BILLS02138 Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 I love it. The Bills start doing poorly and here come the "Bills are leaving" posts! My favorite post of the day: "It is pretty much accepted out here on the West Coast that the Bills ownership will change in the next few years and the new owner will move the team to LA. The NFL has to put a team in LA and they would like to get out of some smaller, shrinking markets. It is also understood that Ralph's heir, his daughter, really has no interest in keeping the team or keeping the team in Buffalo." WTF? Who the hell knows what will happen to the Bills? Can you just give it a rest you insecure BILLS fans? That's the problem with Buffalo - You lack swagger, confidence. You don't realize just how great BUF is until you leave! Trust me - the BILLS will not leave Buffalo - no matter what those in LA think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tux of Borg Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 It is also understood that Ralph's heir, his daughter, really has no interest in keeping the team or keeping the team in Buffalo." WTF? 39299[/snapback] He has 3 daughers, two of which are working for the Bills. But to play along... they sky is falling, the sky is falling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/dev/null Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 i'm just waiting for someone to find a nostradomus quatraine to prove the bills are moving and we're all D MED!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 The ominous thing to consider is that Ralph may have the Bills mortgaged to the nines. He knows his kids have no interest in running the team. So he takes out loan after loan using the Bills as collateral. When he passes on, the notes come due, and we find out that Ralph's estate owes about 800-900 million, but the Bills, are worth only about 500-600 million. That's when the NFL steps in and finds a buyer to take the team to L.A. where a franchise would be worth 900+ Mil. It sucks but it could happen. Sometimes I think we are watching the last few seasons of the Bills in Buffalo. What a shame they will go out as dogs. The only reason the Sabres are still around is that no one wants an NHL team. They would probably fold outright before they move. The last person left in Buffalo please turn out the lights. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick in* england Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 PTR - sad as it seems I think you may well be right. We are not billsfanone yet - but within 10 years the Bills will be out of Buffalo... It actually brings a tear to my eye to think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corp000085 Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 I know for a fact, and leave it as that, that there is a contingency plan to keep the bills in buffalo when ralph checks out. The bills are not leaving, and most certainly not to LA. Where would they play in LA by the way? there isn't even a stadium there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMCBillsFan Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 What if they did move? Who would you all route for? Being in NC I'd probably route for the Panthers. What a sad day that would be... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gantrules Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 The Cardinals. nah.....for proximity purposes.....probably....either Cleveland or Pittsburgh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevestojan Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 could you imagine having your father own a team for so long, doing everything he can to make it a success, pouring his heart into the team and the league, and then telling him (and the press) that you have no intentions of keeping the team when dad kicks the bucket? Im not even talking about as a fan (obviously, it would be a dream come true for any of us to be in one of the Wilson kids' shoes), but as a family member. Bunch of spoiled brats. I mean, I know the tax on a gift that big has to be huge, but with the lawyers, etc, Im suuuure they could set it up where he could sell them the team for $1 or something rediculous. Even if not, they could show some hard work, and make that money from the tax hit back in a few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 What if they did move? Who would you all route for? Being in NC I'd probably route for the Panthers. What a sad day that would be... 39619[/snapback] For me it'd be tampa bay...i have liked them for a long while...and i have an old pumpkin orange buccs hat to prove it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zow2 Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 L.A. will have a team long before the Bills ever get to the point of "possibly" moving. Besides, Buffalo is known around the league as a very mature NFL market and there's alot of powerful Bills backer celebrities all over the country. Look at all the sellouts the last few years (and this year) when the team stinks?!? It goes to show that WNY'ers will spend their entertainment dollars on the Bills (over anything else) even if they aren't so good. Bills Sunday's are an event regardless of their record. I personally know several out-of towners (ex-Buffalonians) that have season tickets and fly in for the games. Tht's just people I know. There must be hundreds more, maybe thousands? Other than maybe Green Bay, Buffalo has to have some of the