Donald Trump asked to invest in the Bills

[papazoid]

Pegula would be the absolute best choice.

[PromoTheRobot]

I dont care who the owner is as long as the Bills stay in Buffalo

 

 

CBF

You should care a little. Pegula got off to a rough start with the Sabres but no one will be writing "Terry is cheap" with that guy.

 

Tom Golisano, on the other hand, let players like Drury and Briere walk away because he didn't want to overspend on the Sabres. If the guy is that chincy with NHL salaries what do you expect at the NFL level?

 

Bob Rich is a pretender. He was offered the Montreal Expos for Buffalo at $180M and turned it down.

 

Jeremy Jacobs would have to sell the Bruins in order to buy the Bills. I doubt he would do that. (FYI that rule does not apply to Pegula. The NFL allows dual ownership is not in same city or if your other franchise is not in an NFL market.

 

Jeremy Gundlach is an interesting name. But I don't trust venture capitalists. The urge to make a killing is too strong.

 

Howard Millstien is a wild card. He already owns a big chunk of Niagara Falls. Big enough for a stadium, hotel, etc. And he's worth over a billion. But don't know anything about him.

 

PTR

Edited April 1, 2014 by PromoTheRobot

[C.Biscuit97]

You should care a little. Pegula got off to a rough start with the Sabres but no one will be writing "Terry is cheap" with that guy.

 

Tom Golisano, on the other hand, let players like Drury and Briere walk away because he didn't want to overspend on the Sabres. If the guy is that chincy with NHL salaries what do you expect at the NFL level?

 

Bob Rich is a pretender. He was offered the Montreal Expos for Buffalo at $180M and turned it down.

 

Jeremy Jacobs would have to sell the Bruins in order to buy the Bills. I doubt he would do that. (FYI that rule does not apply to Pegula. The NFL allows dual ownership is not in same city or if your other franchise is not in an NFL market.

Jeremy Gundlach

 

I think Jacobs would. The Bruins are an elite NHL team and even though the Bills are bad, it's still a much bigger deal to own them. Especially being from here.

 

Golisano, IMO, was hamstrung by an awful GM in Darcy Reiger. Plus, he wasn't really a hockey guy. Rumor is he'd love to won the Bills.

 

Bob Rich ain't rich enough.

 

Obviously, there are concerns but I think the Bills are going to stay here long term. too many people would care about them to let them leave.

[Last Guy on the Bench]

I doubt this happens, but if it did, I seriously think I would dump the Bills. I don't think I could enjoy supporting them anymore. Trump is a complete tool.

 

And I'm one of the apparently few people who would definitely still cheer for the team if they moved to Toronto, or even London or Mexico City.

 

Trump is my breaking point. There is a better chance I would root for the Los Angles Bills (shudder) than the Trump-owned Buffalo Bills.

[May Day 10]

Golisano was very open about not running the Sabres as a charity and his first goal was to make them be able to stand on their own financially. He succeeded. As long as the Bills arent losing money, I would think Golisano wouldnt hold a tight budget.

[DOGNESS]

Trump will be interested in looking at it. Translation. "I have no interest but Ill pretend to be interested so I can get more free publicity." Blow your hot air somewhere else windbag.

Edited April 1, 2014 by DOGNESS

[PromoTheRobot]

 

 

I think Jacobs would. The Bruins are an elite NHL team and even though the Bills are bad, it's still a much bigger deal to own them. Especially being from here.

 

Golisano, IMO, was hamstrung by an awful GM in Darcy Reiger. Plus, he wasn't really a hockey guy. Rumor is he'd love to won the Bills.

 

Bob Rich ain't rich enough.

 

Obviously, there are concerns but I think the Bills are going to stay here long term. too many people would care about them to let them leave.

Don't blame Darcy. He was ready to sign Brire and Drury. In fact he had deal done with Drury. Blame hotshot Larry Quinn who thought he could impress his boss by nickel-and-diming Drury. He ruined the Sabres and put them where they are now.

