Top 10 teams facing major stadium issues

[PromoTheRobot]

Yep. Gotta have a market for the luxury boxes. To my knowledge, our luxury box seating has been filled, but there is scant additional demand. If there was more demand, my guess is the Bills and county/state would add those seats. RWS is rather genius in that it is 2/3 underground and can be refurbished rather easily.

Just because some hack writer says something doesn't make it a fact. There is no more money in luxury boxes but the Bills can tap additional revenues from regular stadium goers by constructing special in-stadium clubs, similar to the Jim Kelly club, where people, if they choose, can spend more on better food and drink and maybe table service. They could also still raise ticket prices a few percent.

 

PTR

[billsfreak]

I don't think the stadium is as much of an issue as the ownership after Ralph is gone. I understand they are related but .....

I think the stadium may become a big excuse for a new owner justifying moving out of Buffalo. It isn't that bad from the average fan's persepective, but with limited space and luxury boxes, it doesn't bring in the revenue that other stadiums do, or that a new owner would most likely expect.

[clearwater cadet]

It's mind blowing on much the NFL has changed in 20 years. The NFL doesn't want the blue coller die hard fan that has a opinion on what the team does. They don't fans who are going to tail gate in the parking lot, and not buy food inside the stadium. They want us to eventually buy the games on pay-per-view.

 

What the NFL wants are the large business who will pay for overpriced tickets, 5 years in advance, which they can use as tax or business expenses. They want those business to all buy their food and drinks inside the stadium so they can pay $100.00 for a cheese pizza, etc. (like in dallas). They want these business because they really don't care how the team plays, they don't boo, they don't get too wild. There low maintance customers (not even fans) who will pay.

 

I've been to several different stadiums, I think the Ralph is one of the best. I really don't know what the food is like, usually I tail gate before, so i don't really buy anything with the exception of a coke every now and then, but it easy to travel in and out of. The view from all the seats is good, plenty of parking. The only thing that bad about the Ralph is the 22 year old power drinker's that are passed out by 1st qtr and /or loss control. I would be willing to pay an extra 10-15 bucks a game if it help's improve the play on the field.

[ChasBB]

We are #5

 

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/lists/top-10-...;photo=11191288

Not a single stadium is so bad a game cannot be played there, so I don't get the term "major stadium issues". Unless a stadium is literally falling down, then all issues are minor. We have a great stadium and don't f'ing let anyone tell us otherwise. We'll regain our old home field advantage like the early 90's!!

[MarkyMannn]

Excellent point! Most cities that can support the NFL have a team in place.

 

So long as you are talking US cities. There is a whole new stream of revenuce for the NFL outside the USA. That's why they are testing the water in toronto, London, Mexico City, etc

[rpcolosi]

We are #5

 

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/lists/top-10-...;photo=11191288

 

 

we dont have a stadium issue... the ralph is just fine and its free at this point except for yearly improvements. why get into a crisis like minnesota or SD is about to have? in 5-10 more do another overhaul.

[Whites Bay]

yea really, after L A and possibly san antonio, where will all these franchises go? let these billionaires make it with what is in place!give L A a freakin team (other than the bills) and be done with it!, how much do these owners want to bleed fans and taxpayers?

 

I've said it a couple of times before, and I'll say it a few more times. Good friggin' luck at prying San Antonio loose from Jerry Jones. San Antonio is to Dallas as Rochester is to Buffalo. It's Jones' back yard, and I seriously doubt the NFL is going to take him on. It's not that I think he's omnipotent, but, man, I tell ya...come 4:00 and time to switch to the late game on Fox, let me give you a hint what team has the slot....

[BillsVet]

we dont have a stadium issue... the ralph is just fine and its free at this point except for yearly improvements. why get into a crisis like minnesota or SD is about to have? in 5-10 more do another overhaul.

 

The NFL is an 8 Billion dollar a year business with 32 distinct franchises and building league revenue is their goal. New stadiums are the best way to accomplish this objective and as a result, the NFL is willing to loan teams like NYJ/NYG 300M (150M per team max) to help construct because it's a league investment as much as it is a team one. One of the issues underneath the NFL surface is the debt ratio some teams are carrying to get new digs while salaries continue to increase.

 

The league is encouraging the building of new stadiums as a long term investment in the NFL as a whole. This is big picture stuff, and so the average fan goes to RWS and doesn't see an issue. But the average fan isn't sitting at 280 Park making decisions either.

[iinii]

yea really, after L A and possibly san antonio, where will all these franchises go? let these billionaires make it with what is in place!give L A a freakin team (other than the bills) and be done with it!, how much do these owners want to bleed fans and taxpayers?

bleed out comes to mind

[dwight in philly]

bleed out comes to mind

?

[stuckincincy]

Not a single stadium is so bad a game cannot be played there, so I don't get the term "major stadium issues". Unless a stadium is literally falling down, then all issues are minor. We have a great stadium and don't f'ing let anyone tell us otherwise. We'll regain our old home field advantage like the early 90's!!

 

Every now and then when I lived in PGH, I'd hear or read something about the sad shape of Three Rivers Stadium. I was a big Pirates fan - wife 'n me probably averaged 40 games a season. I don't recall seeing any spalling concrete, any structural columns showing evidence of rebar corrosion etc.

