Thunderstealer Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 (edited) The Bills in WNY is a money maker. It's not like we're a tore up car wash or something-- Relocation is an awful big endeavor when there's a fortune to make right here with a proven base in place. Edited May 29, 2014 by Thunderstealer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy10 Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 I'm for it, if it means the Ralph will finally be rendered in 3D on Google Maps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoloinOhio Posted May 29, 2014 Author Share Posted May 29, 2014 The Bills in WNY is a money maker. It's not like we're a tore up car wash or something-- Relocation is an awful big endeavor when there's a fortune to make right here with a proven base in place. Especially if it is regionalized, which I know is not a word people love to hear but it doesn't need to mean only Southern Ontario. NF, Rochester, Syracuse, etc. is a big area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 The Bills in WNY is a money maker. It's not like we're a tore up car wash or something-- Relocation is an awful big endeavor when there's a fortune to make right here with a proven base in place. That's the thing about Page, he doesn't care if it's a big or small endeavor. He also is not looking for the path of least resistance. If he, and based on past history only he, thinks it is in the teams best interest to stay in WNY he will keep them there. If at any point he decides it is no longer in the teams best interest, he will move the team. He has no problem making big decisions and following through with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oman128 Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Forgive me but if he buys the team keeps them in the Bills stadium until the lease option outclause year, then pays the 28 million penalty. Fans would hate it but it's perfectly legal according to the lease. There is an out clause for precisely this reason. He could also simply keep the Bills in Buffalo until the end of the lease, refuse to sign a new lease then moves the team to Toronto or L.A. Sadly not much fans can do except complain, band together and file a lawsuit, ownership is 9/10th of the Law. Refusing to sell to him if he was the highest bidder would create a real legal mess, especially if NFL owners approve of him. You know the committee is going to hold this guy over a barrel to get him to sign the lease in Erie or Niagara County. A guy with 30 Billion doesn't care about 28 million in buyouts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 A guy who grew up in Michigan and lives in California is a 'dream owner' for the Bills?? What am I missing? The fact that the previous owner of the Bills grew up in Michigan and never lived in Buffalo or anywhere in NY? Anyway, this may be the perfect owner--a guy with an insane amount of money. There would never be any financial decision to be made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oman128 Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Sure....but could he win the court case that he needs to win in order to have the right to do so? Extremely unlikely. He's got 30 Billion in the bank, Erie County gets 400 million in walk away money,sure they are going to take it, after putting up a modest fight to say they tried. 400 million for infrastructure, schools, bridges, roads, expand the Metro, cut taxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purple haze Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 (edited) That's the thing about Page, he doesn't care if it's a big or small endeavor. He also is not looking for the path of least resistance. If he, and based on past history only he, thinks it is in the teams best interest to stay in WNY he will keep them there. If at any point he decides it is no longer in the teams best interest, he will move the team. He has no problem making big decisions and following through with them. Even in this negative hypothetical, Page would still need 24 of 32 owners to approve any move. Which is no guarantee. He can't just pick up and do anything on his own. But I don't get why some on the board feel him not being from WNY would be an indicator that he would possibly want to move the team. Mr. Wilson wasn't from WNY and he refused to move. Edited May 29, 2014 by purple haze Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyMannn Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 You can put Google Glass on all the players and watch the game in first person. That would be awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Even in this negative hypothetical, Page would still need 24 of 32 owners to approve any move. Which is no guarantee. He can't just pick up and do anything on his own. Of course this is true. I'm not an NFL historian so I will ask, has there ever been a time that an owner wanted to move a team and the NFL said no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Caveman Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 don't be evil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebandit27 Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Forgive me but if he buys the team keeps them in the Bills stadium until the lease option outclause year, then pays the 28 million penalty. Fans would hate it but it's perfectly legal according to the lease. There is an out clause for precisely this reason. He could also simply keep the Bills in Buffalo until the end of the lease, refuse to sign a new lease then moves the team to Toronto or L.A. Sadly not much fans can do except complain, band together and file a lawsuit, ownership is 9/10th of the Law. Refusing to sell to him if he was the highest bidder would create a real legal mess, especially if NFL owners approve of him. You know the committee is going to hold this guy over a barrel to get him to sign the lease in Erie or Niagara County. A guy with 30 Billion doesn't care about 28 million in buyouts. The trust isn't going to sell to him without an established stadium plan and/or a clause preventing the movement of the team. He's got 30 Billion in the bank, Erie County gets 400 million in walk away money,sure they are going to take it, after putting up a modest fight to say they tried. 