Dear Mr. Brandon--the Toronto series must go

[marauderswr80]

If they cancel this Toronto series....

 

Us fans need to step up ans sell out the Miami game! We have to do our part.

 

I'm frustrated too, but lets show why we are the best fans in the NFL.

[FireChan]

When the Bills play at home in December, they absolutely have an advantage. If you can't see that, then this argument is pointless.. I'm not talking about selling out games this year BTW, I'm talking about in the Super Bowl and playoff years, we had no problem selling out home games in December. As for it being a neutral site, I completely disagree with your premise. Playing in Toronto is a hostile environment for the Bills. The fans in Toronto do not want these games and those that go do so to make things miserable for the Bills. The hockey rivalry carries over and the fans will root for anyone but Buffalo. The series is a disaster and needs to be done away with. If fans in Toronto want an NFL team, then let them get their own. And again, even if the Falcons game had not sold out in Buffalo the atmosphere would have been absolutely 100% better than the abomination that is playing a game in Toronto. And yes, it does have something to do with the outcome. The Atlanta Falcons, down 14-0 at the Ralph in December absolutely would not have come back and won that game. Playing a dome team in a dome when you can play them outside in the cold is just plain stupid.

 

Letting a team comeback and win a game never happens to the Bills? Is that a serious statement?

[26CornerBlitz]

If they cancel this Toronto series....

 

Us fans need to step up ans sell out the Miami game! We have to do our part.

 

I'm frustrated too, but lets show why we are the best fans in the NFL.

 

If a cancellation does actually come to fruition, it certainly will not be executed within the next two weeks.

[zow2]

Sounds like Brandon will evaluate the Toronto series after the season. You can tell he sounds PO'd about the support up there (a challenge) and the poor record in games there. On the flip side he said the Bills need to remain viable and they had to "manufacture" 3 sell outs so far and most likely a 4th.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Dear Mr. Brandon:

 

When you took over full control of the franchise earlier this year, one statement you echoed throughout was "doing everything in your power to bring a championship football team to Buffalo."

 

Yet Mr. Brandon, I find this laughable in the midst of the worst decision a Bills executive has ever made for this franchise by giving up 1 home game a year during the regular season to a city that could care less about our proud franchise.

 

Yes Mr. Brandon, you heard me. The City of Toronto could care less. They showed it through their attendance, through their in-game reaction and participation, the condition of the field, and they even showed it through the multiple jerseys the fans were wearing from other teams.

 

The sports writers in Buffalo don't understand it, and can clearly see how losing 1 game a year in the Ralph is a clear disadvantage for a franchise whose each and every home game is critical for a playoff run. The sports writers in Toronto straight up disrespect our proud franchise, making cases through their columns as to why Toronto would even want a "sorry" and “losing” team like the Bills in their city. Yet you could care less who disgraces us.

 

Bills fans hate it, the coaches and players I can tell loathe playing in front of an indifferent crowd “at home”. There are only three people that LOVE this relationship, and that's the people that make money off of it. That's you, Edward Rogers, and MLSE exec Larry Tanenbaum who puts this on in the hopes that one day they steal this proud franchise from the hearts of its fans….with you cheering all along the way.

 

The series is a disgrace, and you should be ashamed of robbing your fans and football team of every advantage possible that makes EVERY GAME so critical every year. Did you even listen to the Falcons post game comments, saying how it felt like a home game, how they could hear the fans cheering for them, all the Atlanta jerseys they saw, and how it helped them feel “more at home in a dome?”

 

Did that make you smile playing such an accommodating host???

 

You don't care, do you Mr. Brandon? Of course not. You'll give us some corporate bologna about how you want to "bring the game to Canada" and "spread the Bills brand across the border and beyond". That's all crap. The only reason why you do it is for money. Just be up front about it. The crowds are declining, interest is falling, the result is awful…and you don’t care. Let’s extend another 30 years! Let’s decrease our games at the Ralph to 7 home games, 6 home games. Heck, let’s play them all in Toronto! Perhaps you should promote a Peyton Manning Jersey give away at the gate. That should increase attendance!!!

 

So the next time you pull up in front of a microphone Mr. Brandon and talk about how “it’s all about bringing a championship football team to Buffalo” be sure to place your hand behind your back and cross your fingers to form a dollar sign. Remember that you are robbing your football team of a competitive advantage that 95% of all NFL teams have (minus those that have to play a “home” game in London once every 10-15 years....not EVERY YEAR!).

 

If you care about the Bills and its fans, stop this Toronto series immediately. It's deplorable. The players, writers, and fans in both cities know it. And you know it too.

