Question about Russ and his dual team president role...

[LabattBlue]

Does the President of a major league franchise do so little, that he can hold that role for two teams? 20-25 hours per week for each team?

[NoSaint]

Others have held it. It depends on the guy and the structure. A lot of the tasks overlap a lot. He can have a shared ticket office with slightly more robust management structures in it and it doesn't add any real work to his plate, for instance.

 

He's not sitting down to run two unrelated companies

[jr1]

just replace him with a robot

[LabattBlue]

Others have held it. It depends on the guy and the structure. A lot of the tasks overlap a lot. He can have a shared ticket office with slightly more robust management structures in it and it doesn't add any real work to his plate, for instance.

 

He's not sitting down to run two unrelated companies

Other than reporting to the same owner, don't they have two completely separate staffs from administration to finance to operations?

[NoSaint]

Other than reporting to the same owner, don't they have two completely separate staffs from administration to finance to operations?

I'm not sure how it's structured with the bills. Like I said, some organizations overlap a lot of duties.

 

Also, it depends how broad level his role is vs daily details. If you have robust management with each and he's running steering type decisions - it's not crazy.

[CDogg20]

How this guy still has a job ill never know

[KDIGGZ]

How this guy still has a job ill never know

He's a professional brown noser

[MAJBobby]

How this guy still has a job ill never know

Easy he makes his boss tons of $$$$$$$

[Kelly the Dog]

I think our nation's President could probably run Canada, too, at the same time.

[The Frankish Reich]

Easy he makes his boss tons of $$$$$$$

Yeah. People wrongly equate winning with success at running a major sports franchise. Sabres attendance this year? Right in the middle of the pack. And the Bills are very profitable; it would actually be hard not to make a lot of money with an NFL franchise, but it's not as if the bodies have stopped coming. Again, the Bills - a very small market team (unless you throw in Toronto, which you really shouldn't unless you have like a .20 factor or something) - fell right in the middle of the pack. So on the "do his teams win?" account, he's a miserable failure. On the "does he make his bosses money?" account, he's a double winner.

[wiskibreth]

Russ is the President of Pegula Sports Entertainment. Its a holding company which owns the Bills, Sabers, Bandits and Americans. Each team has it's own independent operating hierarchy and Russ oversees them all. It's a big job and he's pretty far removed to day to day operating decisions of just the Bills. He's not making football decisions of any kind at this point -he doesn't have time to.

[CDogg20]

He's a professional brown noser

Thats the only thing that makes sense to me

[PromoTheRobot]

Russ is the President of Pegula Sports Entertainment. Its a holding company which owns the Bills, Sabers, Bandits and Americans. Each team has it's own independent operating hierarchy and Russ oversees them all. It's a big job and he's pretty far removed to day to day operating decisions of just the Bills. He's not making football decisions of any kind at this point -he doesn't have time to.

I'm sorry but this does not fit our beliefs. Prepare to be labeled a heretic.

[MAJBobby]

Russ is the President of Pegula Sports Entertainment. Its a holding company which owns the Bills, Sabers, Bandits and Americans. Each team has it's own independent operating hierarchy and Russ oversees them all. It's a big job and he's pretty far removed to day to day operating decisions of just the Bills. He's not making football decisions of any kind at this point -he doesn't have time to.

Managing Partner says otherwise

 

He has input in Football Operations anytime Pegulas talk to him.

[NoSaint]

Managing Partner says otherwise

 

He has input in Football Operations anytime Pegulas talk to him.

In the sense that literally anyone that talks to a decision maker he does. And likely some more weight than the homeless guy that talked Cleveland into johnny football.... but no explicit decision making or football ranking

[wiskibreth]

Managing Partner says otherwise

 

He has input in Football Operations anytime Pegulas talk to him.

I get it. Some will never be happy until he's completely out of the picture; rational thought or not.

 

Think about it... Everyone Terry and Kim talk to have "influence"; children, friends, business associates, etc. Should they be totally sequestered?

[NewEra]

Fire Russ Brandon and this makes sense. He's the longest tenured loser in the league

[fridge]

Russ is the President of Pegula Sports Entertainment. Its a holding company which owns the Bills, Sabers, Bandits and Americans. Each team has it's own independent operating hierarchy and Russ oversees them all. It's a big job and he's pretty far removed to day to day operating decisions of just the Bills. He's not making football decisions of any kind at this point -he doesn't have time to.