most loyal fans in the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 What makes anyone think that a "new" owner would move the Bills? The Bills sell out the Ralph nearly every week, with a losing team. The "fans" in LA didn't go to Raiders or Rams games even when they were wining. Assume the worst case buyer scenario, this being a buyer from outside the region, this will be a business person, and keeping the Bills in Buffalo makes sense. Certainly more than keeping the Colts in Indy with their 55,000 seat stadium. And I like 30Dives idea about Troy Vincent buying the team after he retires in the next couple years. Don't kid yourselves, the NFL would love and help an African American owner, especially a former, community minded player like Vincent who has nearly a Billion dollars to his name, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zow2 Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 Seriously, how the phuck does Vincent have a billion dollars to his name?!? I keep hearing this. Where is it coming from???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 It's called work! A player who runs business' other than playing football along with making wise investments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevestojan Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 Ok, right now all we know is that if LA does get a team, it cant be from expansion. One team will have to move. Why? Well, with the current setup of the NFL (4 divisions in each conference) and each team has to play each division rival twice, adding one team by expansion would mean having to add 7 more. So, if LA gets a team, they will steal it from someone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like A Mofo Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 What if they did move? Who would you all route for? Being in NC I'd probably route for the Panthers. What a sad day that would be... 39619[/snapback] I could never bring myself to become a die hard fan of any team but the Bills....I hav e alot of close friends that are Eagles fans, so I casually support the Eagles when I go the the games with my friends...but if the Bills move, I say saynora to the NFL for life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevestojan Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 I could never bring myself to become a die hard fan of any team but the Bills....I hav e alot of close friends that are Eagles fans, so I casually support the Eagles when I go the the games with my friends...but if the Bills move, I say saynora to the NFL for life. 39675[/snapback] absolutly. sunday would be dead to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadBuffaloDisease Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 The Bills won't be moving, least of all to LA. And Ralph hasn't mortgaged the Bills. He's been making a tidy profit thanks to the CBA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark VI Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 Yesterdays Wall St. Journal had a section all about the business side of the NFL. The league is very healthy, including the Bills. No mention of any prospective cities clamoring for an NFL team, due to the current economic climates and the cost of franchises. ( Basically said LA was dreaming out loud) It was estimated that any city wishing a team to would have to pay between 900 Mil and about 1.2 Billion..yes BILLION...dollars. That doesn't even figure in the cost of a stadium, new or existing, which must meet NFL standards. That's for a new franchise or any existing team. The cost of business has skyrocketed in the last 5 years. Taxpayers will not pony up that kind of cash anymore. The economic climate has changed considerably over the last several years. When Paul Tags took over for the late Pete Rozelle as the Commish, he told Tags " Take care of the small market teams " . The salary cap, love it or hate it, did just that. I'm well aware of the yearly buyout that the Bills could exercise. I read where several other teams have the same situation. So who has a Billion, plus Stadium expense and more, to pony up ? Where are all these cities ? If so, show me a link to back it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCal Aaron Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 Ok, right now all we know is that if LA does get a team, it cant be from expansion. One team will have to move. Why? Well, with the current setup of the NFL (4 divisions in each conference) and each team has to play each division rival twice, adding one team by expansion would mean having to add 7 more. So, if LA gets a team, they will steal it from someone else. 39666[/snapback] Absolutely incorrect. LA will get an expansion franchise (if they get one at all) once the stadium issue (i.e. replacement for LA Colisseum) issue is resolved. This has been talked about for several years. Al Davis still claims territorial rights to SoCal and has threatened to move the Raiders back down since they can't sell out in Oakland (witness 15K short attendence this past sunday) Other rumblings have had the Chargers moving back to LA (they started there in 1960) since the Jack is prehistoric by todays standards. Here in the Bay Area even the 49ers mgmt have brought up a move scenario since they have failed to get a new stadium to replace the stick (financed by the local tax base of course). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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