San-O Posted July 27, 2015 Posted July 27, 2015 Series took games away from Buffalo and out millions $ in Wilson pocket. Nothing more, and nothing less...
papazoid Posted July 27, 2015 Posted July 27, 2015 (edited) Season Ticket Holders to the Ralph from southern Ontario increased significantly, per russ brandon. it was a competitive disaster, but a marketing and ticket sales success. Edited July 27, 2015 by papazoid
The Real Buffalo Joe Posted July 27, 2015 Author Posted July 27, 2015 Season Ticket Holders to the Ralph from southern Ontario increased significantly, per russ brandon. it was a competitive disaster, but a marketing and ticket sales success. I don't think they went there to win games, or get a competetive advantage. But it seems to have been a sucess as far as what they were looking to achieve.
BillsFan130 Posted July 27, 2015 Posted July 27, 2015 its a fair question. I live near Toronto and I can say it was a terrible game day experience but it did make Wilson an even richer man. But overall I still think it was a failure for both parties
BarleyNY Posted July 27, 2015 Posted July 27, 2015 I just seemed pathetic to me. Almost and admission that WNY isn't a big enough market for an NFL team (which I don't believe). Never again.
PromoTheRobot Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 (edited) Worst experience ever. Got a deal for 2 preseason tickets 10th row from field for $10 and when I got them I saw the face value was $300 each Just insane CBF Don't forget the Rogers people set the ticket prices, not the Bills.I just seemed pathetic to me. Almost and admission that WNY isn't a big enough market for an NFL team (which I don't believe). Never again.WNY isn't big enough to have an NFL team. Neither is Green Bay. The difference is both teams are owned by entities that will never move the franchises. Edited July 28, 2015 by PromoTheRobot
BADOLBILZ Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 (edited) Not that there's any chance of it coming back, nor do I want it. But now that we know the team is safe in WNY for the long term, looking back did it have any postives? As far as "expanding the market" and helping keep the team in Buffalo for the time being. Was that true, or a bunch of kool-aid they were trying to sell us? I suspect some inroads were made into developing a bigger fanbase in Toronto. Perhaps not as big as they expected I'm sure, but hell when the Bills lost SB XXV the lead story on CTV sports show was Wendell Clark appearing at a charity event. The SB loss was the last thing at the end of the show and all they showed was the kick. Buffalo might as well been on the other side of the planet from Toronto back then. Edited July 28, 2015 by #BADOL
BarleyNY Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 WNY isn't big enough to have an NFL team. Neither is Green Bay. The difference is both teams are owned by entities that will never move the franchises. Buffalo by itself isn't, but if the Rochester area is included and WNY is looked at as a whole it certainly is large enough. That's not unusual to do. Akron-Canton is generally included in the Cleveland market, for example. For the team the bigger revenue problem is the lack of large company HQs which are your typical luxury box tenants. Buffalo has none in the top 500.
BillsFan-4-Ever Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 Toronto doesnt deserve the Bills CBF ^ THAT 100X There was hardly EVER a home team feel in TO and that is why I disliked it. Let Detroit play there.
