Munch Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4805579 Schumer: Bills not eyeing relocation BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer has been reassured by Bills owner Ralph Wilson that he has no intention of entertaining offers to relocate the team to Los Angeles. In a statement released Thursday, the New York Democrat said Wilson told him by phone that he's had no contact with a real estate firm seeking to lure a team to L.A. Even if contacted, Wilson would have "absolutely no consideration of entertaining" any offers, Schumer said. This week, Majestic Realty Co. targeted as many as seven NFL franchises -- including the Bills -- as potential candidates to play in a new stadium some 25 miles east of Los Angeles. The Bills have secured their hold in western New York by signing a $78 million deal to play annual games in Toronto. Sorry LA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Damn, that's good news. Thanks for finding this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delete This Account Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 since he had Mr. Wilson on the phone, you'd think Charles would've asked about who the Bills next coach might be. sheesh! jw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucci Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Sorry to keep bringing this up but if Ralph wanted to move the team he would have done it back in the '60's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mob16151 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Did he mention a succession plan in that phone call? Did he,did he? Till I hear about that I'll continue to worry just a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsZubaz Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 I may not always agree with Schumer, but I LOVE that he continually goes to bat for Buffalo Bills fans. He also gave a great speech at my college graduation ceremony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike in Syracuse Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 since he had Mr. Wilson on the phone, you'd think Charles would've asked about who the Bills next coach might be.sheesh! jw Just because he didn't say anything about it doesn't mean old Ralphie didn't tell him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delete This Account Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Just because he didn't say anything about it doesn't mean old Ralphie didn't tell him. well, if Charles wanted to make headlines, that would've been the route to go. jw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdog1960 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 well, if Charles wanted to make headlines, that would've been the route to go. jw this...but this is very savvy politically. He continues to solidify the bills nation's backing and can blame ralph if it goes bad. btw I'm on his side on most issues, go chuck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EasternOHBillsFan Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 SO WHAT?! This news means diddly squat in the grand scheme of things... Ralph will not own the team for too much longer, and who pray then will have enough cash to keep the team in Buffalo? Not too many... this is fluff news and not worth a darn to me. I want the NFL to guarantee we don't leave.. THEN that is real news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munch Posted January 7, 2010 Author Share Posted January 7, 2010 I got a feeling Jimbo is gonna be the owner once Ralph is gone. He has been around alot lately...maybe learning the ropes from Ralphie a little bit? We will see in the near future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobillsinytown Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 SO WHAT?! This news means diddly squat in the grand scheme of things... Ralph will not own the team for too much longer, and who pray then will have enough cash to keep the team in Buffalo? Not too many... this is fluff news and not worth a darn to me. I want the NFL to guarantee we don't leave.. THEN that is real news. The whole thing is fluff news. The initial report of some real estate agent "targeting" seven NFL franchises is a publicity stunt to get some attention, guaranteeing lots of reaction by the fans of the "targeted" teams. But in the age of internet pay per clicks, lots of attention is just what the guy wants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SF Bills Fan Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I'd feel better if Schumer were a billionaire that wanted to own a team in WNY, but this is exactly what I suspected when I saw the idiotic article yesterday. The LA people might want to target teams that want to move or need to move. The Bills are neither. If Ralph wanted the Bills to be in LA, he would take them there himself and realize the jump in value. As it is, he is happy to keep them in Buffalo where they enjoy great support and make money playing in a stadium that has ZERO debt load. These LA guys are desperate to buy a team from a smaller market that does not cost as much, because they will need to pay off the debt on that stadium and if they are forced to pony up for expansion team, it will be over a billion for the team alone. They might no be able to pay that much for a stadium and team. Good luck LA a**holes. You are not getting the Bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CardinalScotts Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I've mentioned that more than a few times Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsVet Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 well, if Charles wanted to make headlines, that would've been the route to go. jw They say the most dangerous place to be in DC is between Chuck Schumer and a camera. Not my words, but a big thanks to old Chuck for telling us what we already know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spartacus Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 and Nick Saban will not be the Alabama head coach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobillsinytown Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 and Nick Saban will not be the Alabama head coach And Jerry Jones wouldn't think of spending so much money on a stadium that it will affect his football operations. No matter what team lands in LA, they're landing there with a pile of debt, something that's very expensive right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
47Yards Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I may not always agree with Schumer, but I LOVE that he continually goes to bat for Buffalo Bills fans. He also gave a great speech at my college graduation ceremony. Geneseo 04? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisyphean Bills Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Did anyone hold a press conference to announce that water is wet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrudginglyPessimistic Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 SO WHAT?! This news means diddly squat in the grand scheme of things... Ralph will not own the team for too much longer, and who pray then will have enough cash to keep the team in Buffalo? Not too many... this is fluff news and not worth a darn to me. I want the NFL to guarantee we don't leave.. THEN that is real news. A so what is that Schumer sees enough of a % in currying good favor with WNYers (and actually NYS taxpayers as a whole as the Bills are the only NFL team which plays games and collects sales tax on tickets in NYS since both the Gints and the Jests play in NJ). Schumer's expressed interest in keeping the team here really opens the door to the same card politicians in Cleveland played to avoid the initial fate of Colts fans of seeing their team move out of town by threatening the NFLs limited antitrust exemption if they leave Buffalo (and NYS) twisting in the wind by moving the team. Though some refuse to acknowledge it, threats to this exemption is a real tool to get the NFL not to simply screw the Bills. Will it be a tough fight when Mr. Ralph dies and there may be a high bidder with big bucks from LA or Qatsr? You bet it will ne. However, the idiot politicians in Cleveland (ranked as the third poorest city in America beating out even Buffalo for poverty) gave showed the idiot WNY politicos a card to play which gives them some power in this tough battle. Add to this tool, that though Mr. Ralph says this property will go to the highest bidder, while his will and wishes are powerful tools he will be inconveniently dead and other voices will have a say in this outcome. For example, while the team may in fact go to the highest bidder as Mr. Ralph tries to direct, the reality is the team will only be sold to the highest APPROVED bidder, Thus even if some swami from Qatar will offer the largest did for the team which he as owner plans to now call them the Dubai Bin Ladens, if he is unable to get the approval of 75% of the owners the high bidder is not gonna get the team. Eveyone knows that NFL owners generally vote to go where the money is. This is the reason why Mr. Ralph got outvoted so badly in accepting the current CBA. Yes, principle dictated that the CBA be voted down by the owners as Gene Upshaw and the NFLPA set the terms (as negotiations began Upshaw said the deal needed to include the entire gross receipts and no designated gross was acceptabel, Further he declared the new CBA needed to guarantee the players % cut of the total receipts needed to start with a 6. The NFL met this dictate by accepting a salary cap which dedicated 60.5% of the gross to the players. What folks need to realize is that the NFL owners realized 40% of a ton of money better than even 1000% of nothing unless they made a deal. They caved. Likewise the individual owner cut of a transfer fee if the Bills are sold and move is likely 1/31st of a the tramsfer cost. This amount of money though huge to us normal folk is really chump change compared to $ bought in by the antitrust exemption, by there being a lot more # with the league focusing on stability with existing markets while it expands overseas. I am virtually certain the Bills will not move while Mr. Ralph lives and even after he dies the betting should be on stability rather than change. It will be a tough fight but Buffalo can win it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts