Lurker Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 (edited) Strictly a curiosity, but who actually named it in his honor- I was under the impression the team could sell the naming rights and chose not to.... Was it the county or the bills that named it in his honor? "The stadium, originally called Rich Stadium, was renamed in 1998 for former Bills owner Ralph Wilson, Sr., at the request of former New York Governor George Pataki." http://law.marquette...df/nfl-2013.pdf Edited March 28, 2014 by Lurker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pills -N- Bills Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 I find it hypocritical that people are up in arms about things being said about Ralph Wilson that were being said on this board the days before his death. Exactly people on this board have been bashing Ralph's ownership for years.... Then he passes and they all suddenly want to take tho high road like they have a higher level or morals then the rest of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobobonators Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Exactly people on this board have been bashing Ralph's ownership for years.... Then he passes and they all suddenly want to take tho high road like they have a higher level or morals then the rest of us. There is a time to criticize and there is a time to be respectful. Guess what time it is now. Learn the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdog1960 Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Strictly a curiosity, but who actually named it in his honor- I was under the impression the team could sell the naming rights and chose not to.... Was it the county or the bills that named it in his honor? i'm interested in whether there's a precedent. any other major sports owner have his team's stadium named after him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millbank Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 i'm interested in whether there's a precedent. any other major sports owner have his team's stadium named after him? actually the Skydome was renamed the Rogers Center after owner Ted Rogers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 i'm interested in whether there's a precedent. any other major sports owner have his team's stadium named after him? Joe Robbie. He was owner of the Dolphins until his death in 1990. It was Joe Robbie Stadium (now Sun Life) from 1987 to 1996. Built in 1987. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 "The stadium, originally called Rich Stadium, was renamed in 1998 for former Bills owner Ralph Wilson, Sr., at the request of former New York Governor George Pataki." http://law.marquette...df/nfl-2013.pdf Interesting. I guess I've just heard so many times that the bills were neglecting that revenue stream that I assumed the ball was fully in their court. Who actually owns the naming rights in order for sell them? ie who is the decision maker or who profits? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Exactly people on this board have been bashing Ralph's ownership for years.... Then he passes and they all suddenly want to take tho high road like they have a higher level or morals then the rest of us. Bashing Ralph on this board has been a capital offense for as long as this board has been around. And any time someone does in less then an hour you'll have a dozen responses defending the man and the entire thread or post deleted. It was not Ralph's ownership, also, that got consistently bashed. It was the method in which the team was run. That is a big difference. i'm interested in whether there's a precedent. any other major sports owner have his team's stadium named after him? Does it lessen the fact that RWS is just one of a few named after an owner and that the article was incorrect in stating it was at the choice of the owner? It doesn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdog1960 Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 (edited) Joe Robbie. He was owner of the Dolphins until his death in 1990. It was Joe Robbie Stadium (now Sun Life) from 1987 to 1996. Built in 1987. robbie built the stadium with private funds for $115 mil. rogers bought the stadium and naming rights. were either megalomaniacs? don't know. Edited March 28, 2014 by birdog1960 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Interesting. I guess I've just heard so many times that the bills were neglecting that revenue stream that I assumed the ball was fully in their court. Who actually owns the naming rights in order for sell them? ie who is the decision maker or who profits? The 1998 lease gave control of the naming rights to the team. IIRC, Ralph always disliked the idea of selling the naming rights, and actually tried to keep Rich Products from putting their name on the stadium: http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19730517&id=gHskAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zSgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7350,987472 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 (edited) The 1998 lease gave control of the naming rights to the team. IIRC, Ralph always disliked the idea of selling the naming rights, and actually tried to keep Rich Products from putting their name on the stadium: http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19730517&id=gHskAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zSgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7350,987472 I mean this as no insult, but trying to wrangle an accurate take---So george pataki recommended to the bills that Ralph Wilson name his stadium after himself in honor of himself, essentially? Basically the year the bills got the rights it became RWS? I had thought it was the bills (ie ralphs) call but the pataki twist confused me a little.... I had heard the rich battle before both in naming and the later struggle over not actually using the name as they should.... It's a shame the reason we got on the topic, but I do find learning the history/trivia interesting. Edited March 28, 2014 by NoSaint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Formerly Allan in MD Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 The guy's an insensitive fool. If he had written it for the News, which would've been the height of idiocy, he wouldn't be around long, one way or another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 I mean this as no insult, but trying to wrangle an accurate take---So george pataki recommended to the bills that Ralph Wilson name his stadium after himself in honor of himself, essentially? Basically the year the bills got the rights it became RWS? The way I look at is that Pataki recommended the name change (knowing the team didn't want to sell it) and Ralph acquiesced. I suppose accepting Pataki's suggestion is the same thing as naming it after himself, but since the idea originated with the Governor, it makes it a bit more "arm's length." I think Ralph's stance on stadiums not "selling out" their naming rights was always an honorable, old school thing. In a multi-billion dollar industry, chasing every last dollar (ie, Jerry Jones) was not necessarily a bad business practice in his view. We can debate whether Ralph's point of view was appropriate, but you have to give him credit for not changing his principals over the past four decades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Bashing Ralph on this board has been a capital offense for as long as this board has been around. And any time someone does in less then an hour you'll have a dozen responses defending the man and the entire thread or post deleted. It was not Ralph's ownership, also, that got consistently bashed. It was the method in which the team was run. That is a big difference. Not true at all in my opinion. Posts wishing Ralph would die or something similarly tasteless would be removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 The way I look at is that Pataki recommended the name change (knowing the team didn't want to sell it) and Ralph acquiesced. I suppose accepting Pataki's suggestion is the same thing as naming it after himself, but since the idea originated with the Governor, it makes it a bit more "arm's length." I think Ralph's stance on stadiums not "selling out" their naming rights was always an honorable, old school thing. In a multi-billion dollar industry, chasing every last dollar (ie, Jerry Jones) was not necessarily a bad business practice in his view. We can debate whether Ralph's point of view was appropriate, but you have to give him credit for not changing his principals over the past four decades. Like I said, despite the wording sounding a little ridiculous, i meant no insult. It's his team and if he wanted to put his face on the helmet and his name in the end zone - more power to him. I just was under the impression that it was his choice, and it sounds like that was accurate despite some assertions to the contrary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSOL Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Who cares what that idiot has to say! He dosent even know how to spell "favorite" for chrissake! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Not true at all in my opinion. Posts wishing Ralph would die or something similarly tasteless would be removed. I don't get what you disagree with? I was saying capital offense. Meaning time out type of issue. And further, anyone that'd see it would reply and defend Ralph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRT88 Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 I'm sorry but there was NOTHING tasteless in the article. The writer is paid to serve the Toronto market, and lets face it, once Ralph passed the door opened up to the Buffalo Bills leaving town. That day has now arrived, and all Bills fans see the inevitable looming. Enjoy what could very well b the last two years of this franchise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. L. Hot-Flamethrower Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 I'm sorry but there was NOTHING tasteless in the article. The writer is paid to serve the Toronto market, and lets face it, once Ralph passed the door opened up to the Buffalo Bills leaving town. That day has now arrived, and all Bills fans see the inevitable looming. Enjoy what could very well b the last two years of this franchise. I guess it just takes class, good taste, and common sense. Some have it and realize it, others never will!!! Get my drift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just in Atlanta Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 There is a time to criticize and there is a time to be respectful. Guess what time it is now. Learn the difference. He just passed. It's news...now. The time to analyze is now. Not a year from now. The guy is not in the business of being respectful. He's in the business of news and opinion, regardless of whether you agree with that opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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