This is not completely true.

 

One of his titles is President of PS&E (they also do concerts and allegedly other entertainment projects not related to sports) IN ADDITION to his separate individual roles as President of each team directly (as well as the additional role as managing partner for the Bills).

 

It's an important distinction because you were otherwise assuming that there are separate hierarchies that he wasn't also at the top of.

 

Saying he doesn't handle the day-to-day is fine, but let's be honest his role has been pretty widespread since Pegula's took over. There is no way to say with any authority what his current role is regarding each team.

Edited April 30, 2017 by fridge

[LabattBlue]

This is not completely true.

 

One of his titles is President of PS&E (they also do concerts and allegedly other entertainment projects not related to sports) IN ADDITION to his separate individual roles as President of each team directly (as well as the additional role as managing partner for the Bills).

 

It's an important distinction because you were otherwise assuming that there are separate hierarchies that he wasn't also at the top of.

 

Saying he doesn't handle the day-to-day is fine, but let's be honest his role has been pretty widespread since Pegula's took over. There is no way to say with any authority what his current role is regarding each team.

Thanks for the clarification. Still seems like a lot of responsibility for one person, but I guess without knowing what his day to day tasks are or how many hours he spends a week in each role, my question will remain unanswered.

[fridge]

I get it. Some will never be happy until he's completely out of the picture; rational thought or not.

 

Think about it... Everyone Terry and Kim talk to have "influence"; children, friends, business associates, etc. Should they be totally sequestered?

What a weird example.

 

The answer is...yes, IF one of Pegula's friends/children were named President of practically everything AND they had held a similar role for nearly 15 years, during a tremendous on the field/ice/whatever lacrosse is played on (lava?) drought AND their previous roles included being heavily involved with both personnel and day-to-day activities...yeah they should be sequestered.

[eme123]

Don't understand peoples obsession with Russ Brandon. He's an excellent marketer/business man. He has nothing to do with football personnel decisions. HIs only crime was trying to step in and fix this franchises biggest problem for almost 2 decades. Which is their personnel department.

 

Somehow this clown will sell 50k season tix this summer, in a sub 1mil population market, for the MOST dysfunctional franchise in the NFL.

[Kirby Jackson]

Thanks for the clarification. Still seems like a lot of responsibility for one person, but I guess without knowing what his day to day tasks are or how many hours he spends a week in each role, my question will remain unanswered.

It's not all that uncommon. Dennis Lauscha holds the same role in New Orleans. He's 20,000 times worse than RB and I have first hand knowledge with both. Loomis oversees (whether directly or indirectly) the personnel side for both teams. That's WAY scarier. I know people still don't get it but Russ is in charge of BUSINESS not team performance. I believe that Scott O'Neill is more or less running the 76ers and Devils (although the teams have presidents). He's a bit of a cheese Dick but pretty smart dude. There are a bunch of examples like this.

[LabattBlue]

Don't understand peoples obsession with Russ Brandon. He's an excellent marketer/business man. He has nothing to do with football personnel decisions. HIs only crime was trying to step in and fix this franchises biggest problem for almost 2 decades. Which is their personnel department.

 

Somehow this clown will sell 50k season tix this summer, in a sub 1mil population market, for the MOST dysfunctional franchise in the NFL.

If you are replying to my OP, I wasn't implying that he has anything to do with day to day football operations.

It's not all that uncommon. Dennis Lauscha holds the same role in New Orleans. He's 20,000 times worse than RB and I have first hand knowledge with both. Loomis oversees (whether directly or indirectly) the personnel side for both teams. That's WAY scarier. I know people still don't get it but Russ is in charge of BUSINESS not team performance. I believe that Scott O'Neill is more or less running the 76ers and Devils (although the teams have presidents). He's a bit of a cheese Dick but pretty smart dude. There are a bunch of examples like this.

Seems so odd, but based on your post, obviously does happen. Whether or not any of them are successful in their roles, who knows.

[wiskibreth]

This is not completely true.

 

One of his titles is President of PS&E (they also do concerts and allegedly other entertainment projects not related to sports) IN ADDITION to his separate individual roles as President of each team directly (as well as the additional role as managing partner for the Bills).

 

It's an important distinction because you were otherwise assuming that there are separate hierarchies that he wasn't also at the top of.