[May Day 10]

Bob Rich ain't rich enough.

 

he has more than Golisano

[C.Biscuit97]

Don't blame Darcy. He was ready to sign Brire and Drury. In fact he had deal done with Drury. Blame hotshot Larry Quinn who thought he could impress his boss by nickel-and-diming Drury. He ruined the Sabres and put them where they are now.

 

I think Darcy was an awful GM but I have no problem blaming Quinn as well. Golisano just helped out to keep the Sabres in Buffalo. He'd be more invested in the Bills IMO.

[Buftex]

ok.kool..now does he have the money to do it??

 

Last time I checked (about 3 years ago) Pegula was worth 3.5 Billion dollars,according to Forbes. That would make him one of the 5 or 6 most valuable owners in the NFL. He made his fortunes in the oil fracking business. Not a big fan of that... incidentally, I read that Ralph Wilsons net worth was somewhere in the same ball-park.

 

The Sabres are chump change for him (though, to his credit, he puts much more into them...not necessarily with the best results). He can afford it, and then some. He has invested a considerable amount of money in downtown Buffalo, with the Sabres and Harbour Center. If he did buy the team, it might be safe to imagine that downtown stadium after all...

[C.Biscuit97]

he has more than Golisano

 

Really? I have no idea. You got a link. I didn't think Rich was that wealthy but I could be wrong.

[PromoTheRobot]

 

 

I think Darcy was an awful GM but I have no problem blaming Quinn as well. Golisano just helped out to keep the Sabres in Buffalo. He'd be more invested in the Bills IMO.

Who built the post-lockout Sabres who would have won the Stanley Cup if they didn't lose every D-man to injury in the Carolina series? Those players didn't fall out of the sky.

[Buftex]

I think Darcy was an awful GM but I have no problem blaming Quinn as well. Golisano just helped out to keep the Sabres in Buffalo. He'd be more invested in the Bills IMO.

 

Actually, I am not so sure of that. I thought that Golisanos interest in the Sabres was kind of born out of their affiliatin with the Rochester Amerks (at the time). He is certainly invested in WNY, but Rochester in particular, from what I understand.

[PromoTheRobot]

 

 

Actually, I am not so sure of that. I thought that Golisanos interest in the Sabres was kind of born out of their affiliatin with the Rochester Amerks (at the time). He is certainly invested in WNY, but Rochester in particular, from what I understand.

And he saw an opportunity to make some money while doing a public service. To me he was more gray than a white knight.

[C.Biscuit97]

Who built the post-lockout Sabres who would have won the Stanley Cup if they didn't lose every D-man to injury in the Carolina series? Those players didn't fall out of the sky.

 

He got extremely lucky by a rule change. But his overall resume says it was a fluke. He missed the playoffs in a league where half the teams make it over 50% of the time. He is a huge part of the worst team in Sabres' history. He re-hired his nerd friend Rolston instead of Patrick Roy, who might be the coach of the year. Darcy was terrible but I'm sure he's a nice guy.

[Buftex]

Really? I have no idea. You got a link. I didn't think Rich was that wealthy but I could be wrong.

 

According to Forbes, Golisano is worth 1.3 Billion, Bob Rich 1.8 Billion...though, I have to tell you, these numbers can vary a great deal from year to year...

[Not at the table Karlos]

LaCanfora had a column the other day that Pegula is a name being circulated among the owners at the meetings.

 

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/jason-la-canfora/24504283/observations-likely-sale-of-bills-could-speed-up-nfls-race-to-la

 

[/size][/font][/color]

this is who I hope buys them. I love what he is doing with the sabres(they needed the purge and tank for a while) and the area.

[May Day 10]

According to Forbes, Golisano is worth 1.3 Billion, Bob Rich 1.8 Billion...though, I have to tell you, these numbers can vary a great deal from year to year...

