Future of Buffalo Bills?

[300miles]

... are you going to share that info with us? or are you trying to make it more suspenseful.

[300miles]

ok, found this -

Wilson Concerned About Bills' Long Term Future
Tuesday, April 4, 2006 04:58 PM - WBEN Newsroom

Buffalo, NY (WBEN) - Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson met with Governor Pataki Monday and says "The long term viability of the team may be in serious doubt."

Wilson told Pataki during their meeting the new collective bargaining agreement does not help small market teams like the Bills.

Erie County Executive Joel Giambra tells Newsradio 930 WBEN he's heard the concerns, but there's nothing to worry about.

The Buffalobills.com Website quotes Pataki as saying he'll continue to advocate on behalf of the Bills, the only team that plays its home games in New York State.

http://www.wben.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=04712

[DR_GONZO]

“While I am committed to Western New York, the long term viability of our franchise may be in serious doubt.”

Bills Owner Talks With Pataki

The Buffalo Bills released the following press release:

The purpose of the meeting was to explain to the Governor the future competitive and financial challenges presented to the NFL’s smaller markets. The high cost of the new collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and its players represents a substantial burden to small market teams. The system produces an equal allocation of player costs with an unequal allocation of the revenues that give rise to those costs. This does not ensure a level playing field for small market teams. The Buffalo Bills are the only NFL team which plays its home games in New York State.

Wilson told the Governor that “While I am committed to Western New York, the long term viability of our franchise may be in serious doubt.” Wilson added “I have 46 years of my life invested in this franchise and in Western New York. There are those who don’t care about us, our passionate fans or our hard working taxpayers. Well, I do! I am not going to sugar coat this and I am not going down without a fight. The people who have supported us for these 46 years deserve more than that.”

Governor Pataki, an avid football fan who attended Super Bowl XL in Wilson’s home city of Detroit, was aware of and concerned about the recent developments. Pataki stated, “The secure future of the Buffalo Bills in Western New York is of vital interest to me and the people of New York State. While the issues raised by Mr. Wilson are not unique to the Buffalo Bills, the future of that franchise is of primary concern to me. I have communicated my concerns to Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and will continue to advocate on behalf of the Buffalo Bills.”

[300miles]

..........

[DR_GONZO]

Wow, we posted almost the same thing at the same time.That's whack!

[LHardy]

as long as ralph is around the Bill will be here - we all know that...they're not going anywhere for "a while" ralph is in fine health for his age as far as anyone knows

I beleive this to be the very reason the Bills will leave.
Football fans are a readily availabel commodity in most major cities. There would be no problem moving them.
Revenue sharing is alarge key to success and our market is small.
Ralph also has to move many of his assets before he dyes in order to avoid many penalties in the death tax and capital gains and on and on.
The man has to move his money now to be the most advantages to the buisness. It is more then Ralph and the Bills at stake here. It is the hundreds of jobs his personal buisness hires. They need a sucure future. Buffalo will not be part of that picture. Not with the current state of economics. Unless of course we intend to pay them billions to stay.

[LHardy]

Just tell them to go.

I hope our elected leader have the balls not to let them walk all over the tax payer. Yes some businesses benefit from those 8 home games but most of the tax payers in the region do not. Thier money should not go to help a sports team.

IT'S BETWEEN THE UPRIGHTS!!!!!!

[moonshine]

KC just approved a sales tax increase to build a nifty new stadium.

http://cbs.sportsline.com/nfl/story/9358623

At least the taxpayers screwed themselves via referendum. We won't be so lucky.

Buffalo "Pay-The" Bills

[DR_GONZO]

No more taxpayer funding for any sports teams. They are a business that makes a pretty penny. No need for handouts. So long Bills. Appalachia can't afford you.

[colossus27]

I beleive this to be the very reason the Bills will leave.
Football fans are a readily availabel commodity in most major cities. There would be no problem moving them.

If the NFL comissioner is stupid enough to screw the small-market clubs with a CBA, and the owners allow it, they all get what they deserve. There's not that many 'major' cities w/out teams that aren't in the NFL.

This high-on-the-hog thing the NFL enjoys right now is due to many things. Most every town can, in theory, field a competitive team. That changes, the fan base will too. Stupid mistakes can lead to bad things. Just look at the TV ratings for the Indy 500, for example. Meanwhile, brilliant marketing has turned NASCAR into something that actually threatens the NFL's ratings.

[buffy]

No more taxpayer funding for any sports teams. They are a business that makes a pretty penny. No need for handouts. So long Bills. Appalachia can't afford you.

The Appalachian Bills!

now, for THAT i would support a sales tax increase....but to pay for the mistakes of self-serving politicos AND lose the Bills, my soul is vexed

[Dino330]

I'd be completely fine with them using tax money to help fund a new stadium, as long as that stadium is downtown. Rich Stadium never should have gone up in Orchard Park in the first place.
Put it on the waterfront where the Pier is. There's plenty of unused land over there.

If we do get a new stadium, it had better not be a dome.

[steven]

You Go Dino!

[Pauldo]

You Go Dino!

Taxpayers should not fund NFL franchises---PERIOD!

[WestCoastPerspective]

Isn't it ironic that Wilson meets with Pataki the same week NYState agrees to hundreds of millions of dollars for a new Mets and a new Yankee Stadium and is getting close to an agreement to spend 100's of more millions to expand the Javits Convention Center? Wilson may be lobbying an outgoing governor, but he's starting to build his "what about me" case....

Wilson may be old, but he's no dummy!