Goodell comments on Bills stadium issues at Super Bowl media day

[Haze_21]

I honestly don't get the issue with the stadium. I think it has plenty of years left. Is the infrastructure crumbling? It seems fine to me. Needs more corporate boxes? I don't see many big corporations packing those in buffalo.

[Beast]

Pegula should thumb his nose at Goodell and build a stadium that has wooden bleechers and wooden press boxes that the media has to climb steep, metal stairs to get to.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

16 minutes ago, machine gun kelly said:

Exactly, some people don’t seem to realize, he has zero power over the Pegulas.  They will do what they want for their team!  He reports to the owners, not the other way around.  He is nothing more than an employee who reports to his stockholders ( the owners). No matter how many other owners want the Pegulas to have a new stadium built, it’s their $ and they can stick to a 2022 or 2023 plan which is almost certain.  Last time I checked Lambaugh, Soldier, and Arrowhead did nothing but upgrade their stadiums and there wasn’t a damn thing ( sorry mods) Goodell can do about it.  
 

We will most likely have a new stadium after the contract is up as this conversation has been discussed so many times, but no one can force them to move, build a stadium and break a state contract, or anything else for that matter.  It’s really that simple.  As many of us has said, we probably will have a Lincoln type stadium from Indy downtown around the first ward near the B News bld.   It makes the most sense as the land should be economical, really close to everything else the Pegulas are doing downtown, and make it a really nice complex.

 

You may be misinterpreting my post, which is likely my fault for how I worded it.

 

I would genuinely like to know what leverage Goodell and the other owners have to force the Pegulas to either extort taxpayer dollars to build a new stadium or move the team?

 

According to the chart that was posted elsewhere the Bills have a very good overall attendance, while a number of teams in bigger markets have a poor one.

 

5 minutes ago, Coach Tuesday said:

 

In the same PC he answered a question about Toronto by saying that he's open to the idea of a Toronto team but that they'd need a state-of-the-art stadium.  So there's your "threat" right there - as I read it, he's threatening WNY/the Pegulas with an overture to Toronto if they don't improve their stadium situation.

 

Goodell is just doing his job as a fig leaf for The Lucky Sperm Club.  That said, I despise the man.

 

I think Goodell's chances of flying are overall better than his chances of getting the Toronto taxpayers to pony up for a new state of the art American Football stadium, but perhaps that's just me.

 

And I wouldn't advise Goodell to jump out a window and flap his arms-er wings.

[machine gun kelly]

Coach, Goodell does not nor do the owners have the authority to force a move.  There is a contract in terms of revenue sharing.  They have no power other than the microphone.  Do you not think the Pegulas, the Forbes whenever you see the estimates, the 5th to 7th wealthiest owners in the league which is biased as Jerrah would have to sell the team to have the money the Pegulas make each year. Same with Kraft.  The Allen family, Ross, Khan, and the Rams owners as well as the Glazers in Tampa.  
 

These owners have so much money not from the NFL.

[Jobot]

Honestly, I'd renew the lease out of spite if I were Pegulas.

 

What is the actual problem with the stadium?

[YoloinOhio]

1 hour ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

The Bills have to fix their stadium to his standards or what? 

He'll force us to move to Toronto? 

He'll stop scheduling home games?

He'll hold his face until he turns blue?

 

I mean, what happens if the Bills extend their current lease at New Era with only modest renovations?

 

Education please

Actually a Toronto reporter asked him specifically about whether the viability of Toronto as an NFL market was on his radar and he said it was on his radar, and as a native of WNY he appreciates Canada and the type of market Toronto is, but that it all boils down to having an nfl caliber stadium and they don’t right now. It didn’t have anything to do with the Buffalo comments, though. 

[machine gun kelly]

Last thing, do you really think Terry Pegula has not stared down top level negotiations with strong position, and more specifically, people know one of his businesses in Fracking is controversial.  I’m not proposing an opinion, but not the first time those two have faced pressure.  I’m not worried about anything as it’s 2020 guys as you know.  We’re talking about two to three years away.  Does anyone actually think they are not having not only back channel conversations with the state and local govt, but also the NFL.  

