Kirby Jackson Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 All successful billionaire businessmen are either in or out, they never half-ass it (Trump as a notable exception). So it's pretty obvious that Pegula wants the team. Others do as well. What I am saying is that if he is close it will be his. He had expressed interest (but been relatively quiet). Pegula WILL be the next owner of this team.
CodeMonkey Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 I have been following this extremely close on a daily basis and I have yet to see anything from what I would consider to be a pretty reputable source that has shown to be off. There have been a lot of reporters, including several from the (allegedly horrible by some here) BuffNews, that have been all over this story. Things that appeared to have been leaks have all been possibly if not likely true, and there has been little to nothing that has refuted it. As of right now, I would tend to believe those leaks to be pretty accurate. ??? Of course there is nothing to refute it. Just like there is nothing to confirm it. It is a closed process. I can say that a local stripper bid 1.7 Billion. Obviously I would be full of **** and no one with half a brain would believe it, but you could neither confirm or refute it. Believe the leaks or don't, it is up to you. But to try and apply logic that since none of the earlier leaks were refuted (because no one has the information to refute or confirm them) these are probably accurate too? What I am saying is that if he is close it will be his. He had expressed interest (but been relatively quiet). Pegula WILL be the next owner of this team. I think that most, including me, think he is the frontrunner of the ones we know about.
Kirby Jackson Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 I think that most, including me, think he is the frontrunner of the ones we know about. There is only one other group out there that I truly believed had a chance to own the team IF Pegula was indeed interested. It is a group with massive wealth that was involved earlier in the process. That group would have had to outbid Pegula by a decent margin as he is not only the favorite of the fans. They too would have been keeping the team in WNY. It sounds like they elected to not submit a bid.
thebandit27 Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 There is only one other group out there that I truly believed had a chance to own the team IF Pegula was indeed interested. It is a group with massive wealth that was involved earlier in the process. That group would have had to outbid Pegula by a decent margin as he is not only the favorite of the fans. They too would have been keeping the team in WNY. It sounds like they elected to not submit a bid. This may have been the most telling thing IMO
Kirby Jackson Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 This may have been the most telling thing IMO I was a little surprised. I thought that they were the only other people with a legit chance if Pegula wanted in. They could have pulled some kind of Ballmer move and maybe Pegula would have balked. The rest of these people can't keep up. That goes without saying all of the support that he can lean on if need be (Jacobs, Golisano, the state, the team, etc...).
Kelly the Dog Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 ??? Of course there is nothing to refute it. Just like there is nothing to confirm it. It is a closed process. I can say that a local stripper bid 1.7 Billion. Obviously I would be full of **** and no one with half a brain would believe it, but you could neither confirm or refute it. Believe the leaks or don't, it is up to you. But to try and apply logic that since none of the earlier leaks were refuted (because no one has the information to refute or confirm them) these are probably accurate too? No, I am saying that there have been a lot of insider reports about the process that fit in with exactly what has been going on. The decent ones IMO have yet to refute one another, which is usually what happens. I also have some insider connections who concur, and others here do, too, which has closely followed what they have been told by people close to it. Surely we cannot know for sure, but one can have a very, very good guess when you combine 1] solid reporting, 2] insider information, 3] trustworthy (relative, I know) third-party infor, 4] a serious amount of knowledge of this topic's history, 5] give it serious thought, and 6] add good solid common sense. When all of those things add up to a very logical scenario, it's a damn good bet. I would bet you anything you want that Terry Pegula is the next owner of the Bills. It's not just a hunch.
thewildrabbit Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 From what I've read JBJ, and his group will be the least likely new owner. As groups get consideration last over single buyers. That is even if they come in with the top bid, and I highly doubt that happens. TP continues to be the front runner in this issue, and the only way that changes is if someone goes nuts to the tune of 1.5 to 2 billion. Like Google CEO Larry page. JBJ simply doesn't have that much cash. Supposed first bid at 1.3 billion, which probably knocks out Trump & JBJ right out of contention.
eball Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 No, I am saying that there have been a lot of insider reports about the process that fit in with exactly what has been going on. The decent ones IMO have yet to refute one another, which is usually what happens. I also have some insider connections who concur, and others here do, too, which has closely followed what they have been told by people close to it. Surely we cannot know for sure, but one can have a very, very good guess when you combine 1] solid reporting, 2] insider information, 3] trustworthy (relative, I know) third-party infor, 4] a serious amount of knowledge of this topic's history, 5] give it serious thought, and 6] add good solid common sense. When all of those things add up to a very logical scenario, it's a damn good bet. I would bet you anything you want that Terry Pegula is the next owner of the Bills. It's not just a hunch. Damned logic.
transient Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 From what I've read JBJ, and his group will be the least likely new owner. As groups get consideration last over single buyers. That is even if they come in with the top bid, and I highly doubt that happens. TP continues to be the front runner in this issue, and the only way that changes is if someone goes nuts to the tune of 1.5 to 2 billion. Like Google CEO Larry page. JBJ simply doesn't have that much cash. Supposed first bid at 1.3 billion, which probably knocks out Trump & JBJ right out of contention. This is not meant as a rehash of the "But can TPegs own both the Sabres and Bills" joke, but I'm perplexed by Tannenbaum's involvement in JBJ's group given his ownership of the Leafs. They ARE in competing markets. Can he own both?
