The_Philster Posted November 27, 2009 Posted November 27, 2009 Sorry guys, I'm rooting for a blackout this time. Big time. If we prove Toronto isn't a viable market for an NFL franchise and Los Angeles gets the Jags, Chargers, or Raiders, the chances of the Bills staying in Buffalo improves dramatically. Looks like you'll have to go to the local bar to see the game...if it's even worth watching, that is. we wouldn't be able to see it at the local bar if it's blacked out......
Chalkie Gerzowski Posted November 28, 2009 Author Posted November 28, 2009 I heard the scalpers were going to try and sell some of them for $10 when they were originally $200. Can't sell Ralphie short...he can bilk with the best of them.
Flbillsfan#1 Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 I heard the scalpers were going to try and sell some of them for $10 when they were originally $200. Can't sell Ralphie short...he can bilk with the best of them. I don't think Ralph bilked them as much as Rodgers overestimated what the people of Toronto would be willing to pay for an NFL game without the NFL experience of the tailgate.
thebug Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 I don't think Ralph bilked them as much as Rodgers overestimated what the people of Toronto would be willing to pay for an NFL game without the NFL experience of the tailgate. Bingo!
TheChimp Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 I am a life long Bills fan. I am Canadian. Until this year, I was a Bills season ticket holder for the last 7 years. I worked at the Rogers Centre when I was in school as an usher for the Blue Jays. And you couldn't pay me to go see a Bills game there. The atmosphere is the worst in professional sports. The rules in the stadium just don't make watching sports fun let alone a football game. The game day experience involves being able to tailgate...that isn't happening in Toronto. Your tailgate will most likely consist of $8.00 beers and $12-$15 appetizers. The street meat is pretty good outside the stadium but that's about it. It blows my mind that Mr. Wilson and the marketing geniuses at One Bills Drive have not marketed the tailgate experience. Sell the suite at the stadium with a limo bus. Limo bus picks up the people from the out of range businesses in Ontario and Rochester, NY areas. Have drinks and food on the limo bus ride to the stadium. The folks can mingle on the limo bus and watched the pregame on mobile Direct Tv or something enroute to the stadium. Get them in their suite for the game and then limo bus their ass back to Toronto, London, Kitchener, Rochester, Syracuse, etc. Don't B word and complain that you can't sell box suites to industry. GET INVENTIVE. DON'T TAKE ONE OF MY DIVISION HOME GAMES AWAY AND PUT IT IN A DULL ****HOLE STADIUM!!! YOU'RE HIRED!!
TheChimp Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 I still have the image burned in my brain from the last Toronto debacle. The camera pans across the crowd and finds this one group, one guy in a Chicago Bears jersey, two hot chicks in what looked like Indianapolis jerseys, a guy in a Bills home jersey with Edwards' number, and a dude right next to him with a Dolphins jersey and a Yankees cap on. The first time they panned to this little crew was when the Bills scored a FG. The whole bunch cheered. Then the Dolphins scored a TD and they panned to the same crew and they all cheered again. !@#$ Toronto.
Chalkie Gerzowski Posted November 28, 2009 Author Posted November 28, 2009 I don't think Ralph bilked them as much as Rodgers overestimated what the people of Toronto would be willing to pay for an NFL game without the NFL experience of the tailgate. I think it's a combo... Rogers did overestimate things, maybe ego got in the way... but he got played by a 90-year-old.
Leonidas Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 we wouldn't be able to see it at the local bar if it's blacked out...... Not if your local bar has a dish it wouldn't be. Although the last time I was up for a game, it was the 4:00pm Saints game and I noticed the two bars down the street from the Ralph didn't have dishes, so I don't know what's up with that. What kind of sports bar doesn't have a satellite dish??? Plus, that other guy is right (I think). If it's on the NFL Network I'm not sure that they can black it out.
The_Philster Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 Not if your local bar has a dish it wouldn't be. Although the last time I was up for a game, it was the 4:00pm Saints game and I noticed the two bars down the street from the Ralph didn't have dishes, so I don't know what's up with that. What kind of sports bar doesn't have a satellite dish??? Plus, that other guy is right (I think). If it's on the NFL Network I'm not sure that they can black it out. If it's in the blackout zone, it doesn't matter if the bar has a dish or not...they legally aren't allowed to carry the game and their receiver won't pick the game up anyway. I remember a long time ago that bars were getting fined for showing blacked out games....they were giving their satellite provider a false address so that they didn't get blacked out. A buddy of mine is a big Browns fan living in Hamburg and his DirecTV is registered to a Cleveland address...so he gets Cleveland local stations and all the Browns games.
BillsfaninFl Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 to be honest - the rogers center (formerly the skydome) is such a ****ty place to watch any sporting event (espcially football) that there is no way real fans in canada would pay to see a game there - with absolutly no atmosphere, no tailgating - if they could just drive a little bit to the ralph and experience the real deal plus people were really soured by the prices of the tickets initially it may have turned them off of the whole thing. and not to mention it is kindve a meaningless game. prediction - Bills 18 . Jets 10 I'll ignore your prediction. Keep in mind one thing. Rogers is "doing diligence." His group is learning things about the NFL business and product. If the group buys the franchise, they will probably build a domed stadium better than what just opened in Dallas and do a ton of things to make Toronto a football magnet. These people aren't stupid. What they are spending is peanuts compared to what they would spend if successful in getting the team. And what they would be spending is nothing compared to what profits they would be making. They have geographic and financial advantages to be exploited that could potentially make them the most profitable franchise in the league.
Flbillsfan#1 Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 I'll ignore your prediction. Keep in mind one thing. Rogers is "doing diligence." His group is learning things about the NFL business and product. If the group buys the franchise, they will probably build a domed stadium better than what just opened in Dallas and do a ton of things to make Toronto a football magnet. These people aren't stupid. What they are spending is peanuts compared to what they would spend if successful in getting the team. And what they would be spending is nothing compared to what profits they would be making. They have geographic and financial advantages to be exploited that could potentially make them the most profitable franchise in the league. If they outspend Jerry on the Stadium, it will take them YEARS just to break even.
rpcolosi Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 I'll ignore your prediction. Keep in mind one thing. Rogers is "doing diligence." His group is learning things about the NFL business and product. If the group buys the franchise, they will probably build a domed stadium better than what just opened in Dallas and do a ton of things to make Toronto a football magnet. These people aren't stupid. What they are spending is peanuts compared to what they would spend if successful in getting the team. And what they would be spending is nothing compared to what profits they would be making. They have geographic and financial advantages to be exploited that could potentially make them the most profitable franchise in the league. dude you are ridiculous. they built a mecca of a baseball stadium and where has that gotten them? just look at the bluejays to see how the bills would do long term there. you are going to try and bring ANOTHER sport that isn't one of their own there and say they'll be the most profitiable team in the league? ha ha ha... never will make more than the cowboys, steelers, bears, pats, jets, giants or eagles... not even close. Toronto is a bad fit for the NFL. period. end of story. It's a bad fit for baseball frankly. They have marketed the crap out of the jays, the skydome was revolutionary in 88, and ever since 94 its all been downhill. maybe other canadians on here can back me up - but toronto sports scene has become all about corporations - the leafs, jays, raptors all bow to the almighty club seats and suites. Sabres/Bills fan's dont understand this because we are insulated from it in our region. those teams charge a lot, bring in below average fans, and put out a below average product to keep revenue going (i think this will change with hte leafs, however not iwth the raptors or jays anytime soon). toronto may has as much money as many cities in america, but its not an AMERICAN city. Another hockey team there might do more good finanically then the Bills. Even those Canadiens who are die hard fans realize if Rogers buys the team - they won't be able to afford to go to the games just like they can't afford to go to Leafs games. Future scenario : Ralph gives it a good run until 97. Bills in Toronto runs out. Jaguars, Vikings, chargers or raides move to LA (most likely raiders). The ownership team of Jacobs, Bob Rich, Mark Hamister, Jim Kelly, etc buy the bills (Jacobs is primary with the others minority). Jimbo is ownership group liason/consultant with GM/Football operations. Bills win superbowl sometime before I die.