 

$3 Billion

http://www.forbes.com/profile/robert-rich-jr-1/

 

Golisano

$2.1 Billion

http://www.forbes.com/profile/tom-golisano/

[Buftex]

He got extremely lucky by a rule change. But his overall resume says it was a fluke. He missed the playoffs in a league where half the teams make it over 50% of the time. He is a huge part of the worst team in Sabres' history. He re-hired his nerd friend Rolston instead of Patrick Roy, who might be the coach of the year. Darcy was terrible but I'm sure he's a nice guy.

 

Well, they haven't really been trying to win since last season.... if that wasn't clear when Rolston was coach, it certainly has been since Nolan has been behind the bench...painful since the trade deadline... Sabres motto should be "It's not really losing, when your not trying to win!"

 

$3 Billion

http://www.forbes.co...bert-rich-jr-1/

 

Golisano

$2.1 Billion

http://www.forbes.co...e/tom-golisano/

 

Good catch. I guess the list I was looking at was from 2009.

[PromoTheRobot]

He got extremely lucky by a rule change. But his overall resume says it was a fluke. He missed the playoffs in a league where half the teams make it over 50% of the time. He is a huge part of the worst team in Sabres' history. He re-hired his nerd friend Rolston instead of Patrick Roy, who might be the coach of the year. Darcy was terrible but I'm sure he's a nice guy.

 

I'm don't succumb to the "SabreSpace groupthink" on Darcy. He didn't get lucky. He was great at trade deadline. He built other winners for the Sabres. The current Sabres team is bad by design in case you forgot. (It's the "Tank" everyone at SabreSpace demanded happen and now whines about!) Darcy probably needed to go but I will not discount his achievements.

 

PTR

Edited April 1, 2014 by PromoTheRobot

[RyanC883]

I know Pegula has struggled as an owner, but he is committed to the area and wants to win more than anything. If he can hire the right people, he would be a great choice.

 

well, from what it appears the Bills have a good CEO and GM so far. So hopefully the Bills are on the way up, as opposed to the Sabers, who were a mess when he bought them.

 

he also built an awesome hockey stadium at PSU.

 

You should care a little. Pegula got off to a rough start with the Sabres but no one will be writing "Terry is cheap" with that guy.

 

Tom Golisano, on the other hand, let players like Drury and Briere walk away because he didn't want to overspend on the Sabres. If the guy is that chincy with NHL salaries what do you expect at the NFL level?

 

Bob Rich is a pretender. He was offered the Montreal Expos for Buffalo at $180M and turned it down.

 

Jeremy Jacobs would have to sell the Bruins in order to buy the Bills. I doubt he would do that. (FYI that rule does not apply to Pegula. The NFL allows dual ownership is not in same city or if your other franchise is not in an NFL market.

 

Jeremy Gundlach is an interesting name. But I don't trust venture capiralists. The urge to make a killing is too strong.

 

Howard Millstien is a wild card. He already owns a big chunk of Niagara Falls. Big enough for a stadium, hotel, etc. And he's worth over a billion. But don't know anything about him.

 

PTR

 

I wouldn't call Rich a pretender because he didn't want a MLB team in Buffalo. That would be a disaster. The team would not be able to spend in the un-capped MLB to field a competitive team.

[McD]

I don't trust any threads started today.

 

Sincerely,

 

Syd Finch

 

That was a GREAT S.I!!!

[May Day 10]

well, from what it appears the Bills have a good CEO and GM so far. So hopefully the Bills are on the way up, as opposed to the Sabers, who were a mess when he bought them.

 

 

really? Coming off a Division title and making the playoffs the season he bought them, compared to missing the playoffs for 14 years and finishing in last in a 4 team division 6-straight seasons?

Edited April 1, 2014 by May Day 10

[RyanC883]

I doubt this happens, but if it did, I seriously think I would dump the Bills. I don't think I could enjoy supporting them anymore. Trump is a complete tool.

 

And I'm one of the apparently few people who would definitely still cheer for the team if they moved to Toronto, or even London or Mexico City.

 

Trump is my breaking point. There is a better chance I would root for the Los Angles Bills (shudder) than the Trump-owned Buffalo Bills.

