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Bills want "success" before building new stadium


Rubes

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Linky: Bills want to 'have some success' before asking for help to build new stadium

 

 

From the article:

According to a high-ranking NFL source, the league now believes that Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula are doing the right thing by taking their time before committing to a move from New Era Field. Although the Bills and the NFL would contribute to the cost of building a new stadium, public money would also be involved.

"They want the team to have some success before asking for things," the source told The Buffalo News Monday during the NFL's annual meeting at the Arizona Biltmore.

 

...and:

 

“It gets tougher and tougher to compete when all these new stadiums are going up and (the Bills are) going to be at a disadvantage, I think, somewhat competitively unless they get one,” New York Giants owner John Mara told The News at last year's NFL meeting in Boca Raton, Fla. “We’d all like to see them get a new building.”

 

So, could this be the sudden boost we need? Are we going to start seeing more and more calls go our way? Will there be a conspiracy to get the Bills to the playoffs so the NFL can see us get a new stadium?

Edited by Rubes
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Linky: Bills want to 'have some success' before asking for help to build new stadium

 

 

From the article:

 

...and:

 

 

So, could this be the sudden boost we need? Are we going to start seeing more and more calls go our way? Will there be a conspiracy to get the Bills to the playoffs so the NFL can see us get a new stadium?

 

In other words, the stadium isn't going to be built anytime soon.

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Mara can F off. And so can the Bills if they come begging for public money for a stadium. I'll cough up my seasons and walk away. Enough already. This region is dying, despite what your local politicians tell you. We've waste $750M on a solar panel factory that promised more jobs when the money hung in the balance than it will actually deliver. We're one of the few regions losing tech jobs, the key to the economy. We have tooooooo many local governments duplicating services. Poverty is up, wages are stagnant for the vast majority, and yet we want to cough up millions to an owner and a league that prints money? Sorry Terry, sell the yacht and ADK retreat, and the extra houses. It's not my role to undertake debt to secure your profit.

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What part of WNY and the fans cant afford a new stadium is still being missed? How many Bills fans can afford a PSL and odds are a 25% increase in tickets and parking?

 

What companies are going to pay more for suites?

Not me!

Mara can F off. And so can the Bills if they come begging for public money for a stadium. I'll cough up my seasons and walk away. Enough already. This region is dying, despite what your local politicians tell you. We've waste $750M on a solar panel factory that promised more jobs when the money hung in the balance than it will actually deliver. We're one of the few regions losing tech jobs, the key to the economy. We have tooooooo many local governments duplicating services. Poverty is up, wages are stagnant for the vast majority, and yet we want to cough up millions to an owner and a league that prints money? Sorry Terry, sell the yacht and ADK retreat, and the extra houses. It's not my role to undertake debt to secure your profit.

:worthy::thumbsup:

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What part of WNY and the fans cant afford a new stadium is still being missed? How many Bills fans can afford a PSL and odds are a 25% increase in tickets and parking?

 

What companies are going to pay more for suites?

Lots? A 60-65K stadium where the best amenities mirror the best locations is a no brainer. That is what the Bills lack now. There are a bunch of threads here where people have laid it out pretty clearly. It's not that complicated.

Mara can F off. And so can the Bills if they come begging for public money for a stadium. I'll cough up my seasons and walk away. Enough already. This region is dying, despite what your local politicians tell you. We've waste $750M on a solar panel factory that promised more jobs when the money hung in the balance than it will actually deliver. We're one of the few regions losing tech jobs, the key to the economy. We have tooooooo many local governments duplicating services. Poverty is up, wages are stagnant for the vast majority, and yet we want to cough up millions to an owner and a league that prints money? Sorry Terry, sell the yacht and ADK retreat, and the extra houses. It's not my role to undertake debt to secure your profit.

It's just not going to happen that way. The precedent has cleary been set. It will be in the form of a public-private partnership.
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What part of WNY and the fans cant afford a new stadium is still being missed? How many Bills fans can afford a PSL and odds are a 25% increase in tickets and parking?