Kelly the Dog Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 This is not meant as a rehash of the "But can TPegs own both the Sabres and Bills" joke, but I'm perplexed by Tannenbaum's involvement in JBJ's group given his ownership of the Leafs. They ARE in competing markets. Can he own both? I could be mistaken but that is probably one of the reasons that JBJ is going to be "the controlling owner" for the Toronto group. Other owners can own teams in different cities, just not the controlling owner, whom has to own at least 30%.
The Wiz Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 This is not meant as a rehash of the "But can TPegs own both the Sabres and Bills" joke, but I'm perplexed by Tannenbaum's involvement in JBJ's group given his ownership of the Leafs. They ARE in competing markets. Can he own both? Competing markets in the NHL. It's an NFL rule. But I think Kelly's answer provides better depth. NFL rules do not permit owners of another major pro sports franchise to own a NFL team unless those two teams are in the same market
Kelly the Dog Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 (edited) Competing markets in the NHL. It's an NFL rule. But I think Kelly's answer provides better depth. NFL rules do not permit owners of another major pro sports franchise to own a NFL team unless those two teams are in the same market It also could very well be that the NFL considers Toronto to be within the Bills market, so, in effect, even though it is in two completely different locales, cities, and even countries, it doesn't violate their rule. The rule is designed to keep an owner from favoring one of his franchises in a different city (pssst-- THE HOCKEY TEAM!) over his NFL team with money, time, resources, etc. Edited July 30, 2014 by Kelly the Dog
RuntheDamnBall Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 I hope someone will give Bon Jon a little http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDVlqddaiXM
Mickey Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 Just thought of something and maybe its nothing but even if the JBJ group won the bid, they would still have to pay the $400M to move the team. Or if they waited for the buyout, they would still have to pay a relocation fee and anywhere between $800M-$1.5B for a new statium. They wouldnt be able to afford all of that would they if they got the team for say $1.5B? CBF There is no clause that lets them move the team within the first 7 years of the lease at the cost of $400M. The lease requires them to stay in Buffalo for those first 7 years, the first year of which already passed. The new owners would have to go to court to get out of that lease provision and if they were successful, the lease calls for liquidated damages of $400M. The notion that they could leave for the cost of $400M is not true, they would have to win in court first and they won't unless there is a suicidal judge sitting on the bench in the US District Court for the Western District of New York.
The Wiz Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 It also could very well be that the NFL considers Toronto to be within the Bills market, so, in effect, even though it is in two completely different locales, cities, and even countries, it doesn't violate their rule. The rule is designed to keep an owner from favoring one of his franchises in a different city (pssst-- THE HOCKEY TEAM!) over his NFL team with money, time, resources, etc. This has always baffled me. The NFL doesn't consider Toronto as part of the market in TV revenue, which I understand but if they do consider them within the market then would the NFL need to vote on relocating if they were trying to move to Toronto? If that is the case, do they have to vote on the team moving out of OP if they build a new stadium in NF/downtown/etc?
yall Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 There is no clause that lets them move the team within the first 7 years of the lease at the cost of $400M. The lease requires them to stay in Buffalo for those first 7 years, the first year of which already passed. The new owners would have to go to court to get out of that lease provision and if they were successful, the lease calls for liquidated damages of $400M. The notion that they could leave for the cost of $400M is not true, they would have to win in court first and they won't unless there is a suicidal judge sitting on the bench in the US District Court for the Western District of New York. Don't forget the cost of operating a football team with drastically reduced sponsorship, merch and ticket sales. Wild-ass speculation; The loss in revenue might be enough to cause them to lose money for 6 years depending on what their financing is like (since they presumably aren't paying cash).
Kelly the Dog Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 This has always baffled me. The NFL doesn't consider Toronto as part of the market in TV revenue, which I understand but if they do consider them within the market then would the NFL need to vote on relocating if they were trying to move to Toronto? If that is the case, do they have to vote on the team moving out of OP if they build a new stadium in NF/downtown/etc? The answer is easy. They make their own rules, change and apply them as they like, depending on what makes them the most money.
Big Turk Posted July 30, 2014 Posted July 30, 2014 The answer is easy. They make their own rules, change and apply them as they like, depending on what makes them the most money. Yes as long as those rules don't run them afoul of the golden egg which is their anti trust exemption
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