murra Posted November 19, 2008 Posted November 19, 2008 After reading yet another article about the Bills possibly moving, this one has a much more optimistic tone. Do you actually think the NFL thinks keeping the Bills in Buffalo is for the best, or are they just parading around this notion to keep us happy? Do you trust Goodell, being from Jamestown and all?
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted November 19, 2008 Posted November 19, 2008 After reading yet another article about the Bills possibly moving, this one has a much more optimistic tone. Do you actually think the NFL thinks keeping the Bills in Buffalo is for the best, or are they just parading around this notion to keep us happy? Do you trust Goodell, being from Jamestown and all? Being from Jamestown, I wouldn't be too surprised if Goodell has leanings to keep the Bills in Buffalo, even if they are subconscious leanings. Think about it. You're a kid growing up in WNY. You're a football fan. You're most likely a Bills fan. You have no idea that one day you'll have a job that demands impartiality. I know that if I ever became commish, I'd bring a pro-Bills agenda to the job.
granitestatebillsbackers Posted November 19, 2008 Posted November 19, 2008 Being from Jamestown, I wouldn't be too surprised if Goodell has leanings to keep the Bills in Buffalo, even if they are subconscious leanings. Think about it. You're a kid growing up in WNY. You're a football fan. You're most likely a Bills fan. You have no idea that one day you'll have a job that demands impartiality. I know that if I ever became commish, I'd bring a pro-Bills agenda to the job. Let me assert at the start that I would give my left...well, you figure it out...to keep the Bills in Buffalo. My sons are 4, 2 and new, and I would love nothing more than to bring them to Bills games in WNY when they are older. Unfortunately, I think they are going to end up being Pats* fans--or if I have any influence, Steelers or Browns fans. Here's why: It is a pleasant, sentimental notion to think that Goodell is going to try to keep the Bills in Buffalo. Statements such as this: “It’s going to depend on your passion for this team,” he told the crowd in the HSBC Arena Harbour Club, citing the team’s regionalization efforts that have helped expand its market to the Southern Tier, Rochester and Southern Ontario. do little more than keep fading hope alive--as do comforting comments from former greats like Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas, who assert that they will do everything possible to keep the team in Buffalo. Let's be clear on one point. The only thing that talks in the NFL is $$$. It's not Roger Goodell that makes the decisions, it's the 32 owners. They are the members of the trade group known as the NFL, and if relocating the team to another city means more money in THEIR pockets, they'll do it in a second. I'm a native of Lackawanna, and have been a Bills fan for 44 years (living in NH since 1985). I am afraid that the only thing that will save this team, Buffalo and Erie County residents, is your willingness to fund a large part of a ultra-modern new stadium. That will spare the new owners most of that cost, they'll rake in the PSL and luxury box revenue, and the Bills will become yet another team with an average seat price of $150. Why won't the owners pay for the stadium themselves, a la the Krafts, Jerry Jones, or the people in NYC? Because the area doesn't have the corporate horsepower (even combining Buffalo, Rochester and Toronto) to fill corporate-priced-seats, support PSLs, or fill two to three times the luxury boxes at a state-of-the-art lakefront stadium. There aren't many folks who can afford that price point out of their pockets. What about the corporations in Toronto with the deep pockets? How much enthusiasm do you think they are going to have to support a team that's 50 miles away? You can talk regionalization all you want, but when it comes down to the bottom line, any corporation that's going to support a team in a big way wants it right in its own backyard. They don't give a rat's behind about the tradition, or Mr. Wilson's legacy, or you, or me and my boys. There are people who love Ralph Wilson, and people who think he is the devil. In the end, his legacy will be the fact that there was no succession plan within his family, and a proud franchise--glory, blemishes and all--was left to die. I hope to God I'm wrong, because the saddest thing I can imagine is Buffalo without the Bills.
Beerball Posted November 19, 2008 Posted November 19, 2008 do you suppose that Jerry Jones, Danny Snyder and the other 31 owners are willing to fork over their hard earned dollars to keep a team here? Unless you think they are then the market will decide where the team goes. The highest bidder will win.
scribo Posted November 19, 2008 Posted November 19, 2008 As granitestatebillsbackers and Beerball more eloquently put it, Goodell doesn't have a whole to say about the future of the Bills.
murra Posted November 19, 2008 Author Posted November 19, 2008 As granitestatebillsbackers and Beerball more eloquently put it, Goodell doesn't have a whole to say about the future of the Bills. I'm not so sure. Goodell has the authority to instate an exception rule or do things to promote Buffalo staying in Buffalo. It's a storied franchise that wouldn't be difficult to promote at all. Could he not try and have Buffalonians foot the bill, much like the Packers fans, for their team as owners? Public ownership, and what have you is not the worst idea, is it?