 

because you don't like the owner, you will dislike the team and rather see it moved to another city? no offense, but that's the most ridiculous thing I've seen posted in a long time.

[EasternOHBillsFan]

I believe that Trump would NEVER be approved as an NFL owner because he was the major impetus behind the USFL antitrust suit against the NFL back in the 80's. It cost the league big money to defend that suit and the owners have long memories.

 

IMO, you can forget the bad hair guy as a potential owner of the Bills.

 

Actually, there are only 2 owners who owned their team during that period- Bill Bidwell, and the McCaskey family, so that's not an issue I think.

Edited April 1, 2014 by BmoreBills

[RyanC883]

really? Coming off a Division title and making the playoffs the season he bought them, compared to missing the playoffs for 14 years and finishing in last in a 4 team division 6-straight seasons?

 

Not how they were, but how they were trending. The Sabers were trending downward, the Bills appear to be trending upward. And making the playoffs in hockey is easily done. 1/2 the teams make it.

[Delete This Account]

move along. it's difficult to take Trump's interest in anything seriously.

 

jw

[26CornerBlitz]

Actually, there are only 2 owners who owned their team during that period- Bill Bidwell, and the McCaskey family, so that's not an issue I think.

 

Regardless of who the owners were at that time, the guy tried to upset the business model with an attempt to force his way into the club. DOA

[May Day 10]

Not how they were, but how they were trending. The Sabers were trending downward, the Bills appear to be trending upward. And making the playoffs in hockey is easily done. 1/2 the teams make it.

 

I disagree. Finishing 4th in a 4 team Division for the past 6 seasons that includes the Dolphins and Jets is completely on fire and not trending anywhere IMO. Especially in a capped and revenue sharing league.

The Sabres had a lot of talent and they won their Division less than 10 months before Pegula closed the purchase. The decision to keep Regier and especially Ruff doomed them to where they ended up. They would have changed Ruff and brought in a fresh voice, they could have gotten some mileage out of that team. Look at all the 1st &2nd rounders they landed for those guys. Pegula was also impatient by throwing so much money at Leino his 1st year.

 

I would hope that a new owner will blast out the FO when it comes to the horrifically failed football product.

Edited April 1, 2014 by May Day 10

[EasternOHBillsFan]

Regardless of who the owners were at that time, the guy tried to upset the business model with an attempt to force his way into the club. DOA

 

Michael Vick was the most hated man in the NFL, went to prison for murdering dogs, and has been back for years... if there is a strong owner to be found, no USFL case from 30 years ago will stop it... in the business world, many things are forgotten for profit and stability.

[Last Guy on the Bench]

because you don't like the owner, you will dislike the team and rather see it moved to another city? no offense, but that's the most ridiculous thing I've seen posted in a long time.

 

None taken. But that's not what I said. I said personally I couldn't cheer for a Trump-owned team, whereas I could cheer for a re-located Bills team under certain conditions.

 

If you asked me, however, if I were given the choice in some magical universe, would I rather have Trump buy the Bills and keep them in Buffalo or have someone else buy them and move, I would pick Trump, because of what the team means to Western New York, where I grew up.

 

But I would be making that choice based on community interest, not from my own personal rooting interest. I root for the Bills for fun, and like many people on this board, I spend a LOT of time doing it. I wouldn't have fun if Trump were the owner, so I think I would turn my attention elsewhere.

 

Of course, it is also possible that I am wrong, and that my 30-year love affair with the team would prevail, even over Trump. Maybe I just can't quit them, who can say? When I started muttering over the laptop about abandoning the team if Trump ever bought it, my wife said she hoped he did buy it in that case. (She took it back after one glare.)

Edited April 1, 2014 by Last Guy on the Bench

[BIllsNation]

you're fired

[RyanC883]

I disagree. Finishing 4th in a 4 team Division for the past 6 seasons that includes the Dolphins and Jets is completely on fire and not trending anywhere IMO. Especially in a capped and revenue sharing league.