 

Three Rivers was a fine ballpark - the "in the round" construction had great sight lines no matter where one sat. Sometimes, we'd park up in Mt. Washington, ride the incline down to Carson St. and take the ferry across the Ohio river. Other times, we'd park in what is called the "Mexican War" district, north and adjacent to Three Rivers.

[Offside Number 76]

Just because some hack writer says something doesn't make it a fact. There is no more money in luxury boxes but the Bills can tap additional revenues from regular stadium goers by constructing special in-stadium clubs, similar to the Jim Kelly club, where people, if they choose, can spend more on better food and drink and maybe table service. They could also still raise ticket prices a few percent.

 

PTR

 

That would be a great move. The food at the Ralph is horrible--reminds me of airport snack bars from the 1970s. (Of course, both the Ralph today and the airport snack bars in the 70s are associated with the same company, so this is not a surprise.) Alcoholic beverage choices seem limited to "regular" and "light," and they could definitely make some bucks off of premium coffees in the winter.

[ax4782]

It's mind blowing on much the NFL has changed in 20 years. The NFL doesn't want the blue coller die hard fan that has a opinion on what the team does. They don't fans who are going to tail gate in the parking lot, and not buy food inside the stadium. They want us to eventually buy the games on pay-per-view.

 

What the NFL wants are the large business who will pay for overpriced tickets, 5 years in advance, which they can use as tax or business expenses. They want those business to all buy their food and drinks inside the stadium so they can pay $100.00 for a cheese pizza, etc. (like in dallas). They want these business because they really don't care how the team plays, they don't boo, they don't get too wild. There low maintance customers (not even fans) who will pay.

 

I've been to several different stadiums, I think the Ralph is one of the best. I really don't know what the food is like, usually I tail gate before, so i don't really buy anything with the exception of a coke every now and then, but it easy to travel in and out of. The view from all the seats is good, plenty of parking. The only thing that bad about the Ralph is the 22 year old power drinker's that are passed out by 1st qtr and /or loss control. I would be willing to pay an extra 10-15 bucks a game if it help's improve the play on the field.

 

For a minute, I was picturing the NFL being like a home game for the Leafs. I don't think it will ever go this far, but there is not question that the owners want more revenue, except for a few, like RW and Paul Brown who have fought to keep revenue sharing and against some of the owner first changes from coming about. With the owners having this kind of attitude, would it really surprise anyone if there was a labor strike next year, just to send a message to these guys?

[CowgirlsFan]

I've said it a couple of times before, and I'll say it a few more times. Good friggin' luck at prying San Antonio loose from Jerry Jones. San Antonio is to Dallas as Rochester is to Buffalo. It's Jones' back yard, and I seriously doubt the NFL is going to take him on. It's not that I think he's omnipotent, but, man, I tell ya...come 4:00 and time to switch to the late game on Fox, let me give you a hint what team has the slot....

 

 

I will agree with your comparison. San Antonio has supported the Cowboys for many years.

It is where the Cowboys hold their training camp each year. I don't think the NFL will ever

have another team in the state of Texas. I will agree on the 4:00 time but during those years

the team went 5-11 a few times it played many 1:00 games.

[Bob in STL]

Bills - Ralph Wilson Stadium

A stadium with one of the NFL’s largest seating capacities (73,967) is also among the smallest in overall square feet. The Bills would benefit from a stadium with fewer traditional seats and more club/luxury areas. Such a project wouldn’t be considered while 91-year-old Ralph Wilson still owns the team. There is a chance new ownership would consider leaving Buffalo for a more lucrative market.

 

Which would price the average fan out of the stadium, causing less attendance, and better chance of the Bills leaving.

 

You are correct, more luxury seats that no one in Buffalo can afford!?? Whoever wrote that article does not know squat. There are not enough big corporations in Buffalo to carry the load.

 

Tha game belongs to the fans, and I mean the real ones that actually follow the game. Surely not the people who got tickets one Sunday afternoon because they work for a Fortune 500 company. I work at Boeing in St. Louis. After the fat cats scarf up the club level tickets we give a certain number of tickets to employees that "do a good job". Many of them could care less about the Rams but they go because it is so expensive otherwise. When the Rams were winning a lot there where less tickets available for the working people. I am sure it is like that in many of the big cities.

 

I hate the way things have changed in the NFL. Buffalo is one of the last places that "normal people" can afford to watch a game. Every time someone on this board rips Ralph Wilson I cringe because of that simple fact. I bring my sons to Buffalo every year to watch a game.

 

Bring back the 70's please!!!!

[Dr. Trooth]

There is a chance new ownership would consider leaving Buffalo for a more lucrative market.

 

 

OK... and just where is that? And how many millions would need to sunk into building a stadium?

 

Hmmm... a new owner would need to pony up at least $900 million to buy the Bills, and then sink at least that kind of coin to build a "state of the art" or "cutting edge" playground.

 

Yeah... let's see if we can get Goldman Sachs or Citi Bank to write that loan... and see if Marsh would float that bond.

 

Ain't gonna F'in happen folks.

[The_Philster]

OK... and just where is that? And how many millions would need to sunk into building a stadium?

 

Hmmm... a new owner would need to pony up at least $900 million to buy the Bills, and then sink at least that kind of coin to build a "state of the art" or "cutting edge" playground.

 

Yeah... let's see if we can get Goldman Sachs or Citi Bank to write that loan... and see if Marsh would float that bond.

 

Ain't gonna F'in happen folks.

you left out the relocation fee which would also be over half a billion dollars