Homey D. Clown Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 I had mentioned several months ago in one of these threads that Golisano had made a statement like this, but to respond to some comments about ralph wilson, I think it's not rational to look at what he did to keep the team in Buffalo in the past, but rather what is he doing now. What he is doing now is holding on to his team till he passes, and not planning on anything other than an auction to the highest bidder. That doesn't sound like a great plan to me, and if you think this team has no chance of relocating, you're seriously kidding yourselves. It's great to keep a positive outlook on what will happen post ralph, but it really drives me nuts when I hear and read people saying Ralph is doing what he can to ensure this team stays here. Make no mistake about it, the only thing he is ensuring is that his survivors don't get hit with capital gains taxes, sorry of the truth rains on your optimism. The best I can do with this situation is hope for the best, but expect the worst, but I am in now way thanking Ralph any longer.
section122 Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 I have long felt that the threat of the bills moving is simply a marketing strategy. It holds the fans hostage so no matter how poor the product we must continue to buy tickets. This is not to say that there is a real threat of them moving depending on who ends up buying the team.
thewildrabbit Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 I have long felt that the threat of the bills moving is simply a marketing strategy. It holds the fans hostage so no matter how poor the product we must continue to buy tickets. This is not to say that there is a real threat of them moving depending on who ends up buying the team. What owner would not go all out to win a SB when he knows he doesn't have much time left, perhaps someone who cares more about financial stability then winning? Anyway, I feel his legacy as a Bills owner will be forever tarnished by the devoted fans who loved him so much for keeping the team here, because he doesn't care what happens once he passes.
RTW2012 Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 Mark Gaughn, a sportswriter for the Buffalo News, recently stated that the current owner of the Bills has a succession plan, the same one he has had for years. It is "sold to the highest bidder" plan. If Gaughan said that recently, I think most of us here would have heard it, with a couple thousand posts breaking it down. If you have a link to this statement, please enlighten us.
Scrappy Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 Highest bidder is the last known stance but that was years ago & no one can produce a written statement as to how this is to be played by Ralph.
CodeMonkey Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 Highest bidder is the last known stance but that was years ago & no one can produce a written statement as to how this is to be played by Ralph. I figure Mr. Wilsons heirs will sell to the lowest bidder. No one outside of Mr. Wilsons inner circle knows for sure. It makes sense that the highest bidder would get it. But they might give preference to a local bidder who wants to keep the team local out of respect for Mr. Wilson. But then again the other NFL owners have a say in the matter as well. Bottom line is when Mr. Wilson passes we will find out. All these incessant threads about the subject are a huge waste of time.
Doc Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 If Gaughan said that recently, I think most of us here would have heard it, with a couple thousand posts breaking it down. If you have a link to this statement, please enlighten us. Gaughan made that unsubstantiated, if not fabricated, claim years ago, and recently someone else parroted it.
BuffaloWest Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 Trust me, I hope you're entirely correct. It's all hunches at this point. I personally think Ralph thinks his legacy is cemented as the HOF Owner of the Bills. Whatever happens after him doesn't concern himself. Yes it does matter. People want to be remembered for the good things they did while they were alive, or the positive impact they made. If Ralph left Buffalo out to dry after he passes , he knows damn well his name would be forever sullied, his family would be hated, his likeness would probably also be burned in effigy for about 100 years...On the other hand if he has a plan to keep them in WNY when he does pass an dthey stay indefinetely , there will be a bronze statue erected in his honor and he will be remembered with admiration for decades. He cares what happens as much as we all do. If he could announce a plan - maybe he would, but there is a ton of posturing and bluffing going on to swing things in his favor (negotiation wise). Bills are staying in WNY....
JohnC Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 If Gaughan said that recently, I think most of us here would have heard it, with a couple thousand posts breaking it down. If you have a link to this statement, please enlighten us. http://blogs.buffalonews.com/sully_on_sports/2011/07/live-chat-with-sully-at-1-live-video-at-2.html I went back on the video portion where Gaughan entered the discussion but had problems with it running. Maybe you will have better luck. The transcript of the video portion of the chat was very incomplete. The owner has made it clear that as long as he owns the team it will stay in Buffalo. He won't answer the question of what will happen when he passes. Take a guess! http://www.footballnewsnow.com/2011/los-angeles-bills-nfls-road-back-to-l-a-could-go-through-buffalo/
stony Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 Yes it does matter. People want to be remembered for the good things they did while they were alive, or the positive impact they made. If Ralph left Buffalo out to dry after he passes , he knows damn well his name would be forever sullied, his family would be hated, his likeness would probably also be burned in effigy for about 100 years...On the other hand if he has a plan to keep them in WNY when he does pass an dthey stay indefinetely , there will be a bronze statue erected in his honor and he will be remembered with admiration for decades. He cares what happens as much as we all do. If he could announce a plan - maybe he would, but there is a ton of posturing and bluffing going on to swing things in his favor (negotiation wise). Bills are staying in WNY.... I'll say this again, I hope you're 100% right. However, for you to think what is going on in his head is borderline ridiculous. He lives and breathes w/ every single thing Bill's related. That's why he has been so meddlesome all these years. For all we know, he has a clause in his will that directs his family to cut ties w/ the franchise upon his passing. I'm generally an optimist regarding the future of the Bill's, so don't take this as an a-hole argument. Just trying to provide an opposite viewpoint. As far as his family being hated, I think the 1 billion before taxes they pocket will fix this problem. Rich people move in circles that could care less what happens to the rest. I hope I am wrong, and very well think I am. Personally, I think it's 70/30 Bills stay. It just won't broadside me if it does indeed happen one day.