 

Saying he doesn't handle the day-to-day is fine, but let's be honest his role has been pretty widespread since Pegula's took over. There is no way to say with any authority what his current role is regarding each team.

Thansk for the clarification on that. I would conclude that being the head of all organizations leads to a diluted level of influence in daily operations of each overall.

 

What a weird example.

 

The answer is...yes, IF one of Pegula's friends/children were named President of practically everything AND they had held a similar role for nearly 15 years, during a tremendous on the field/ice/whatever lacrosse is played on (lava?) drought AND their previous roles included being heavily involved with both personnel and day-to-day activities...yeah they should be sequestered.

Point being, level of influence is relative. I would grant that his influence weighs more in the Pegula's minds than my examples, but I seriously doubt Russ's inputs become the sole basis for the Pegula's decisions. After all, Russ hired/promoted Whaley, did he not? I doubt he would have recommended his dismissal.

Edited April 30, 2017 by wiskibreth

[Kirby Jackson]

If you are replying to my OP, I wasn't implying that he has anything to do with day to day football operations.

 

Seems so odd, but based on your post, obviously does happen. Whether or not any of them are successful in their roles, who knows.

Scott O'Neill was the president of MSG prior. It's like anything, some are good and some aren't. When an owner owns multiple properties he usually has 1 guy run the business. The job is virtually identical across sports. Different revenue stream are more important in different sports but in general it is the same job. They use these umbrella companies to leverage one property and expand the revenue.

 

They also do it to circumvent revenue sharing in some ways. There are different rules in each league as to what gets shared with the players. You allocate the revenues accordingly to maximize revenue. I remember meeting with the Hawks and Thrashers (dating myself) and they used the same building. Phillips Arena (or whatever the parent company was) charged a premium fee but the teams just the tickets. So your licensing fee for a premium seat for both might have been $10k a seat and then $100 per ticket per game. So if you had 2 premium seats for both you are paying roughly $18,600 per seat or $37,200 for the pair. The players in each league are entitled to a portion of these revenues (that's what the CBA dictates). They basically are saying that $20k isn't s part of the ticket, it is a part of the arena or parent company. They are trying to pay the players association based on the $100 a game (or $4300) instead of the much larger number. Don't know if that all makes sense but that's a big reason things are centralized. If you can create enough grey area you can make more money.

[LabattBlue]

Scott O'Neill was the president of MSG prior. It's like anything, some are good and some aren't. When an owner owns multiple properties he usually has 1 guy run the business. The job is virtually identical across sports. Different revenue stream are more important in different sports but in general it is the same job. They use these umbrella companies to leverage one property and expand the revenue.

 

They also do it to circumvent revenue sharing in some ways. There are different rules in each league as to what gets shared with the players. You allocate the revenues accordingly to maximize revenue. I remember meeting with the Hawks and Thrashers (dating myself) and they used the same building. Phillips Arena (or whatever the parent company was) charged a premium fee but the teams just the tickets. So your licensing fee for a premium seat for both might have been $10k a seat and then $100 per ticket per game. So if you had 2 premium seats for both you are paying roughly $18,600 per seat or $37,200 for the pair. The players in each league are entitled to a portion of these revenues (that's what the CBA dictates). They basically are saying that $20k isn't s part of the ticket, it is a part of the arena or parent company. They are trying to pay the players association based on the $100 a game (or $4300) instead of the much larger number. Don't know if that all makes sense but that's a big reason things are centralized. If you can create enough grey area you can make more money.

Thanks for the info!

[BillnutinHouston]

Other than reporting to the same owner, don't they have two completely separate staffs from administration to finance to operations?

Boy if they do have two separate administrative organizations, I have to believe that ends soon. Way to many economies of scale to exploit not to merge them.

[KDIGGZ]

Thats the only thing that makes sense to me

Everyone knows someone like that at work. The guy that kisses up to the bosses and tries to act more important than they are. No doubt that's Russ

[BuffaloBud420]

Until he is gone, i have a feeling nothing is going to change.

[DriveFor1Outta5]

Pegula likes him. It's quite simple. I have always believed he had too much influence. Now I feel that has changed. At this time his presence probably doesn't negatively impact football decisions anymore. It's clear that McDermott is running the show. It seems that McDermott has been given total control by the Pegula's. McDermott won out over Whaley, he isn't going to let Brandon make decisions.

