Roger Goodell speaks to Buffalo media from Jim Kelly’s golf tournament

[Kirby Jackson]

I really am surprised that some here don’t see this whole situation as inevitable. Here is what it is:

- The league wants to Bills to generate more money. We are not talking about Dallas money but they want them to move up from 32nd in revenue.

- The Bills want that too.

- The Pegula’s don’t want to look like bad guys so Goodell speaks out to apply the pressure on the government.

- The government doesn’t want to pay for it either so they are basically saying, “the stadium is fine.”

 

Both sides are posturing to keep their contribution as small as possible. It is basic, basic negotiation. At the end of the day, either a new stadium or a total retrofit will take place. The government, the team, the fans and the league will all share in the expense. That’s how it is done in 2019. There is nothing more and nothing less to this non-story.

[boater]

The WNY stadium discussion is lower middle class people debating whether to get a red or black Mercedes---when really all their FICO score supports is a a used Hyundai.

 

In the highly unlikely event WNYers agreed to fund a new stadium, the construction bonds floated would be below investment grade. A show stopper.

 

Unless Santa Claus comes in with a sack of free money--a new stadium is not happening. Period. Get over it.

[Punching Bag]

7 hours ago, Boatdrinks said:

This^

There is an untapped , more upscale market in Buffalo and its environs that stays away from games at the current facility. This is due to the lack of climate control and a certain segment of fans that currently attends. Some are too absorbed in their own situation to acknowledge / realize that this market exists. This isn’t the early 1980’s in Buffalo. The bargain basement ticket prices and the setup  outside the stadium encourage well publicized behaviors that keep the deeper pockets out of the picture. A new climate controlled stadium changes this in a big way. 

 

6 hours ago, stony said:

 

No, definitely not referring to the table slamming and general debauchery. 

 

I'm just somewhat skeptical to what the market will support in terms of persuading those with deeper pockets to come out to the game if they weren't coming in the first place.  

 

There are season ticket clubs with climate control and even a separate entrance for those like Boatdrunks who does not want to hang out with riff raff but would rather be showing their PSL as if it was their prize bull (bull it is).  The problem is not only is there not a line for these season tickets these seats are not sold out and available at box office game to game.

[Jrb1979]

1 hour ago, boater said:

The WNY stadium discussion is lower middle class people debating whether to get a red or black Mercedes---when really all their FICO score supports is a a used Hyundai.

 

In the highly unlikely event WNYers agreed to fund a new stadium, the construction bonds floated would be below investment grade. A show stopper.

 

Unless Santa Claus comes in with a sack of free money--a new stadium is not happening. Period. Get over it.

Cleveland has as newer stadium and that their median income is pretty much the same as Buffalo. A new stadium is going to happen at some point. The Rockpile in Orchard Park has only so many years left. 

[RiotAct]

you know, if every man, woman, and child in the United States just pitched in $4 or so, the Bills could have their beautiful new stadium downtown.

[Boatdrinks]

4 hours ago, Limeaid said:

 

 

There are season ticket clubs with climate control and even a separate entrance for those like Boatdrunks who does not want to hang out with riff raff but would rather be showing their PSL as if it was their prize bull (bull it is).  The problem is not only is there not a line for these season tickets these seats are not sold out and available at box office game to game.

Ha ha , good one lime. But to be clear, I have sat in many locations throughout Rich/ NEF our the years. 50 yard line, tunnel end zone, corner, 35 yard line, corporate suite, club level and even the upper deck. By far my favorite location was my long held seasons in section B7 row 30. But contrary to your assumption about my personal preferences, this discussion isn’t about what I want. It’s about what the Pegulas and the Bills organization might be thinking about their business model going forward. As Kirby has sagely pointed out, this is inevitable. Yes, there are climate controlled luxury box seats available, but that isn’t the same as sitting in the stands in a climate controlled facility. There just isn’t much pricing power for the experience NEF currently offers. The problems you describe are intrinsically tied to the building itself. The team is looking to increase their revenues, and the stadium is a huge issue in that regard. Regardless of what you, I or any other fans on this board want the status quo isn’t a realistic view of what the team’s stadium future will be. 

[Boatdrinks]

5 hours ago, boater said:

The WNY stadium discussion is lower middle class people debating whether to get a red or black Mercedes---when really all their FICO score supports is a a used Hyundai.

 

In the highly unlikely event WNYers agreed to fund a new stadium, the construction bonds floated would be below investment grade. A show stopper.

 

Unless Santa Claus comes in with a sack of free money--a new stadium is not happening. Period. Get over it.

I’m not even sure where to start with this nonsensical take. First, a FICO score has nothing to do with income level. One could have a FICO of 800 but not enough income to afford a Mercedes payment. However, that is beside the point. If you’ve been paying attention - a BIG if given the content of your post - most  stadiums are not constructed with 100% public money these days. It’s a mix of private and public funding.A new or heavily ( read :very expensive $$) renovated stadium is almost a certainty at this point. The only unlikely scenario in all of this is the team remaining in NEF in its current form. 

[Drunken Pygmy Goat]

17 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I really am surprised that some here don’t see this whole situation as inevitable. Here is what it is:

- The league wants to Bills to generate more money. We are not talking about Dallas money but they want them to move up from 32nd in revenue.

- The Bills want that too.

- The Pegula’s don’t want to look like bad guys so Goodell speaks out to apply the pressure on the government.

- The government doesn’t want to pay for it either so they are basically saying, “the stadium is fine.”

 

Both sides are posturing to keep their contribution as small as possible. It is basic, basic negotiation. At the end of the day, either a new stadium or a total retrofit will take place. The government, the team, the fans and the league will all share in the expense. That’s how it is done in 2019. There is nothing more and nothing less to this non-story.

 

Perfect!

 

 

[Drunken Pygmy Goat]

10 hours ago, Boatdrinks said:

I’m not even sure where to start with this nonsensical take. First, a FICO score has nothing to do with income level. One could have a FICO of 800 but not enough income to afford a Mercedes payment. However, that is beside the point. If you’ve been paying attention - a BIG if given the content of your post - most  stadiums are not constructed with 100% public money these days. It’s a mix of private and public funding.A new or heavily ( read :very expensive $$) renovated stadium is almost a certainty at this point. The only unlikely scenario in all of this is the team remaining in NEF in its current form. 

 

Since 1999, public funding has accounted for roughly half of all NFL stadium projects that weren't 100% privately funded, with each project varying in public dollar amounts. It seems that when it comes to Bills stadium talk, the loudest people are the ones that haven't researched the facts on the matter. They just assume "new stadium, higher taxes for WNYers, rabble rabble rabble". In reality, WNYers specifically will not likely see any significant finacial "burden". 

 

Kirby is right. It is inevitable, be it a new stadium or a retrofit. What's hard to predict is which option would be best or most logical, for different reasons. A stadium downtown would obviously cost much more, especially with infrastructure factored in, but the Pegulas already have a lot of money invested in that area, and a stadium there could boost profits for those entities. A retrofit in OP doesn't provide that kind of surrounding finacial benefit to the Pegulas, but there's very little if any infrastructure costs needed there, and the state has already pumped money into NEF a couple times over the last 10 years. A retrofit would cost much less in total than a new building downtown, which the politicians in Albany would greatly prefer. The NFL could also kick in more matching money via the G4 program in its current stipulations for a retrofit. Also, the Bills have just opened a very expensive training facility there. How would that factor into the downtown stadium decision?