 

What companies are going to pay more for suites?

 

There's absolutely no doubt whatsoever that this area and its fans can afford both new stadium financing and PSLs.

 

We can also afford to pay more for tickets and parking.

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There's absolutely no doubt whatsoever that this area and its fans can afford both new stadium financing and PSLs.

 

We can also afford to pay more for tickets and parking.

 

 

What are you basing this on?

 

 

And specifically what disadvantage are the Bills placed in without a new stadium? Every team makes (is guaranteed, really) more money than they can spend, so where's the current disadvantage with respect to the ability to put a winning team on the field?

 

Don't the Pegulas already have most owners beat in the moneybath war?

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Quote

It gets tougher and tougher to compete when all these new stadiums are going up and (the Bills are) going to be at a disadvantage, I think, somewhat competitively unless they get one,” New York Giants owner John Mara told The News at last year's NFL meeting in Boca Raton, Fla. “We’d all like to see them get a new building.”

Does anybody even know what this means? Tougher to compete? What are they talking about? Compete for what with who? What disadvantage?

Edited by PolishDave
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What are you basing this on?

 

 

My pocketbook, and those of the fans that I sit with, converse with, work with, etc.

 

Look no further than the 2005-2007 Eastern Conference finals runs that the Sabres put together. 20,000 fans had absolutely no hesitation about coughing up $200 per seat for multiple playoff games. Secondary market saw prices twice that high.

 

To think that there aren't 65k people in Buffalo/Rochester/Southern Ontario that can afford the increased rates would be lunacy.

 

 

 

And specifically what disadvantage are the Bills placed in without a new stadium? Every team makes (is guaranteed, really) more money than they can spend, so where's the current disadvantage with respect to the ability to put a winning team on the field?

 

Don't the Pegulas already have most owners beat in the moneybath war?

 

I think that the author is referring to being able to attract FAs etc. by showing off their nice new facilities...also, you can attract a more affluent fan with nicer diggs--you know this.

 

I also hope that you aren't asking me to justify the opinion of the author.

 

Speak for thyself.

 

I am.

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ya'll sound like a bunch of poors

 

I will gladly pay for my PSL and can pay for increased parking (or ride the train down to the downtown stadium)

 

I'm a libertarian so I don't want the gov't to dictate that I must give them ANY money, but thats not reality of todays world, so if they are going to take my money I would rather they spend it on part of a new Bills stadium than on A) paying for Grand Islands Bridge repairs B) putting and keeping drug addicts behind bars C) any downstate action, just to name a few

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As much as some people love to rip on taxpayers footing part of the bill for a new stadium, let's not forget that Ralph gave close to a billion dollars to various non-profits in Buffalo, something I seriously doubt he would've done if we had ridden him out of town on a splintery rail instead of paying for part of the stadium costs.

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What part of WNY and the fans cant afford a new stadium is still being missed? How many Bills fans can afford a PSL and odds are a 25% increase in tickets and parking?

 

What companies are going to pay more for suites?

sigh...

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My pocketbook, and those of the fans that I sit with, converse with, work with, etc.

 

Look no further than the 2005-2007 Eastern Conference finals runs that the Sabres put together. 20,000 fans had absolutely no hesitation about coughing up $200 per seat for multiple playoff games. Secondary market saw prices twice that high.

 

To think that there aren't 65k people in Buffalo/Rochester/Southern Ontario that can afford the increased rates would be lunacy.

 

 

 

I think that the author is referring to being able to attract FAs etc. by showing off their nice new facilities...also, you can attract a more affluent fan with nicer diggs--you know this.

 

I also hope that you aren't asking me to justify the opinion of the author.

 

 

I am.

 

I'm sure fans could pay more, but that has nothing to do with publically financing a stadium.

 

The people buying PSLs aren't the only ones paying more for the stadium. People who have interest in football would also be paying.