Canadian Bills Fan Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 Don't forget the Rogers people set the ticket prices, not the Bills. WNY isn't big enough to have an NFL team. Neither is Green Bay. The difference is both teams are owned by entities that will never move the franchises. I know. Thats why it sucked MLSE are greedy jerks who treated the Bills like the Leafs and thought people would pay any price to see them and when no one did, the were stubborn and refused to make tickets more affordable. As far as the game day experience goes? Let me put it this way... In Orchard Park, you drive up a nice road with trees on both sides, you all of a sudden see the trees part and see this beautiful stadium out in the open field. You pick one of many open lots to park and pay $5-$20 to park. You park your car, get out and see so many people having a great time. You smell all the best BBQ smells that you love. You see some people doing burgers, others are doing ribs, chicken, and pork. You open a nice cold beer and just take it all in. In Toronto..... You are stuck on the highway for the past 45 waiting to take the off ramp that brings you to the Rogers Centre. After you get off the highway you spend another 30 minutes going from stop light to stop light. When you finally get to the stadium you try to find parking spots but since you are downtown Toronto they are few and far between. You finally cave and pay $35 for "underground" parking. As you walk towards the stadium you are passing people in suits carrying briefcases. When you finally get to the stadium you for a moment, expect to smell that same great BBQ smell that you are used to at the Ralph and expect to see your fellow Bills fans enjoying their tailgating experience (Instead you see people wearing jerseys of teams that arent even playing). But you remember that Toronto has a law that makes tailgating illegal. What you do see is the "Toronto" tailgate experience which is made up of people buying a $7 dollar hot dog from a vendor and drinking a can of Diet Coke while waiting in the line at the gate. When you get to your seat you almost have the row to yourself since so few people actually attend these games. God I hated the Toronto series. So much Hated it like a fat kid hates a diet Thank God its over CBF
Canadian Bills Fan Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 Forgot to add this at the end of my post CBF
mikemac2001 Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 I don't mind the idea of a preseason game there once every few years But other then that it's pointless
The Real Buffalo Joe Posted July 28, 2015 Author Posted July 28, 2015 Why don't we try expanding further east to Syrcuse? Not any regular season games of course, but a preseason game wouldn't hurt.
Mr. WEO Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 I know. Thats why it sucked MLSE are greedy jerks who treated the Bills like the Leafs and thought people would pay any price to see them and when no one did, the were stubborn and refused to make tickets more affordable. As far as the game day experience goes? Let me put it this way... In Orchard Park, you drive up a nice road with trees on both sides, you all of a sudden see the trees part and see this beautiful stadium out in the open field. You pick one of many open lots to park and pay $5-$20 to park. You park your car, get out and see so many people having a great time. You smell all the best BBQ smells that you love. You see some people doing burgers, others are doing ribs, chicken, and pork. You open a nice cold beer and just take it all in. In Toronto..... You are stuck on the highway for the past 45 waiting to take the off ramp that brings you to the Rogers Centre. After you get off the highway you spend another 30 minutes going from stop light to stop light. When you finally get to the stadium you try to find parking spots but since you are downtown Toronto they are few and far between. You finally cave and pay $35 for "underground" parking. As you walk towards the stadium you are passing people in suits carrying briefcases. When you finally get to the stadium you for a moment, expect to smell that same great BBQ smell that you are used to at the Ralph and expect to see your fellow Bills fans enjoying their tailgating experience (Instead you see people wearing jerseys of teams that arent even playing). But you remember that Toronto has a law that makes tailgating illegal. What you do see is the "Toronto" tailgate experience which is made up of people buying a $7 dollar hot dog from a vendor and drinking a can of Diet Coke while waiting in the line at the gate. When you get to your seat you almost have the row to yourself since so few people actually attend these games. God I hated the Toronto series. So much Hated it like a fat kid hates a diet Thank God its over CBF Why are there people walking around in suits with briefcases near the stadium on a Sunday afternoon?
CodeMonkey Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 Not that there's any chance of it coming back, nor do I want it. But now that we know the team is safe in WNY for the long term, looking back did it have any postives? As far as "expanding the market" and helping keep the team in Buffalo for the time being. Was that true, or a bunch of kool-aid they were trying to sell us? Toronto also satisfied the international requirement. Which is why they haven't been to Europe for a game until now.
Canadian Bills Fan Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 Why are there people walking around in suits with briefcases near the stadium on a Sunday afternoon? Well the stadium is right in the middle of downtown Toronto and there are office buildings all around it CBF
mikemac2001 Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 Why are there people walking around in suits with briefcases near the stadium on a Sunday afternoon? Business never stops $$$$$
Mr. WEO Posted July 28, 2015 Posted July 28, 2015 Well the stadium is right in the middle of downtown Toronto and there are office buildings all around it CBF Canadians aren't working on Sunday...
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