400 million for infrastructure, schools, bridges, roads, expand the Metro, cut taxes. You're missing the point--there's no buyout in the lease prior to year 7. He can't simply move the team; he first needs to win a court case that would somehow show that breaking the lease to move the team would not cause "irreparable harm" to the County--a task made all the more difficult considering that the language of the lease specifically states that both parties (Team and County) agree that breaking of the lease constitutes "irreparable harm". As for the County's modest fight, they'll fight it tooth and nail. They want the team here, and they have almost a guarantee to be granted an injunction preventing the team from moving if they simply file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillnutinHouston Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Of course this is true. I'm not an NFL historian so I will ask, has there ever been a time that an owner wanted to move a team and the NFL said no? Unlikely we'd ever hear about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebandit27 Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Of course this is true. I'm not an NFL historian so I will ask, has there ever been a time that an owner wanted to move a team and the NFL said no? The only time I can think of is when Tom Benson wanted to move the Saints post-Katrina. Both L.A. and San Antonio were mentioned as possibilities; I believe that the NFL put significant pressure on him not to move. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2201514 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 (edited) The trust isn't going to sell to him without an established stadium plan and/or a clause preventing the movement of the team. You're missing the point--there's no buyout in the lease prior to year 7. He can't simply move the team; he first needs to win a court case that would somehow show that breaking the lease to move the team would not cause "irreparable harm" to the County--a task made all the more difficult considering that the language of the lease specifically states that both parties (Team and County) agree that breaking of the lease constitutes "irreparable harm". As for the County's modest fight, they'll fight it tooth and nail. They want the team here, and they have almost a guarantee to be granted an injunction preventing the team from moving if they simply file. You and I have had discussions in the past about the lease and who brings who to court etc, so no need to rehash any of that here. But as to the bolded I think you are spot on. These guys are career politicians and the last thing they want to be known for going into their next bid for reelection is the guy that rolled over and played dead and let the Bills move without a fight. Even if they know it is a sure loss, they will put up the biggest fight they can if only for appearances sake. Edited May 29, 2014 by CodeMonkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Of course this is true. I'm not an NFL historian so I will ask, has there ever been a time that an owner wanted to move a team and the NFL said no? Unlikely we'd ever hear about it. You mean other than AL Davis in 1980? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 You and I have had discussions in the past about the lease and who brings who to court etc, so no need to rehash any of that here. But as to the bolded I think you are spot on. These guys are career politicians and the last thing they want to be known for going into their next bid for reelection is the guy that rolled over and played dead and let the Bills move without a fight. Even if they know it is a sure loss, they will put up the biggest fight they can if only for appearances sake. If it's only for appearances sake, it's not really a fight, which is pretty much what you should expect from local politicians if it comes to that. They'll be rewarded for their complicity with some nice campaign contributions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucci Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 The Bills in WNY is a money maker. It's not like we're a tore up car wash or something-- Relocation is an awful big endeavor when there's a fortune to make right here with a proven base in place. The NFL is a money maker anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwksilver Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 (edited) The 28 million is less than what he makes in interest in a week! 30 billion @ 7% interest = 2.1 billion per year divided by 52 weeks = $40 million per week. Not too shabby.( I'm pretty sure he looks for more than a 7% return in new projects) 30 billion is a whole lootttaaa cake. Edited May 29, 2014 by qwksilver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFan Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 I was listening to WGR this morning on my way to work, and they were asking the question "who would be your dream owner of the Buffalo Bills" to generate some conversation and some phone calls. This is nothing more than Sal's response to that, and an attempt to generate some conversation and therefore listeners for WGR. There is no news in this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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