 

Give the Bills every advantage they can have to be successful. Give us 8 high energy home games.

 

Anything else is a clear indication that winning isn't important to you, and will lend zero credibility to any comments you say to the contrary.

 

Thank you for your time.

 

AMEN AND AMEN!!!

 

Sounds like Brandon will evaluate the Toronto series after the season. You can tell he sounds PO'd about the support up there (a challenge) and the poor record in games there. On the flip side he said the Bills need to remain viable and they had to "manufacture" 3 sell outs so far and most likely a 4th.

 

Winning takes care of sell outs.

 

Where did he say he would reevaluate it?

[xsoldier54]

Letting a team comeback and win a game never happens to the Bills? Is that a serious statement?

Exactly where in my statement did you read this? What I said was in this instance, I don't believe the Falcons rally in the cold and rain and wipe out a 14 point deficit if the game is played in Buffalo in December. That is my opinion and I am not alone. If you can't understand that playing a dome team in a dome in December gives them a decided advantage, particularly when the majority of the crowd is rooting against the "home" team then again it is pointless to argue with you.

[zow2]

AMEN AND AMEN!!!

 

 

 

Winning takes care of sell outs.

 

Where did he say he would reevaluate it?

 

In his interview on WGR today. When asked about the Toronto series, he said they will review all aspects of their business operations including Toronto. Howard tried to push him into answering if they could cancel the series and Brandon wouldn't budge...he just said they will be reviewing it.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

In his interview on WGR today. When asked about the Toronto series, he said they will review all aspects of their business operations including Toronto. Howard tried to push him into answering if they could cancel the series and Brandon wouldn't budge...he just said they will be reviewing it.

 

cool thanks

[A Dog Named Kelso]

Just another year where we go 6-10. Hey, let's make the argument we'd be 7-9 with another home game.

 

This. While I am not a fan of the Toronto series, the way to fix it is to win. That will create fans of the team in Toronto and make it a home field atmosphere. The problem is the team doesn't with enough of the other 15 games it has every year.

 

Of course, winning would fix all sorts of ills.

[xsoldier54]

This. While I am not a fan of the Toronto series, the way to fix it is to win. That will create fans of the team in Toronto and make it a home field atmosphere. The problem is the team doesn't with enough of the other 15 games it has every year.

 

Of course, winning would fix all sorts of ills.

Calling BS on this one. Toronto fans are hockey fans and they hate Buffalo. It wouldn't make any difference if the Bills were undefeated, they would still root against them because they are !@#$s.

[Mango]

From a fan standpoint, I want all the games at the Ralph, from a marketing perspective, I think you keep the game, but give the season ticket holders comparable tickets at the Rogers Center. If there are too many season ticket holders, then set a bench mark, 5 or 10 year consecutive season ticket holders are given comparable seats to the Toronto game. I think that will help the vibe bit.

 

Still don't like it though

[Campy]

Letting a team comeback and win a game never happens to the Bills? Is that a serious statement?

 

He never said the Bills never allowed a team to come back to beat them. He obviously meant that he felt the Falcons, already eliminated from the playoffs, from a Georgian "dome home" and playing outdoors in WNY in December wouldn't have come back.

 

If you are going to attack his position, go for it. Just leave Aunt Sally the Straw Man (look it up) out of it.

[Bufcomments]

Even tho T.O. is my fav city in the world I hate the Toronto series. Main reason is it takes a game away from the Ralph. The players don't like it, the fans here in the B-Lo don't like it and it seems the so - called fans in Toronto don't care for it.

 

The only way this could work is to count this game as a road game in the schedule.

 

Otherwise get rid of it.

[KOKBILLS]

This series is an utter joke. Few fans show up, and the cheers seemed to be louder for Atlanta than Buffalo yesterday. Someone from the News should do a story on the frantic efforts on game days to herd human bodies into the stadium.

 

Everyone I talk to seems to agree with this...The Bills can paint whatever rosy picture they want about the Toronto game, the fans, and how they were cheering for the "home" team...But some things are glaringly obvious on TV...The first thing I noticed was the empty seats followed closely by how quiet it was when Ryan was calling out the plays and adjustments...You could here him plain as day...There was virtually no crowd noise when Atlanta had the ball, and that is a massive part of home field advantage...Especially when you have one of the NFL's best Defenses at sacking the QB...If winning truly is the most important thing to Russ and The Bills, then the fact that we are all but giving up Home Field advantage for one game per year may be enough to change the organizations philosophy on this stupid game...

