Guelli says Bills “would absolutely consider” playing games in Canada again

[HIT BY SPIKES]

2 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Well, you really don't have a stadium that can host an NFL game anywhere in the country. Not Rogers Center. BMO Field is too small. BC Place in Vancouver maybe? Or how about a preseason game at Tim Hortons Stadium in Hamilton?

 

Vancouver is a terrible sports city and will never get a NFL team.

 

Perhaps a good place to have a sports related riot but not a real sports city.

 

It lost its NBA team.

 

What kind of city does that?

 

THE only way Toronto gets a new NFL franchise is with a new downtown domed stadium in Toronto that would cost well over $2.5B to build given how expensive the real estate is.

 

NO one is stepping forward with that kind of money NOR is there any conversation whatsoever currently of such a new stadium being built in Toronto.

 

Make NO mistake about it but if there was a new Toronto NFL team it would be supported the way Toronto supports the Leafs, Raptors and Blue Jays.

 

Have you seen the price of those tickets in Toronto?

 

The same Canadians who have the money to buy up Sabres and Bills tickets would love to spend their money right there in Toronto.

 

With respect to the stadium in Hamilton where I live, it is in NO way large enough or attractive enough host a NFL practice let alone a NFL preseason game.

 

By the way, it is now NO longer named Tim Hortons.

[Big Turk]

3 hours ago, H2o said:

So, we're about to open a new stadium and this 🤡 says we would absolutely consider playing games in Canada? Idiot

 

the 9th home game every other year is going to usually be marked for international games

[Mike in Horseheads]

If your going to get a international game shoved down your throat Canada is better than anyplace else. Stupid NFL, greed is going to kill them at somepoint

[Bad Things]

6 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Overreact much? The NFL already plays games at neutral sites. What is the difference if a game is played in Canada, Brazil or Germany? The Bills have to play them like every other team. It doesn't mean they are moving. FFS they built a new stadium!!!

Good grief.

I'm not talking about the possibility of the Bills moving to Canada.  Where did you get that from?

 

I just don't see how this helps any of the local fans, or the season ticket holders that are shelling out a fortune for the right to buy tickets.

 

[eball]

Without even bothering to read the link or the context of his statement, I have to believe he’s talking about an International Series game.  Like it or not, those games count as a home game for one of the two teams and they all have to do it at some point.  If the Bills play their international game in Canada rather than London, Frankfurt, or Mexico City, who is complaining?

 

Now, if the prospect of a Bills’ “series” in Canada ever came up again I’d be concerned, but why in the world would Pegula want to do that once his palace is built?

 

[Kwai San]

11 hours ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

What’s sort of nuts is I think he was with the organization in some capacity when we did the Toronto series.  Doesn’t he remember how terrible that was? 

Yes he was in the organization.  He is spouting the company line to see what the reaction is.  If I had a PSL I would DEFINITELY call One Bills Drive and voice my displeasure.  THATS the way to be heard....not on an online forum that he doesn't give 2 ***** about - CALL make your voice be heard.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Lol

[CSBill]

12 hours ago, Einstein said:

Guys a rat.

 

https://3downnation.com/2025/09/09/buffalo-bills-would-absolutely-consider-playing-an-nfl-game-in-canada/

 

Agree!

 

Pete Guelli / Jon Bon Jovi = Public Enemies #1 to Bills Mafia

As CEO, you would expect Pete Guelli to have some intelligence. This idea clearly shows that he lacks it severely.

 

The only way it could happen is to be the "international game" with the Bills still getting the normal eight (8) home games.

[galept]

12 hours ago, T.E. said:

A new stadium with significantly fewer seats, no less.

 

That's what bothers me. I checked our capacity against the rest of the league and it would be the second smallest in the NFL.

[May Day 10]

1 hour ago, eball said:

Without even bothering to read the link or the context of his statement, I have to believe he’s talking about an International Series game.  Like it or not, those games count as a home game for one of the two teams and they all have to do it at some point.  If the Bills play their international game in Canada rather than London, Frankfurt, or Mexico City, who is complaining?

 

Now, if the prospect of a Bills’ “series” in Canada ever came up again I’d be concerned, but why in the world would Pegula want to do that once his palace is built?

 

 

This quote sounds like guelli is talking about exporting Bills home games.  Dont worry though "we'll probably play most of our games there in the short term at least".  