 

FA's don't come for the nice skyboxes/restaurants and concourses in the stadium they play in 10 days a year. Even you know this, so why mention it?

 

Also, if the Bills were more "successful", that would make difference on whether that broke county could afford to subsidize the fantasy action of Pegula and his wife.

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I'm sure fans could pay more, but that has nothing to do with publically financing a stadium.

 

The people buying PSLs aren't the only ones paying more for the stadium. People who have interest in football would also be paying.

 

FA's don't come for the nice skyboxes/restaurants and concourses in the stadium they play in 10 days a year. Even you know this, so why mention it?

 

Also, if the Bills were more "successful", that would make difference on whether that broke county could afford to subsidize the fantasy action of Pegula and his wife.

 

First, as I said, don't try to make me answer for the opinions of the author.

 

While I may not know everything, I can assure you that I am the world's foremost authority on my opinion...and my opinion is that asking each tax-paying resident of Erie County to pay between $200 and $300--total--as part of stadium financing wouldn't exactly be the lead balloon that you're claiming.

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Mara can F off. And so can the Bills if they come begging for public money for a stadium. I'll cough up my seasons and walk away. Enough already. This region is dying, despite what your local politicians tell you. We've waste $750M on a solar panel factory that promised more jobs when the money hung in the balance than it will actually deliver. We're one of the few regions losing tech jobs, the key to the economy. We have tooooooo many local governments duplicating services. Poverty is up, wages are stagnant for the vast majority, and yet we want to cough up millions to an owner and a league that prints money? Sorry Terry, sell the yacht and ADK retreat, and the extra houses. It's not my role to undertake debt to secure your profit.

Boom! Well said my friend. I'm not from the area, but I can understand the frustration of billionaire owners trying to get people to halfway foot the bill for something, that even paying for with your taxes, you will have to buy tickets to get in on top of it.

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Mara can F off. And so can the Bills if they come begging for public money for a stadium. I'll cough up my seasons and walk away. Enough already. This region is dying, despite what your local politicians tell you. We've waste $750M on a solar panel factory that promised more jobs when the money hung in the balance than it will actually deliver. We're one of the few regions losing tech jobs, the key to the economy. We have tooooooo many local governments duplicating services. Poverty is up, wages are stagnant for the vast majority, and yet we want to cough up millions to an owner and a league that prints money? Sorry Terry, sell the yacht and ADK retreat, and the extra houses. It's not my role to undertake debt to secure your profit.

Love this post

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How much would it actually raise taxes? A few $ per person? Or are we talking $100's? My guess would be it's closer to a few dollars per person. Maybe $20 a year at most. I doubt Pegula will be overly greedy about it IMO.

 

If that's the case, we can afford that.

 

Reality is that eventually Buffalo will have to build a new stadium if we want the Bills here long term. NFL owners have zero problem moving a team.

 

Look at the Oakland vote today. 31 for (including Pegula, again). 1 against (Miami). 2 teams moved recently because of stadiums - San Diego, Oakland. Had nothing to do with fan support. The fans always showed up. Even St. Louis was partially moved because of the stadium. There was obviously more to it in St. Louis though.

 

But chances are we either help the team build a new stadium or eventually lose our beloved Bills. As much as it may be BS that we have to help these rich NFL a holes, it's probably the reality of the situation. If we want the luxury of having an NFL team, we will likely have to help build a new stadium.

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I'm sure fans could pay more, but that has nothing to do with publically financing a stadium.

 

The people buying PSLs aren't the only ones paying more for the stadium. People who have interest in football would also be paying.

 

FA's don't come for the nice skyboxes/restaurants and concourses in the stadium they play in 10 days a year. Even you know this, so why mention it?

 

Also, if the Bills were more "successful", that would make difference on whether that broke county could afford to subsidize the fantasy action of Pegula and his wife.

Without getting too much into the economics of it the cap is based on total revenues. Obviously, the TV deal has more than adequately addressed all of this at the present time. HOWEVER, the ratings declined for the 1st time in forever and in the next negotiations I'm not sure that we continue to see the big spike. This will coincide with teams finding more and more ways to make non-shared revenue further driving the cap. The Bills operate on a tighter budget now than other teams; that would further the gap.