 

I’ll put my $ on the balls of the Pegulas.

[Lurker]

10 minutes ago, GG said:

 

 

Attendance stats are relatively meaningless when you have the lowest average price per ticket.  Other teams get paid in Orchard Park, but nowhere near what they get paid in other stadiums.  That's the point.

 

You seem to not like the message that the other owners are sending to Pegulas.  That doesn't change the reality that the message has been sent loud and clear, and the other owners can do a lot more to pressure the Buffalo franchise to increase its revenue stream.

 

The Bills average ticket prices are the lowest in the league, but just 4% below the Browns and 9% below the Bengals.   Cleveland has a relatively new stadium.   Cincy's in the same boat as the Bills (old, outmoded stadium) but there's not a lot of support among elected officials to build them a new one either

 

      https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2019/10/01/bengals-cincinnati-politician-tweets-future-without-nfl-team/3832104002/

 

I know what message the owners have been sending.   But you know what?    What if Pegs said nope, can't do it.   Rolling over is what the NFL expects, but really, playing a bit of chicken here might be the way to go.    

 

Pegs has some powerful friends he can call on (ie Chuck Schumer).    Maybe he can ask Goodell how he likes his anti-trust exemption... 

[freddyjj]

4 minutes ago, Jobot said:

Honestly, I'd renew the lease out of spite if I were Pegulas.

 

What is the actual problem with the stadium?

Seats, amenities, space in concourses, etc.  

Exposure to weather ages all exposed components prematurely.

She was born in 1973 - hard to make walkways or concourses larger.

[Sundancer]

1 hour ago, GG said:

 

Bills are at or near the bottom of the revenue sharing pie, and the opposing teams get far less from their 40% of gate receipts in Orchard Park than they do in other stadiums.

 

This is not coming from Roger, but from other owners.

 

A sew stadium isn't going to drive up the amount that WNY will pay for a game. That's the limiting calculus here. I don't see Buffalonians forking over 5-10K per seart for PSLs and increasing the ticket prices by 85%. 

 

I don't think Roger gives a crap about the new stadium. He wants the higher ticket revenue. 

Edited January 29, 2020 by Sundancer

[Coach Tuesday]

7 minutes ago, machine gun kelly said:

Coach, Goodell does not nor do the owners have the authority to force a move.  There is a contract in terms of revenue sharing.  They have no power other than the microphone.  Do you not think the Pegulas, the Forbes whenever you see the estimates, the 5th to 7th wealthiest owners in the league which is biased as Jerrah would have to sell the team to have the money the Pegulas make each year. Same with Kraft.  The Allen family, Ross, Khan, and the Rams owners as well as the Glazers in Tampa.  
 

These owners have so much money not from the NFL.

 

Who said anything about a MOVE?  He's threatening them with a competing team up the road.  Maybe it's an empty threat but that's the message and it seems transparently designed to get the WNY officials to open their coffers.

[freddyjj]

6 minutes ago, Lurker said:

Cincy's in the same boat as the Bills (old, outmoded stadium) but there's not a lot of support among elected officials to build them a new one either

Bengals stadium was built in 2000 along with a new dedicated baseball stadium as they both replaced Riverfront multipurpose stadium.   So the Bengals digs are 23 years newer than New Era Field.  

[bigK14094]

27 minutes ago, MAJBobby said:

Cannot wait for that nice new Downtown Stadium. 

The downtown location lacks the road infrastructure......massive traffic jams.  And, the tailgating culture would have to disappear.....you think all those downtown bar owners will allow that across the street?  Loss of the tailgating culture would mean a substantially different ticket customer base than currently exists in WNY.  I would predict that such a new stadium would fail in terms of revenue generated...which is the NFL owners dream objective!  The WNY market will not support x3 in ticket prices the NFL owners really want...they don't care where they play actually.  But,  WNY ain't LA or Dallas....... ( OR....maybe a stadium in Hamilton, ONT....draw from Toronto and Buffalo...then there would be zero real NY teams.? )

[Jerry Jabber]

The Pegula's are doing their due-diligence on this.