SRQ_BillsFan Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 I keep holding out hope that he has found some loophole where he gives the team to the city when he dies. He doesn't want to say whet he is doing so they don't close the loophole. Hey I can dream can't I
Doc Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 http://blogs.buffalonews.com/sully_on_sports/2011/07/live-chat-with-sully-at-1-live-video-at-2.html I went back on the video portion where Gaughan entered the discussion but had problems with it running. Maybe you will have better luck. The transcript of the video portion of the chat was very incomplete. The owner has made it clear that as long as he owns the team it will stay in Buffalo. He won't answer the question of what will happen when he passes. Take a guess! http://www.footballnewsnow.com/2011/los-angeles-bills-nfls-road-back-to-l-a-could-go-through-buffalo/ Doesn't really tell us much, other than Gaughan is still clinging to his "the team will be sold to the highest bidder" belief, which Sullivan parrots in that "footballnewsnow" article, and that neither of them know Ralph's true succession plan.
bruceisloose78 Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 Ralph has friends and family that work within the bills organization. Do you think he would want to leave them all jobless when he dies? I dont think so. I hope he has a plan but if he doesn't it is assuring to hear another wealthy business owner express that he cares about the long term future of the bills in buffalo. If the bills ever left I would cry, poop my pants, and lock myself in my room for years. I love this team
RTW2012 Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 http://blogs.buffalonews.com/sully_on_sports/2011/07/live-chat-with-sully-at-1-live-video-at-2.html I went back on the video portion where Gaughan entered the discussion but had problems with it running. Maybe you will have better luck. The transcript of the video portion of the chat was very incomplete. The owner has made it clear that as long as he owns the team it will stay in Buffalo. He won't answer the question of what will happen when he passes. Take a guess! http://www.footballnewsnow.com/2011/los-angeles-bills-nfls-road-back-to-l-a-could-go-through-buffalo/ At the 10 min mark Sullivan asks Gaughan if he has inside knowledge of Ralph's succession plan. Gaughan said he has no insight based on his access to Ralph. Outside of Ralph, his family, his lawyers, and maybe a few people in upper management (Russ), no one else knows what exactly will happen with the team. Anyone outside that circle is merely guessing.
Ronin Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 Well it's me being rational. If Ralph was okay with them leaving, then why wouldn't he have just sold them years ago and make money while he was actually still alive? OTOH, if he's so committed to having them in Buffalo, then why hasn't he even reciprocated the efforts of Golisano and others that have expressed the desire to keep it in Buffalo too? The easiest way to keep the team in Buffalo, while reducing the chances of a sale to a team that may not do so if it passes after his death, and to circumvent any future meddling by his family members, all of whom are on record now stating that they do not want the team, would be to sell it to new ownership, or even arrange such a sale while keeping him honorary (or real) owner until such a time as it is no longer expedient, now, while he is alive. Yet, he refuses to do so. Unless he's protecting us from some fugly truth, something that I doubt, I doubt that he cares what happens after he's gone.
JohnC Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 Doesn't really tell us much, other than Gaughan is still clinging to his "the team will be sold to the highest bidder" belief, which Sullivan parrots in that "footballnewsnow" article, and that neither of them know Ralph's true succession plan. If you want to believe that the Bills are going to be sold to a lower local bidder then that is your prerogative. Odds are very strong that a 92 yr old owner who is known for the stringent way he has managed his franchise for half a century is not going to act out of character. Mr. Ralph has lived for almost a century. He is who he is. The owner has been very explicit in his expressions that the team will remain in western NY as long as he owns the team. He refuses to say what happens afterwards. As I stated to the other poster you can believe what you want. My belief is that it is going to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. If a local bidder is the highest it stays. If not it will probably be moved.
PromoTheRobot Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 Based on how he ran the Sabres with his lapdog Larry Quinn, I don't get very excited at the thought of those two running the Bills. You think Ralph is cheap? PTR
SF Bills Fan Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 I don't think that people realize that Oakland is in a similar situation as the Bills. When Al Davis goes- he is 82 and not looking to well lately- the Raiders will likely be sold. He has a son Marc, but it is likely they will face the same problems with estate taxes that Ralph's heirs would. It is unlikely he would be able to hold on to the team. The siuation is shakier for them because they are having stadium issues and they have problems with support, so I would not be surprised at all if they were purchased and brought back to LA. So root for Al to go soon. I think many Raiders fans already are.
Doc Posted July 20, 2011 Posted July 20, 2011 If you want to believe that the Bills are going to be sold to a lower local bidder then that is your prerogative. Odds are very strong that a 92 yr old owner who is known for the stringent way he has managed his franchise for half a century is not going to act out of character. Mr. Ralph has lived for almost a century. He is who he is. The owner has been very explicit in his expressions that the team will remain in western NY as long as he owns the team. He refuses to say what happens afterwards. As I stated to the other poster you can believe what you want. My belief is that it is going to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. If a local bidder is the highest it stays. If not it will probably be moved. Fine. We'll believe what we want to believe.
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