apuszczalowski Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 Sorry guys, I'm rooting for a blackout this time. Big time. If we prove Toronto isn't a viable market for an NFL franchise and Los Angeles gets the Jags, Chargers, or Raiders, the chances of the Bills staying in Buffalo improves dramatically. Looks like you'll have to go to the local bar to see the game...if it's even worth watching, that is. If there is no market available to take them, they will just fold. Its not like they are just going to continue to keep a team in the market and let them lose money if they can't find a new owner to keep them in Buffalo As for Toronto, the only losing sports team they support is the Leafs. Between Bills fans in Buffalo that refuse to support them when they aren't in buffalo, and Toronto fans not wanting to support a losing team at inflated prices, I'm not surprised they can't sell out. Also add in the fact that they know that this is being done to support a team somewhere else, not in Toronto, and Argo/Ticats fans in the area that are afraid that the NFL could come in and damage their league
thebug Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 If it's in the blackout zone, it doesn't matter if the bar has a dish or not...they legally aren't allowed to carry the game and their receiver won't pick the game up anyway. I remember a long time ago that bars were getting fined for showing blacked out games....they were giving their satellite provider a false address so that they didn't get blacked out. A buddy of mine is a big Browns fan living in Hamburg and his DirecTV is registered to a Cleveland address...so he gets Cleveland local stations and all the Browns games. What if they have purchased the NFL Sunday Ticket?
apuszczalowski Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 dude you are ridiculous. they built a mecca of a baseball stadium and where has that gotten them? just look at the bluejays to see how the bills would do long term there. you are going to try and bring ANOTHER sport that isn't one of their own there and say they'll be the most profitiable team in the league? ha ha ha... never will make more than the cowboys, steelers, bears, pats, jets, giants or eagles... not even close. Toronto is a bad fit for the NFL. period. end of story. It's a bad fit for baseball frankly. They have marketed the crap out of the jays, the skydome was revolutionary in 88, and ever since 94 its all been downhill. maybe other canadians on here can back me up - but toronto sports scene has become all about corporations - the leafs, jays, raptors all bow to the almighty club seats and suites. Sabres/Bills fan's dont understand this because we are insulated from it in our region. those teams charge a lot, bring in below average fans, and put out a below average product to keep revenue going (i think this will change with hte leafs, however not iwth the raptors or jays anytime soon). toronto may has as much money as many cities in america, but its not an AMERICAN city. Another hockey team there might do more good finanically then the Bills. Even those Canadiens who are die hard fans realize if Rogers buys the team - they won't be able to afford to go to the games just like they can't afford to go to Leafs games. Future scenario : Ralph gives it a good run until 97. Bills in Toronto runs out. Jaguars, Vikings, chargers or raides move to LA (most likely raiders). The ownership team of Jacobs, Bob Rich, Mark Hamister, Jim Kelly, etc buy the bills (Jacobs is primary with the others minority). Jimbo is ownership group liason/consultant with GM/Football operations. Bills win superbowl sometime before I die. Jays and Raptors attendance has been dwindling because of poor products being put out there. The Jays have been a .500 team for the last decade and their only hope of making the playoffs is to beat out the "evil empire" of the Yankees and Red Sox. If Toronto was successful in getting a team, AND they were competitive year in and year out, they would get support. The Leafs can be horrible and still sell out at high prices because of their tradition and it being Hockey.
thebug Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 Sorry guys, I'm rooting for a blackout this time. Big time. If we prove Toronto isn't a viable market for an NFL franchise and Los Angeles gets the Jags, Chargers, or Raiders, the chances of the Bills staying in Buffalo improves dramatically. Looks like you'll have to go to the local bar to see the game...if it's even worth watching, that is. These games not selling out does nothing to prove that Toronto is not a viable city for the NFL. What people fail to take into consideration is that people in Toronto don't care about the Buffalo Bills (die hard Bills fans excluded).
apuszczalowski Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 These games not selling out does nothing to prove that Toronto is not a viable city for the NFL. What people fail to take into consideration is that people in Toronto don't care about the Buffalo Bills (die hard Bills fans excluded). They would if it was a winning team whose name started with Toronto
sfladave Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 What if they have purchased the NFL Sunday Ticket? Still blacked-out! In fact I believe if a bar does show a game when it is blacked-out and they are caught they get a fine in the range of $250,000.
The_Philster Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 What if they have purchased the NFL Sunday Ticket? doesn't matter...still blacked out http://support.directv.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1670
erikturk Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 toronto, ontario, or canadian gov will not subsidize the construction of a modern NFL facility, ala ford field, lucas oil or cowboy stadium. No new stadium - no nfl team. After Skydome (built for over 500 million) sold to rogers for like $25 million, the public support won't be there. The only justification might be if there were an upcoming olympics, but I think that chicago would be bidding big for 2024, so no new stadium. However, some Toronto guys just bought a stadium in Pontiac....
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