 

When a team 900 miles south of Buffalo is getting as many, if not more, fans than the Bills are in Toronto...well...it's a HUGE problem IMHO...I realize this is not how The Bills envisioned this going...I realize they felt like that Stadium would fill up with rabid Bills fans from the general Toronto area...But that obviously has not happened...And it's effecting the competitive advantage we should be enjoying in a HOME game...This just can't be allowed to continue if in fact winning is truly the most important thing...

[Canadian Bills Fan]

The Toronto series sucks because Rogers/MLSE does not know how to market the NFL and or the Buffalo Bills.

The experience is just awful. If you have ever been to a t game at the Ralph, you will be very disappointed.

First of all, parking is awful as the Rogers Centre is in the heart of downtown Toronto which is a pain to drive through.

The ticket prices are ridiculous as Rogers has them so expensive in hopes that they make back some of the money they paid the Bills. You can tell because they have a tarp covering the first 10 or so rows. If they had tickets listed at a decent price in that section like they do in Buffalo, they wouldn’t need the tarp.

The tailgating is the worst. Because there isn’t any! Laws prohibit the consumption of alcohol anywhere in public. If you want to drink you have to buy beer from the concessions inside.

 

The bottom line is that Rogers thought they could charge whatever they want for tickets like they do for the Leafs and people will come and watch but as someone else posted, this isn’t a Toronto team so there is not that big of a loyalty following that would have fans pay whatever they want for tickets.

 

Here is an example of how Rogers screwed up with ticket prices.

 

A friend of mine decided at the last minute to go to the game last year and text me that there were employees handing out handfuls of free tickets to people walking by so the game would look like they had a lot of people in attendance.

I hate the Toronto series for so many reasons and those are just a few…

 

CBF

[Campy]

Calling BS on this one. Toronto fans are hockey fans and they hate Buffalo. It wouldn't make any difference if the Bills were undefeated, they would still root against them because they are !@#$s.

 

Generalize much?

[bbb]

This series is an utter joke. Few fans show up, and the cheers seemed to be louder for Atlanta than Buffalo yesterday. Someone from the News should do a story on the frantic efforts on game days to herd human bodies into the stadium.

 

What is it that they do?

[Leelee Phoenix]

When the Bills play at home in December, they absolutely have an advantage. If you can't see that, then this argument is pointless..

Sorry, I don't subscribe to filler media babble. Just because a player is a Bill, it doesn't mean they instantly perform better in colder weather. Which is rarely even below freezing in Buffalo (average high isn't below freezing in Orchard Park until 28 December).

[zow2]

It'll be interesting to see if Atlanta can be productive at Green Bay this weekend. I don't even know the weather but i assume Cold is in the forecast. The Packers have looked like crud too. If they lay a whooping on the Falcons I'll be even more PO'd about the Toronto game.

[26CornerBlitz]

ICYMI: Brandon to evaluate Toronto Series

 

Making his weekly appearance on Bills flagship station WGR Sportsradio 550 this morning, Bills President and CEO was asked several questions about the viability and prudence of the team’s Toronto Series, in which they play one regular season home game north of the border every year at the Rogers Centre. Brandon made it clear that he’s evaluating that along with a host of other aspects and ventures of the organization in this his first year of running the franchise’s day-to-day operations.

 

“One of the things I said to the fans on January 1^st of this past year was that I was going to review every phase of this operation and this series comes within that framework,” Brandon said. ”There’s a full evaluation that will take place on all of our business relative to what this series means and I’m going to look at it very closely because, what’s good for business, obviously Toronto has been positive for us down here. We’ve had great growth in the Southern Ontario marketplace over the last five years back here at Ralph Wilson Stadium. That has been a big positive. It has been a challenged market there and certainly has not translated in to enough wins for us there. As I mentioned almost a year ago, we’re going to look at everything and this will be within something I look at.”

 

Brandon was also asked if he was staying true to his position that the organization’s most important goal is winning, knowing the struggle it has been to win games in Toronto with the team now 1-5 in games played at the Rogers Centre.

 

“It’s also about being viable and that’s one of the things that we’ve talked about for many years here,” he said. ”Look at it from the standpoint of where we’ve been on the ticket side. We’ve taken the game out of the market which essentially has taken 70,000 seats out of the market and have truly only sold out two of our home games. We’ve manufactured sell-outs in the other four or five. We’re trying to find ways to obviously keep this franchise viable which we’ve done a very good job at and this series has obviously contributed to that.

 

With that being said, nothing comes above winning. When I took over the reins on January 1^st, I said that was the number one focus and that will be the number one focus. That’s one of the reasons that this will be reviewed in a grand manner.”