[BuffaloBud420]

Pegula likes him. It's quite simple. I have always believed he had too much influence. Now I feel that has changed. At this time his presence probably doesn't negatively impact football decisions anymore. It's clear that McDermott is running the show. It seems that McDermott has been given total control by the Pegula's. McDermott won out over Whaley, he isn't going to let Brandon make decisions.

Brandon doesn't influence football decisions, like Whaley was making roster decisions.

[The Wiz]

Brandon has entrenched himself in the bills and sabres to the point that he's kind of bulletproof. As long as he's not trying to overstep his role as a marketing guy then I have no problem with him. The problem is if he does try and they have to get rid of him they will need to fire him from both positions and then fill both. I doubt they would fire him from one and expect a healthy working relationship in the ripple he kept.

[Buddy Hix]

Exactly....god bless the Pegulas for keeping the Bills in Buffalo but they are simply bad owners. We can hope they learn quickly but the evidence points out that they do not. Today Terry was asked if Russ will have input into the GM hire and Terry said that Brandon would...Why in the absolute !@#$ would you ask Brandon anything related to football?

 

I love the Bills but I have no hope that this dysfunctional team gets turned around until the one constant of the drought is no longer asked a god damn question...fire Russ Brandon or put a muzzle on him.

[mead107]

Good thing the Bills did not move or none of you nonhappy people would have nothing to B word about.

Exactly....god bless the Pegulas for keeping the Bills in Buffalo but they are simply bad owners. We can hope they learn quickly but the evidence points out that they do not. Today Terry was asked if Russ will have input into the GM hire and Terry said that Brandon would...Why in the absolute !@#$ would you ask Brandon anything related to football?

 

I love the Bills but I have no hope that this dysfunctional team gets turned around until the one constant of the drought is no longer asked a god damn question...fire Russ Brandon or put a muzzle on him.

bad owners. Tell me who the good owners ere

[BuffaloBud420]

Good thing the Bills did not move or none of you nonhappy people would have nothing to B word about.

bad owners. Tell me who the good owners ere

The ones that win. Id rather they move then go another 17 years as the joke of the NFL Edited April 30, 2017 by BuffaloBud420

[mead107]

Did they start off winning?

[Hapless Bills Fan]

What was the phrasing? "Doug Whaley is so far up Pegula's butt he can see Russ Brandon's feet".

[DriveFor1Outta5]

Brandon doesn't influence football decisions, like Whaley was making roster decisions.

Some of us believe he has made football decisions in the past. That's another debate altogether. My point is that it certainly isn't happening anymore or ever will again. This makes Brandon quite secure in his job. He's the marketing guy now. He doesn't have a greater role anymore. That makes firing him pointless. Edited April 30, 2017 by DriveFor1Outta5

[purple haze]

Exactly....god bless the Pegulas for keeping the Bills in Buffalo but they are simply bad owners. We can hope they learn quickly but the evidence points out that they do not. Today Terry was asked if Russ will have input into the GM hire and Terry said that Brandon would...Why in the absolute !@#$ would you ask Brandon anything related to football?

 

I love the Bills but I have no hope that this dysfunctional team gets turned around until the one constant of the drought is no longer asked a god damn question...fire Russ Brandon or put a muzzle on him.

Russ Brandon has worked in NFL circles for twenty years or so. He knows people across the league. If the Pegula's did not ask him for input they would be ignorant. Being asked for insight, and providing an opinion is not the same as making the decision on who is hired.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Exactly....god bless the Pegulas for keeping the Bills in Buffalo but they are simply bad owners. We can hope they learn quickly but the evidence points out that they do not. Today Terry was asked if Russ will have input into the GM hire and Terry said that Brandon would...Why in the absolute !@#$ would you ask Brandon anything related to football?

 

I love the Bills but I have no hope that this dysfunctional team gets turned around until the one constant of the drought is no longer asked a god damn question...fire Russ Brandon or put a muzzle on him.

 

What Pegula actually said about Brandon was:

"

Q: Terry, will Russ Brandon be involved in the search for a new GM?

Pegula: If we need to ask Russ questions, we're going to ask him. He's a member of the Bills' organization.

"

 

That's kind of a non-answer, but it certainly doesn't read as though Brandon will be intimately involved with the GM search.

Edited April 30, 2017 by Hapless Bills Fan