sven233 Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 The BOTTOM LINE that I took away from this PC is this..... IF the Bills meet all the qualifiers for the revenue sharing and get their share from the rest of the league, the tem will be fine. IF the Bills fail to meet those qualifiers, the team is going to be in deep trouble in the long term. Here is the thing......It sounds like the "qualifiers" that Ralph says are in the new CBA may be very close to what the Bills' might be able to meet. He is worried that if one little things goes wrong, a technicality, that the Bills won't qualify even though they deserve to be a part of the revenue sharing. If this happens, the Bills won't break even and will lose money due to the new structure of the agreement. Long term, that will not be good for the Bills and several other clubs. It sounds to me that the owners, especially mid level clubs and small level clubs agreed to this new CBA without completely understanding how it will affect them long term. But it sounds as though Ralph and the owner of the Bengals are the only ones with enough ba**s to say it publically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drhockey Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 I know our ticket prices are low in comparison to the rest of the league, but does anyone have a listing of the average ticket cost league wide?? I have seen it before, but can't find it quickly. I know this is only part of it, but if the Bills had a team on the field like all of us wish they would have, I would have no problem paying higher ticket prices. Especially, considering there are only eight games. Not to mention that i live 3000 miles away and always come home for games regardless. I find it hard to believe that the city/region would not pay higher prices for tickets if the team was far more competitive and successful than it is now. Let's face it, right now morale is very low for this team and it's coming at a bad time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 I know our ticket prices are low in comparison to the rest of the league, but does anyone have a listing of the average ticket cost league wide?? I have seen it before, but can't find it quickly. I know this is only part of it, but if the Bills had a team on the field like all of us wish they would have, I would have no problem paying higher ticket prices. Especially, considering there are only eight games. Not to mention that i live 3000 miles away and always come home for games regardless. I find it hard to believe that the city/region would not pay higher prices for tickets if the team was far more competitive and successful than it is now. Let's face it, right now morale is very low for this team and it's coming at a bad time. 655611[/snapback] Average Ticket Price Per Team 1 New England $75 2 Washington $68 3 Kansas City $67 4 N.Y. Giants $67 5 N.Y. Jets $66 6 Chicago $66 7 San Francisco $64 8 Philadelphia $62 9 Minnesota $62 10 Denver $61 11 Tampa Bay $59 12 Oakland $59 13 St. Louis $58 14 Detroit $57 15 Houston $56 16 Pittsburgh $55 17 Green Bay $54 18 Indianapolis $54 19 Dallas $53 20 Baltimore $53 21 Cincinnati $52 22 Carolina $50 23 Miami $49 24 San Diego $47 25 Tennessee $46 26 Cleveland $46 27 Atlanta $44 28 Seattle $43 29 New Orleans $42 30 Jacksonville $41 31 Arizona $40 32 Buffalo $37 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olaf Fub Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Bill Polian mentioned, on WBEN, something about having to sell out your stadium or your franchise would be in trouble. After hearing Ralph talk today about the qualifiers, I think that is what he meant. It's sounds like Ralph is trying to just put some political pressure on the league. The new CBA is only guaranteed for four years. Hopefully a more small market friendly one can be struck as a result of Ralph's efforts. If he's right about the present one cutting into the bottom line of 16-18 teams, then I think he'll have a lot of owners on his side when it comes time to renegotiate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 I know our ticket prices are low in comparison to the rest of the league, but does anyone have a listing of the average ticket cost league wide?? I have seen it before, but can't find it quickly. I know this is only part of it, but if the Bills had a team on the field like all of us wish they would have, I would have no problem paying higher ticket prices. Especially, considering there are only eight games. Not to mention that i live 3000 miles away and always come home for games regardless. I find it hard to believe that the city/region would not pay higher prices for tickets if the team was far more competitive and successful than it is now. Let's face it, right now morale is very low for this team and it's coming at a bad time. 655611[/snapback] This is my thinking as well. Ralph could close the gap VERY quickly with marquee hires at coach and the front office, not to mention big-time free agency and solid drafts. The team, if it was winning 12+ games a year, would garner quite a bit of national press and publicity and hence uni and merchandise sales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 giants tickets some place around 80 dollars and they look like sh-- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sven233 Posted April 7, 2006 Author Share Posted April 7, 2006 I totally agree! Now, I myself am a die hard fan and agree that slightly higher prices would be OK....Now, I am not talking about $80-$90 tickets, but if they were at $60-$70, that would probably be OK with most fans....... THAT IS IF WE HAD A GOOD PRODUCT ON THE FIELD TO WATCH! I can't see spending that kind of money for a bad product, but if we had a winning team here, I don't think too many fans would have a problem paying a slightly higher price. BUT, YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE TEAM A WINNER!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsGuyInMalta Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 This is my thinking as well. Ralph could close the gap VERY quickly with marquee hires at coach and the front office, not to mention big-time free agency and solid drafts. The team, if it was winning 12+ games a year, would garner quite a bit of national press and publicity and hence uni and merchandise sales. 655632[/snapback] Agreed. We'd never have this PC if the Bills were a winning team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Agreed. We'd never have this PC if the Bills were a winning team. 655637[/snapback] Sure you would. Ralph's just positioning himself for state aid, the same whay he did a few years ago before Pataki ponied up $$$ for stadium improvements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlamnSam Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 I know our ticket prices are low in comparison to the rest of the league, but does anyone have a listing of the average ticket cost league wide?? I have seen it before, but can't find it quickly. I know this is only part of it, but if the Bills had a team on the field like all of us wish they would have, I would have no problem paying higher ticket prices. Especially, considering there are only eight games. Not to mention that i live 3000 miles away and always come home for games regardless. I find it hard to believe that the city/region would not pay higher prices for tickets if the team was far more competitive and successful than it is now. Let's face it, right now morale is very low for this team and it's coming at a bad time. 655611[/snapback] Probably has something to do with low wages and taxes that should start a tea party. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BackInDaDay Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 It's sounds like Ralph is trying to just put some political pressure on the league. The new CBA is only guaranteed for four years. Hopefully a more small market friendly one can be struck as a result of Ralph's efforts. If he's right about the present one cutting into the bottom line of 16-18 teams, then I think he'll have a lot of owners on his side when it comes time to renegotiate. 655630[/snapback] Absolutely. It also goes beyond building alliances with his fellow owners. Enlisting public officials to bolster WNY in any way possible, doesn't hurt either. I take his 'poor me' posturing with a grain of salt, but he said he wasn't going down without a fight, and he meant it. Gotta give him credit. So, really, anybody know what he plans on doing with the Taurus? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDG Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 This is my thinking as well. Ralph could close the gap VERY quickly with marquee hires at coach and the front office, not to mention big-time free agency and solid drafts. The team, if it was winning 12+ games a year, would garner quite a bit of national press and publicity and hence uni and merchandise sales. 655632[/snapback] Would *you* buy a luxury box if the Bills hired a maruqee HC and LeCharles Bentley? General admission tickets and merchandise revenues are all shared..... JDG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drhockey Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Much appreciated Lurker... Now, looking at that list, i don't think the majority of Bills fans, regardless of location, would be adverse to paying an average of $50 per ticket. I mean think about it, that would be about an extra $10-12 per game at 8 games per year and we're talking less than $100 bucks. An normal night going out in the city for us guys is a minimum of $100. It's peanuts when spread over 8 games. Especially if it meant helping the cause to keep the team around. I would gladly pay that. I know money is tougher to come by back home, but still, we're talking about our livelyhood here. Again, though, everyone here is right in that it ultimately comes down to the product. Put the right coaches and players on the field, create a buzz in the city, and Ralph would be surprised what people would pay. Again, i know it's not everything, but it's a good start. Plus, if the team is good and winning the division or going to the playoffs, merchandise will sell and boxes will sell, sponsors will increase, etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Would *you* buy a luxury box if the Bills hired a maruqee HC and LeCharles Bentley? General admission tickets and merchandise revenues are all shared..... JDG 655663[/snapback] No sh--, you don't say? if you're sharing a larger pie, you're STILL getting more pie. I'm absolutely SHOCKED and mortified that such a simple concept escapes one so bright as yourself. Er, then again, maybe not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taterhill Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 sometimes I wish the Bills had a 55,000 seat stadium..man the demand for season tix would be great and would actually mean something to have... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch19079 Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 i saw most of the PC. that reported that said ralph seemed upset due to his tone, was a dick. he said that if hes so upset, why dont you sell the team? that dumbass reported just didnt get it. Ralph gave a good description of how the owners agreed to a deal they didnt fully understand, and still dont understand. and depending on what those qualifyers are, we may not get any revenue sharing, which would destroy the team. i hope they post a recording of the PC on NFL.com or something so i can watch it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDG Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 No sh--, you don't say? if you're sharing a larger pie, you're STILL getting more pie. I'm absolutely SHOCKED and mortified that such a simple concept escapes one so bright as yourself. Er, then again, maybe not. 655694[/snapback] Sure, it helps a little bit.... but at the end of the day, the Buffalo pie is *shrinking*, and increased ticket prices aren't going to offset the inexorable effects of overall decline in the Metro Area..... JDG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Sure, it helps a little bit.... but at the end of the day, the Buffalo pie is *shrinking*, and increased ticket prices aren't going to offset the inexorable effects of overall decline in the Metro Area..... JDG 655701[/snapback] indeed. they can't help the hand they were dealt geographically, but don't tell me it couldn't work with increased pull in Rachacha and T.O. I mean, Green Bay, Cleveland and Jacksonville aren't exactly hotbeds of growth, either, but you don't hear their owners out griping in the media now that the plan is done, do you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch19079 Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Agreed. We'd never have this PC if the Bills were a winning team. 655637[/snapback] i disagree. his main problem was the qualifyers. he stated that he didnt know what most of them were. thats the problem. the owners agreed to the deal without completly understanding it. he said, for example, that the state pays 3 mil for upkeep of the stadium. in the new deal that is called revinue. so it is possible that under the new deal the bills wont qualify for revinue sharing. or another example he talked about: each new stadium built has its cost spread around the nfl. so each new stadium costs the bills ~2.3 mill a year. but we get no money in which to pay that with. its just added to our overall costs. 2 mil nothing to the cowboys or whoever, but its a big deal to the bills. the cowboys make 50 mil profit a year, while the bills are trying to break even. and if the bills dont qualify for revinue sharing under this new agreement, then the bills wont survive. it doesnt matter if we hire a great HC or have a winning record. without revinue sharing the bills will be losing money. he also stated that there are other teams in the same situation, but they just dont know it yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drhockey Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Sure, it helps a little bit.... but at the end of the day, the Buffalo pie is *shrinking*, and increased ticket prices aren't going to offset the inexorable effects of overall decline in the Metro Area..... JDG 655701[/snapback] True; however, the team is regional (i.e, Canada, Roch., Syr., etc.) and somehow, although population is declining, manages to sell out nearly every home game in a stretch where the team has been garbage. Point is, no matter what the Bills and football rule in the region and people will pay to see it no matter if they live in the metro area or somewhere else. Increased ticket prices is certainly not the answer to all of the problems, but it is a start. In addition, making sure that the stadium is filled every home game and that the product reflects the excitement is key to meet at least one of the qualifiers Raplh mentioned. If the product is there, people will come and pack the staidum. Plain and simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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