The Sabres had a lot of talent and they won their Division less than 10 months before Pegula closed the purchase. The decision to keep Regier and especially Ruff doomed them to where they ended up. They would have changed Ruff and brought in a fresh voice, they could have gotten some mileage out of that team. Look at all the 1st &2nd rounders they landed for those guys. Pegula was also impatient by throwing so much money at Leino his 1st year.

 

I would hope that a new owner will blast out the FO when it comes to the horrifically failed football product.

 

Whaley is responsible for the past 14 years? I would hope that the new owner keeps Whaley and Brandon.

[BigPappy]

I'd rather have Bon Jovi. Trump is a freaking !@#$. I don't think he would have any qualms about moving the team at his first opportunity. Like others have said, I also have doubts as to whether the other NFL owners would approve him.

 

My first option (of the known people who might be candidates) is Pegula.

 

I agree with you. The issue i have with Bon Jovi is his close relationship with the Rogers family. I could see him and his group of owners moving up to Toronto and I for one definitely don't want to see that happen. I would rather see the Bills go anywhere other then Toronto if it came down to the Team leaving.

 

BigPappy

[RyanC883]

None taken. But that's not what I said. I said personally I couldn't cheer for a Trump-owned team, whereas I could cheer for a re-located Bills team under certain conditions.

 

If you asked me, however, if I were given the choice in some magical universe, would I rather have Trump buy the Bills and keep them in Buffalo or have someone else buy them and move, I would pick Trump, because of what the team means to Western New York, where I grew up.

 

But I would be making that choice based on community interest, not from my own personal rooting interest. I root for the Bills for fun, and like many people on this board, I spend a LOT of time doing it. I wouldn't have fun if Trump were the owner, so I think I would turn my attention elsewhere.

 

Of course, it is also possible that I am wrong, and that my 30-year love affair with the team would prevail, even over Trump. Maybe I just can't quit them, who can say? When I started muttering over the laptop about abandoning the team if Trump ever bought it, my wife said she hoped he did buy it in that case. (She took it back after one glare.)

 

haha. the part about your wife is funny. I think you would still cheer for the Bills if Trump bought them. He wouldn't be my first, second, third, etc. choice either. But if he would keep the team in Buffalo I could put up with his diva attitude. I'd rather have a guy like Pegula, Rich, etc. buy the team. I don't live in Buffalo, but its hard for me to envision cheering for a relocated team.

[26CornerBlitz]

Michael Vick was the most hated man in the NFL, went to prison for murdering dogs, and has been back for years... if there is a strong owner to be found, no USFL case from 30 years ago will stop it... in the business world, many things are forgotten for profit and stability.

 

There are better and more stable options such as Pegula and Golisano without the history of rocking the NFL boat.

[Last Guy on the Bench]

haha. the part about your wife is funny. I think you would still cheer for the Bills if Trump bought them. He wouldn't be my first, second, third, etc. choice either. But if he would keep the team in Buffalo I could put up with his diva attitude. I'd rather have a guy like Pegula, Rich, etc. buy the team. I don't live in Buffalo, but its hard for me to envision cheering for a relocated team.

 

You are probably right. I love this stupid team so much for some reason. Maybe even Trump couldn't change that.

 

However, IF they had to move, I would actually like to see them in Toronto and I'm sure I would still root for them there. I love Canada. And the general Lake Ontario region still feels like home to me, so the team would keep some of the geographic connection in my mind. (Keep your pitchforks in the shed. I'm NOT saying I want them to move to Toronto. Just that if they had to move, that would be my first choice.)

[thewildrabbit]

Donald Trump...

[Storm Front]

I wouldn't mind the Donald as long as he keeps the team in Buffalo. I doubt he would put up with the losing atmosphere that has engendered this team for the last decade and a half.

[BillsFan-4-Ever]

NOOOoooooooooo Not the Donald!!!!!

 

walk away for an hour or two and BAM this shows up 4 pages deep