 

The league obviously wants a new stadium so that the Bills can contribute more to the shared revenue portion. The Giants (as an example) contribute a hell of a lot more than the Bills. The Bills have an opportunity to be more profitable by raising more non-shares revenue. There are a million ways to do this that have been covered in one of the thousand other stadium threads. They would increase profitability, franchise value and shared revenue with a new place. It makes sense for everyone when the timing is right.

 

Lastly, the new stadiums in Vegas and LA aren't going to make less non-shared revenue than those dumps in SD, Oakland and St. Louis. They will go from some of the smaller non-shared numbers to some of the larger. This will drive he cap at an expedited rate. It all goes back to Ralph's original concern with the CBA when everyone thought that he was a crazy old man that didn't understand it. He was actually out in front of the potential pitfalls.

Edited by Kirby Jackson
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i honestly wouldn't have any problem if some of my tax money went towards a new stadium. as other have mentioned, this state has wasted more of my money that i'd like to admit, and i'd love to see it actually go towards something i'd enjoy.

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I would pay more in taxes for a new stadium for the Bills and I don't even live there. Can they do proxy taxes.

Lets see....

Is the turf the teams play on a POS?

 

Are the stairs and railings crumbling?

Are the seats horrible and give you splinters?

Is the Jumbotron so small you can't see replays?

 

If the answer is most likely - No

 

Whats the problem then?

no but the answer was YES for SD and Oakland. That's why the Pegs have more time. Still, I think the practice facilities and offices will all remain in OP while the stadium itself will be somewhere near Harbor Center/Canalside/Riverworks
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We are in like year two after a $160M restoration. It's that enough to get everyone off our backs about a stadium. I would introduce a $300M restoration in 8 years to buy another 10 years. Don't need a new stadium with amenities no one in WNY can afford anyway. No one is telling KC or Green Bay to build a new stadium. Refurbs are the way to go and that way we play outside indefinitely.

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I'm not sure it makes sense to help pay a bunch of money to a team, so that they can then charge us more money for tickets and stuff?

 

I know other cities do it. But I don't think it is the Buffalo Way.

 

I think we should do it the Buffalo Way. We could set aside a comparatively small amount, say 200 million.

 

And then we could use that money and some elbow grease, to roll up our sleeves, and trash the other 31 stadiums. Just really mess them up, make them smell bad and everything.

 

That way we would then have the best stadium in the NFL while saving hundreds of millions of dollars.

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There's absolutely no doubt whatsoever that this area and its fans can afford both new stadium financing and PSLs.

 

We can also afford to pay more for tickets and parking.

Why wait, be first all in. I got some $50 parking spots. How many do you want?
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What part of WNY and the fans cant afford a new stadium is still being missed? How many Bills fans can afford a PSL and odds are a 25% increase in tickets and parking?

What companies are going to pay more for suites?

This has been discussed ad nauseum on this board. The market exists already. It largely avoids the current stadium due to weather, rowdiness etc. The owners have no pricing power in the current stadium. A new retractable roof stadium with less capacity, say 60000 seats, will provide that. The bottom line; the target customer will be a more affluent fan looking for amenities and willing to pay for them. The market exists, make no mistake. Look at the resale prices on stubhub. That money doesn't go to the Bills. The prices are artificially low right now because of the old stadium. The Bills are looking to get into the new NFL, and it will happen sooner than later. The folks willing to pay the higher prices stay away from the stadium because of the lack of amenities, weather and the type of crowds that attend those games.

Gut the current facility. Make it state of the art, keeping it in the same place.

Play at UB for 2 years.

Draft a QB that works in 2-3 years.

 

Success!

The cost of making it " state of the art" would be enormous. You would still be left with an uncovered facility with limited use. Pass on that. A covered facility downtown is what will happen.

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