 

 “We’ve got a new stadium to launch and we’ll probably play most of our games there in the short term at least, but long term, yeah we’d absolutely consider it.”

“I wouldn’t rule anything out. I was here for the first time we brought games here and, candidly, I thought we could have been a little bit more strategic. It was great to bring the games, but we want to take a more grassroots approach. Ths partnership with MLSE is a big part of it, they’re a massive sports property, they’re wired in up here. We thought that’s a more organic way to enter the market. In the future, sure. We have to get the stadium opened up and our focus is on Buffalo right now, but I wouldn’t rule that out.”

[Since1981]

 let’s not do that again 

Let’s not do that Canada thing again. I hadn’t realized how awful it was. I’d say it represented the absolute low point for the franchise. 

[gjv]

If it's a requirement by the NFL for the Bills to play an international game, I would rather the Bills play in Canada than Europe or South America. Otherwise, a BIG NO!!!!

[Kwai San]

1 hour ago, galept said:

 

That's what bothers me. I checked our capacity against the rest of the league and it would be the second smallest in the NFL.

Also, one of the smallest markets too.....they WANT sold out stadium full games.  Not a bunch of empty seats........

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

On a related note, I feel like a team with a new stadium should be exempt from doing any international games for like 5 years. NFL should reward the team and its fans for investing in a new stadium. 

[PromoTheRobot]

7 hours ago, What a Tuel said:

 

Rams seem like the most clear example and the phrasing of Toronto being the 2nd largest media market in North America lends credence to the fact that the tone deaf NFL may prefer that market like they did LA over worrying about complaints of abandoning a 20 year old stadium. I've been saying this since the stadium deal was announced. Its great for the near term, but in 20-30 years its setting this area up for a huge let down as the lease is coming up and team ownership likely transferring. 
 

Los Angeles Rams (from St. Louis)

Moved: 2016

Former Stadium: Edward Jones Dome (previously the Trans World Dome)

Stadium Age: Opened in 1995. The Rams had played there since its opening. The stadium was 21 years old at the time of the move.

 

Hopefully Pegula makes it so that it doesn't happen like Ralph did.

 

I'll be dead, probably, in 20-30 years.

[PromoTheRobot]

2 hours ago, Bad Things said:

Good grief.

I'm not talking about the possibility of the Bills moving to Canada.  Where did you get that from?

 

I just don't see how this helps any of the local fans, or the season ticket holders that are shelling out a fortune for the right to buy tickets.

 

 

It doesn't hurt those folks either...unless they want to be irrational about it. This is just paying some attention to a huge neighboring city that is in your footprint. Not that different from when training camp was moved to the Rochester area.

[chris heff]

10 hours ago, T.E. said:

Pegula isn't going to live forever.

Neither are you, what’s your point.

[SoonerBillsFan]

13 hours ago, thenorthremembers said:

So they decided to build a palace in Buffalo, charge tons of money for PSLs and tickets, then move a game to Canada?   

Hell no!

One thought...if the NFL wanted to make one of our AWAY games a Canada game then fine.  

 

But no way in hell for a home game.

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

I feel like the Bills are in the Packers or Steelers territory meaning that they are a “classic” team and too important for the NFL’s image to let them move. The league would be so boring with only large market teams. 

[Buddy Hix]

A couple things that I feel most people are missing about this topic:

 

Guelli isn’t a lone wolf, this message is coming from Pegula, and it makes sense to me. Pegula is smart enough to understand the NFL is a business and wants to expand/exploit untapped markets, so Toronto will always be a threat. It’s smarter to show the NFL that the Bills have a strategic plan to tap into the 2nd biggest market in North America, rather than ignore the threat.

 

Toronto can absolutely support a new stadium and team. There’s already an established NFL fan base (3 to 4 times the amount of fans than small market teams like Buffalo), and the city doesn’t even have a team.

 

The original Bills series in TO was poorly planned and the Bills were an absolute dumpster fire at the time, so you can’t gauge how successful a properly planned series would go based on what Ralph did. The games still got 50,000 fans despite all of the above.

 

Just so we’re clear, the NFL doesn’t care about anything but profit. The new Buffalo stadium isn’t a factor for the NFL. All the taxpayers who contributed money should hope there’s language in the agreement about keeping a team in Buffalo for at least 20-30 years.