The Toronto Debacle

[keyboard150]

Well, those of you that said it wouldn't happen were wrong, sadly.


The Bills will play one regular season game in Toronto. Wilson says he doesn't care what team we play (in fact he would prefer if it was a GOOD team).

This move was rubber stamped by Empire State Development and Erie County, the two entities that own the stadium...and pretty much pay for the whole damned organization.

So now, this stadium that costs us an enormous amount of money each year, will be used even less.
Faithful season ticket holders will have one less game in their season.

Thanks, Erie County, for screwing the taxpayers again.

[Henry Hill]

Well, those of you that said it wouldn't happen were wrong, sadly.


The Bills will play one regular season game in Toronto. Wilson says he doesn't care what team we play (in fact he would prefer if it was a GOOD team).

This move was rubber stamped by Empire State Development and Erie County, the two entities that own the stadium...and pretty much pay for the whole damned organization.

So now, this stadium that costs us an enormous amount of money each year, will be used even less.
Faithful season ticket holders will have one less game in their season.

Thanks, Erie County, for screwing the taxpayers again.

Just one step closer to moving to Toronto for good!

[Velvet Fog]

Well, those of you that said it wouldn't happen were wrong, sadly.


The Bills will play one regular season game in Toronto. Wilson says he doesn't care what team we play (in fact he would prefer if it was a GOOD team).

This move was rubber stamped by Empire State Development and Erie County, the two entities that own the stadium...and pretty much pay for the whole damned organization.

So now, this stadium that costs us an enormous amount of money each year, will be used even less.
Faithful season ticket holders will have one less game in their season.

Thanks, Erie County, for screwing the taxpayers again.

If I'm not mistaken 4 teams will be playing 1 regular season game in Europe in 2009. So the game in Toronto is no big deal.

[run4it]

Are the Cardinals still playing games in Mexico City? I know they have in the past 2 seasons...and they're just built a new stadium, establishing themselves in Phoenix for years to come.

[bornandraised]

Here is the link to the article from the front page of the BUF News:

http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/264729.html

The worst part of this is that this yearly 'home' game, will really be more like a road game with potential non-Bills fans being in the majority. Having the team travel to one more game than the rest of the league puts us at a disadvantage.

Hopefully, after this 5 year deal is done it won't be renewed like the Milwaukee experiment was not re-newed for Greenbay.

[dags]

Here is the link to the article from the front page of the BUF News:

http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/264729.html

The worst part of this is that this yearly 'home' game, will really be more like a road game with potential non-Bills fans being in the majority. Having the team travel to one more game than the rest of the league puts us at a disadvantage.

Hopefully, after this 5 year deal is done it won't be renewed like the Milwaukee experiment was not re-newed for Greenbay.

Rest assured it will not be renewed. Of course you'll have to by new gear showing your love of the Toronto Bills,imo

[VegasDude]

Are the Cardinals still playing games in Mexico City? I know they have in the past 2 seasons...and they're just built a new stadium, establishing themselves in Phoenix for years to come.

Phoenix is new, booming and growing with a future
Buffalo is old, dying and losing population with no future
Jacksonville FL is also a small market team, but it's growing
and it will become a larger market team in a few years

[VegasDude]

Here is the link to the article from the front page of the BUF News:

http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/264729.html

The worst part of this is that this yearly 'home' game, will really be more like a road game with potential non-Bills fans being in the majority. Having the team travel to one more game than the rest of the league puts us at a disadvantage.

Hopefully, after this 5 year deal is done it won't be renewed like the Milwaukee experiment was not re-newed for Greenbay.

Ralph Wilson quote says it all


When you can get the owners to be unanimous on anything, it’s unbelievable,” he said. “They all know what a difficult time we have keeping this franchise going in Buffalo, with the population dwindling and jobs disappearing. We’ve just about gone to the limit on regionalization. Moving to Toronto for a couple of games might help.”

[S.Walters]

If you all remember about 2 months ago I said the Bills will play in Toronto.We all thought a preseason game,but Wilson turned the tables on us.He's trying to show Toronto how much money this team can bring in.

[Niagara]

If you all remember about 2 months ago I said the Bills will play in Toronto.We all thought a preseason game,but Wilson turned the tables on us.He's trying to show Toronto how much money this team can bring in.

The topic was brought up last year by myself on a canadian forum:

http://www.mapleleafweb.com/forums//...=buffalo+bills
post #15 by ricki bobby (a canadian)

I can't see Toronto supporting an NFL team.

The SkyDome isn't big enough to support the NFL. Don't see there being enough support to build a new stadium

[DR_GONZO]

I can't post what I would say about this because of the filters, so draw your own conclusions.

Wilson, asked about the fears of Bills fans that this might be the first step in losing the team to Toronto, said, “They can think whatever they want. I can’t speculate the future.”

Stop wasting tax funding on this jerk. If the county can live without revenue generated outside of Ralph's pockets for one game in Toronto, then we can live without the other seven games' revenue generated. I said it before and I'll say it again, your money is not enough Bills fans. Wake the hell up!

[keyboard150]

The Toronto game isn't going to be all of it, people. There will also be several pre season games played there.


Plus, eventually the Bills will be called up to play a game in Europe as well, and that will bring our season to 6.

Maybe we need to help Jim Kelly find as much funding as possible to get this team.

[S.Walters]

What like I said before Kelly can't keep his bar going,let alone a football team.Your too funny.

[keyboard150]

What like I said before Kelly can't keep his bar going,let alone a football team.Your too funny.

Kelly's bar wasn't in an exactly ideal location.

Besides, he's not going to be able to own this by himself.

[DR_GONZO]

Here's today's and tomorrow's NFL(this is where the NFL has been headed the past couple of years and it will only get worse):

Unless you're willing to shell out $1000/plus for licensing fees(not quite yet owning a seat to a game), $300 and up for your ticket(will increase every year), $25/plus for parking, and at least, per person, close to $50, for food and drink, can Buffalo really afford the Bills? Not in this WNY economy or lack of one.

The same thing is happening in the NHL as well. Sabres could keep key players and sign top free agents but not when the fans' money base is nowhere near enough for that to happen. You can only squeeze money out of the fan that the fan has. Raise ticket prices within the fan base range. This owner knows that. He'll make a profit the best he can. He won't lose a profit.