The Senator Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 You're crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Honestly, I don't think much of this matters until we see the final numbers for the year, comparing the Bills with the other teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nostradamus Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 You're crazy. 864453[/snapback] What an intelligent, thought provoking response. Be honest, you didn't write that yourself, did you?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACor58 Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 I am not trying to crucify anyone. I live in Rochester and only go to 3 to 4 games per year. I just think that the whole "Buffalo has the greatest fans in the league" statement is a bunch of crap. I don't care about the economy. I don't care about the teams record. I don't even care about the Sabres bandwagon. If Buffalo fans truly are the best in the league then every home game would be sold out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 You asked us to call you crazy...the senator obliged....check the title of your thread...actually on second check you asked us to call you "crazy but"..doesn't make much sense, but.... You are Crazy But What an intelligent, thought provoking response. Be honest, you didn't write that yourself, did you?? 864456[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACor58 Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Honestly, I don't think much of this matters until we see the final numbers for the year, comparing the Bills with the other teams. 864454[/snapback] All you need to know is that the Jags game was the first non sell-out of any NFL team and the Chargers was the 2nd. But Bills fans are the best in the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nostradamus Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 I see a young, exciting team with a good young core of players who does not quit. And yet, as soon as I get start to get excited for the FUTURE, the team's OWNER tells me (for the 3rd or 4th time in the past YEAR) that the team cannot compete and is likely headed out of town That sort of kills my enthusiasm. We're watching the Los Angeles Bills develop into a team that will be able to win once they get to southern California. Ralph Wilson is his own worst enemy when it comes to marketing. Holding a gun to fans' heads and saying "accept our crappy product and buy tickets or we will move" just isn't cutgting it any more. On top of that, this is an owner that lets his key players go, fails to bring in quality free agents, and seems to be resigned to losing. Ralph is a stubborn old man. Sure, some of the points he makes are valid, especially concerning revenue disparities. But he has apparently decided that NFL football "cannot work" in Buffalo anymore, and rather than try to actually DO things to help his situation, he whines and cries and makes fans even more miserable on a yearly basis. ************************************************************** For example: New Stadium: It works everywhere else. However, it CANNOT work in Buffalo. So says Ralph. There is no saving us. Sell the naming rights: What's a few million dollars? It wouldn't help, anyway. So says Ralph. there is no saving us. Try actual marketing like the Sabres do: Not sure why they don't, but Ralph likely thinks that the market is already tapped out, which could NOT be further from the truth. This market is nowhere NEAR tapped in terms of potential revenues. (see Sabres) Raise ticket prices (combined with a winning team): Fans will pay $$ for a winner. Again, the Sabres couldn't GIVE AWAY tickets last year, but now tickets are going for a couple hundred dollars on eBay. However, although fans can pay that $$ for 40 Sabres games, Ralph doesn't see how fans could pay 2/3 that for 8 Bills games. The $$ is there, the creativity and will to MARKET to get it is NOT there on the Bills part. *************************************************** To me, Ralph seems unwilling to take the steps he needs to take in order to help the Bills situation. On top of that, he has apparently decided that there is no way that NFL football can work in Buffalo. Buffalo is doomed. etc, etc. IMO, we need a new owner who is visionary enough to find a way to get it done, rather than sit around whining that nothing can be done. There is almost ALWAYS a solution. Sure we might not match Washington and Dallas, but we can still do things a LOT better here. But as long as this team tells its fans that there IS no future, why SHOULD we invest emotionally and money-wise? THAT is why the games aren't selling out, in my opinion. So Losman might be a real QB, Evans could the real deal at WR, the defense has a lot of nice young players. the team FINALLY has real coaches. Good for LOS ANGELES. Why should we get excited? 864413[/snapback] You, like Ralph, make some valid points. But, aren't you also engaging in the same kind of negativity that he does too? Think about this: if Ralph were to move, would he not just be giving in to the Snyders and Jones's? Personally, I think he harbors too much bitterness against those guys to accept that course of action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 It's a very small advantage to large market teams. 864402[/snapback] Yeah, sort of like the small advantage in labor costs from manufacturing in China vs. the U. S. of A. The next owner of the Bills better not take on any debt to fund his purchase...but that's fodder for a whole 'nother thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 All you need to know is that the Jags game was the first non sell-out of any NFL team and the Chargers was the 2nd. But Bills fans are the best in the league. 