 

"The Bills have hired a private firm to conduct a feasibility study on determining the team's future home. The study is due to be completed sometime this summer and lead to a decision on whether the Bills will continue playing at New Era Field in suburban Orchard Park, New York, or relocate."

 

From what I understand, the Pegula's already knew the NFL wanted them to do something about the Bills stadium as a condition of buying the team. Whether a new stadium gets built or The Ralph gets retrofitted, the Pegula's will please Goodell and the other NFL owners, so there's no need for people to get upset every time Goodell or some other clown in the media mentions a need for a new stadium in Buffalo. Just don't expect another ridiculous stadium like Jerry's world in Dallas. 

 

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/sports/2019/07/01/pegula-new-bills-stadium-fans

Edited January 29, 2020 by Jerry Jabber

[YoloinOhio]

1 minute ago, freddyjj said:

Bengals stadium was built in 2000 along with a new dedicated baseball stadium as they both replaced Riverfront multipurpose stadium.   So the Bengals digs are 23 years newer than New Era Field.  

And built using public funds from sales tax revenue 

[machine gun kelly]

2 minutes ago, Coach Tuesday said:

 

Who said anything about a MOVE?  He's threatening them with a competing team up the road.  Maybe it's an empty threat but that's the message and it seems transparently designed to get the WNY officials to open their coffers.

I agree Coach, and if I misrepresented myself as I respect you, I apologize.  I couldn’t agree more with the microphone and other venues are trying to pressure everyone.  I just believe the Pegulas can handle that pressure and will do what ever is given to them.  I remember previous news outside of football the Pegulas dealt with a ton of pressure on the fracking thing in PA and CO.

 

I’m not worried about it at all and that is not naive.  I’ve just been through way to many multi million $ negotiations with my people and how each side tried to stares each other down.

[LABILLBACKER]

Not only do I demand a new stadium but I want a domed parking lot for tailgating. 

[GG]

29 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

So what are the actual revenue streams of the different teams?  What is considered part of the revenue stream?

 

It's formula set in the CBA, based on revenues that are shared and unshared.  I haven't looked up the latest formula recently.   But roughly, the major media contacts and I think merch from NFL.com licensed sales are shared.  Gate receipts are shared 60/40.  The rest isn't shared. 

 

The Bills are at or near the bottom of shared revenue contributions, and the big owners always resented Ralph because he never invested enough to increase revenues in Orchard Park.  

 

Telling Pegulas to hold firm is silly, because it won't work with the majority owners who control the vote.    He doesn't have any leverage outside pounding on the table.  

[Dablitzkrieg]

1 hour ago, Lurker said:

Meh.    A big nothing-burger of a story...

You clearly are not understanding what is going on here.  The Bills contribute, if I'm not mistaken, one of the lowest rates of revenue to the league.  If they don't do something revenue generating wise (i.e. building a new stadium and increasing prices) there will be consequences unfortunately.  

[Da webster guy]

Here we go again, the worst commissioner in any league in any sport, opens his mouth again.

 

When Roger showed up in WNY at Jim Kelly's golf tourney, he overshadowed the entire event and its cause when he blabbed on about how we need a new stadium to make sure the Bills "remain stable here"

 

Reporters jumped all over that and it made national news, him subtly threatening that the team could be moved.  Completely unnecessary bullcrap and drama caused directly by him.  This was a tourney to raise awareness & money to help children in need in Western NY,  and yet all the articles the next day were about dopey Roger and his classless comments.   

 

That's my problem with the guy, he's a lawyer geek with a poor sense of how to be a normal human being and relate to people and situations.  He sticks out like a sore thumb around warm-hearted genuine people like Pegula, Jim Kelly, Kyle etc.  If I were JK I would skip the invite for that Ahole next year and just limit it to cool people. 

 

When he moves on I'll bet you see a new commish with more personality and people skills.  Its important to the owners too i'll bet.

 

Terry has 1000x the power that Roger has, and he'll do whatever the hell he wants in Buffalo, on his timeframe, when he's ready, on a solution that is best for the Buffalo Bills.