scribo Posted November 19, 2008 Posted November 19, 2008 I'm not so sure. Goodell has the authority to instate an exception rule or do things to promote Buffalo staying in Buffalo. It's a storied franchise that wouldn't be difficult to promote at all. Could he not try and have Buffalonians foot the bill, much like the Packers fans, for their team as owners? Public ownership, and what have you is not the worst idea, is it? Not the worst idea, at all, but isn't he on the record saying the league won't allow another team do what the Packers did? And again, it wouldn't really be up to him. That type of thing would have to be agreed upon by the owners. Goodell works for the owners, so to speak. If he starts doing things they don't like, he will be gone and replaced. And Goodell isn't going to be the selling owner. That will be the Wilson family.
Beerball Posted November 19, 2008 Posted November 19, 2008 I'm not so sure. Goodell has the authority to instate an exception rule or do things to promote Buffalo staying in Buffalo. It's a storied franchise that wouldn't be difficult to promote at all. Could he not try and have Buffalonians foot the bill, much like the Packers fans, for their team as owners? Public ownership, and what have you is not the worst idea, is it? Alright, for the sake of argument...suppose that prospective owner A offered Wilson's estate $600M for the team with the intention of moving it to McKinney Texas (cause I live there, that's why!) and prospective owner B offered $500M with the intention of keeping the team in WNY. How do you suppose that Goodell is going to get the Wilsons to accept $100M less than their best offer? Public ownership? Not allowed. Not a bad idea, just not allowed. Suppose that could change, but do you think you can get 2/3 of the owners to agree? edit...what scribo said
BuffaloRebound Posted November 19, 2008 Posted November 19, 2008 In this economy, the number of people willing to pay $700-800m for a team plus a relocation fee plus another $1b for a new stadium has to be dwindling. A move to Toronto is probably the only legitimate chance of the Bills leaving Buffalo in this economic environment.
Thoner7 Posted November 19, 2008 Posted November 19, 2008 Goodell will ruin the Bills jsut like he is ruining the NFL. All this pansy play and penalties. In 10 years the Bills will be gone and noone will watch the NFL anymore because it will be more like soccer than football. That is Goodell's dream
Buffalo_soul-dier Posted November 19, 2008 Posted November 19, 2008 bills in buffalo > existance of whole league
granitestatebillsbackers Posted November 19, 2008 Posted November 19, 2008 I'm not so sure. Goodell has the authority to instate an exception rule or do things to promote Buffalo staying in Buffalo. It's a storied franchise that wouldn't be difficult to promote at all. Could he not try and have Buffalonians foot the bill, much like the Packers fans, for their team as owners? Public ownership, and what have you is not the worst idea, is it? Storied franchise?! When the Colts ske-daddled out of town, did the league care that they were an old NFL franchise? When the Browns bolted, did anyone try to stop it? There are no storied franchises--and the owners are loathe to ever let us (the fans) have a say in a franchise again.
marauderswr80 Posted November 19, 2008 Posted November 19, 2008 It would be in the best interest of the NFL to keep the Bills in Buffalo! And the commish knows it!
stuckincincy Posted November 19, 2008 Posted November 19, 2008 After reading yet another article about the Bills possibly moving, this one has a much more optimistic tone. Do you actually think the NFL thinks keeping the Bills in Buffalo is for the best, or are they just parading around this notion to keep us happy? Do you trust Goodell, being from Jamestown and all? I read somewhere on TBD, that Goodell attended the game and was dismayed at fan deportment. I can't say it was so - 2nd hand reports. Maybe the gate crunch described on another thread here?...dunno.
murra Posted November 19, 2008 Author Posted November 19, 2008 I read somewhere on TBD, that Goodell attended the game and was dismayed at fan deportment. I can't say it was so - 2nd hand reports. Maybe the gate crunch described on another thread here?...dunno. I don't know. Why would behavior upset him when he publicly announced the next day that our behavior is not as bad as the wrap it gets. Regardless, I don't think that's an issue here. If behavior decided a franchise's future Philadelphia would have no pro-sports.
EndZoneCrew Posted November 19, 2008 Posted November 19, 2008 It would be in the best interest of the NFL to keep the Bills in Buffalo! And the commish knows it! very true...step by step the NFL is getting away from "Joe fan"....it would be a VERY bad move
stuckincincy Posted November 19, 2008 Posted November 19, 2008 I don't know. Why would behavior upset him when he publicly announced the next day that our behavior is not as bad as the wrap it gets. Regardless, I don't think that's an issue here. If behavior decided a franchise's future Philadelphia would have no pro-sports. True.
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