864462[/snapback] I think the whole exercise in attempting to rate fans is absolutely stupid. You have some groups of fans which have reputations for a certain reason, but trying to rank them in any type of order is an exercise in futility. Oakland has had some games fail to sell out the past couple of weeks as well IIRC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACor58 Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 I think the whole exercise in attempting to rate fans is absolutely stupid. You have some groups of fans which have reputations for a certain reason, but trying to rank them in any type of order is an exercise in futility. Oakland has had some games fail to sell out the past couple of weeks as well IIRC. 864466[/snapback] I should rephrase. The Jags game was the first to be blacked out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortured Soul Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 You can top off this whole discussion with Ralph constantly reminding fams they haven't put a team on the field worth paying to see this decade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkwwjd Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Sorry, I live out of state & I'm a pastor -- Sundays are usually kind of booked for me. That being said, I went to a preseason game (4 tickets), used my credit card points to get 2 tickets to the Miami game (had to sell them cuz it did line up with my vacation), and bought 4 more tickets to Tennessee game (cuz it does line up with my vacation). My wife has consented to one of my dreams -- when I retire, we'll rent an RV and hit each of the 16 (or more) Bills games that year. Until then, I'll need to be content with one or two games a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 I am not trying to crucify anyone. I live in Rochester and only go to 3 to 4 games per year. I just think that the whole "Buffalo has the greatest fans in the league" statement is a bunch of crap. I don't care about the economy. I don't care about the teams record. I don't even care about the Sabres bandwagon. If Buffalo fans truly are the best in the league then every home game would be sold out. 864457[/snapback] Honestly, Bills fans may or not be the "greatest in the leauge", but there simply may not be enough of them, in WNY to sell out every game. Don't blame the fans. I consider myself a "great Bills fan", but I am lucky to make it to one game per season. I live in Texas. If I was wealthy enough, I would buy a pair of season tickets, and give them to friends and family in WNY every week...(hey, just thought of that...what a great Christmas idea!) I would like to see that committment from Ralph...you know, not keeping his team, with tons of holes, under the salary cap. I understand Ralphs' concerns, and I think some are valid. However, I think he could do more than he does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACor58 Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Sorry, I live out of state & I'm a pastor -- Sundays are usually kind of booked for me. 864479[/snapback] You should take it up with your boss. Nevermind, according to Jerry Jones he is a Cowboy's fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACor58 Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Honestly, Bills fans may or not be the "greatest in the leauge", but there simply may not be enough of them, in WNY to sell out every game. Don't blame the fans. 864481[/snapback] I see your point, but if the Packers or the Browns can sell out every game the Bills should too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kipers Hair Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 With all of today's news of Ralph crosing about big markets squeezing "us out", maybe it's time to really look at what Ralph is saying rather than chastise and B word about it. Maybe having an NFL Franchise in a city requires the city or region to do some special things to ensure they stay - buy tickets and attend meaningless games, ie, support the team, pay higher taxes, etc.. You can't go to LA or NY and swing a dead cat without hitting a 5 star restaurant. In Buffalo, I think there is one...somewhere. It looks like the NFL has evolved form a blue collar sport into a white collar luxery item that has outgrown some of it's original markets. It's unfortunate, but true. Some cities eveolved through time and were able to grow with the League, Buffalo unfortunately did not. I think there is a harsh reality that everyone might have to swallow - Buffalo is no longer an NFL city. You have to know that the Danial Snyder's and Jerry Jone's of the world look down at Buffalo. Hell - when I lived in Buffalo and told people I did, I often got the "why" response. Don't you think that powers in the league feel that way? I think this is a losing battle being waged by the good people of WNY and fans abroad.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loadofmularkey Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 I shot JFK 864432[/snapback] Nostradamus, did you ever write anything on the future of the Bills? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HereComesTheReignAgain Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 I am not trying to crucify anyone. I live in Rochester and only go to 3 to 4 games per year. I just think that the whole "Buffalo has the greatest fans in the league" statement is a bunch of crap. I don't care about the economy. I don't care about the teams record. I don't even care about the Sabres bandwagon. If Buffalo fans truly are the best in the league then every home game would be sold out. 864457[/snapback] I didn't realize that the word "greatest" had the same meaning as "most" or "most local". A lot of teams have corporations buying many of their tickets. I don't see the average salesman trying to impress a client as a great fan. *season tickets for the last 5 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblehead Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 You have to know that the Danial Snyder's and Jerry Jone's of the world look down at Buffalo. 864487[/snapback] I don't think it's the "Buffalo" that they want out of the equation. It's the "Ralph" that they want out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Not going to make it, but I've paid for 2 864448[/snapback] And WE'VE paid for the fact that you've paid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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