisano and Pegula and the Kelly group are mentioned as possible suitors. LA is the main threat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyMannn Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 There is nothing classless about his thread. it's the same as when a family loses a loved one, the inevitable question is "what now"? quite normal under the circumstances. Agreed, nothing offensive on this topic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malazan Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 But if an offer comes in for the Bills from someone that the NFL owners like, and that owner wants to move the team to a larger market that would make the NFL more money, all of the owners could throw in 13 mil to buy out the lease. ROFLLOLAHAHAHAHAINSANEROFLLOLOOLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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