Lori Posted March 21, 2009 Posted March 21, 2009 Jack, I wish you hadn't posted that quite yet ... But since you did, here's part of the first e-mail I sent Tim last night: Just received a very interesting survey under the Bills in Toronto banner. Standard boilerplate in the e-mail: Thank you for having purchased tickets for the Bills Toronto Series. Rogers has been listening to Bills Toronto Series fans and is exploring alternative ticket price options for future games. To help us with this, we would like you to participate in a survey about possible pricing options and your attitudes to the Bills Toronto Series. Please go to the following link to complete this survey: FYI, the Logit Group appears to be a legit marketing research firm based in Toronto. ... Naturally, the lede is buried several pages deep at that link: "Rogers has been listening to its Bills Fans and may be able to negotiate a new deal which will bring an additional Bills regular-season game to Toronto in each of 2010, 2011, and 2012! This now means that a quarter of the Bills home games could be played in Toronto. This would allow us to issue a new 3-Game Ticket Package for the 2010 games in Toronto." He's been waiting to hear back from the Bills, and was finishing the story when I called him half an hour ago. I'll link it here when he posts it.
Lori Posted March 21, 2009 Posted March 21, 2009 And yes, I saved every screen of the survey to my hard drive.
Lori Posted March 21, 2009 Posted March 21, 2009 Here it is. ESPN.com: Plans afoot to move more Bills games to Toronto? Tim included the link to the pop-up pricing screen, but I expect Voxco to pull it down at some point. So, here's a JPEG of the same thing: http://www.stadiumwall.com/uploads/monthly...-1237672069.jpg
mousetrap08 Posted March 21, 2009 Posted March 21, 2009 Its a survey so I wouldn't get to worried about it, probably just gauging peoples interest in case the proposal ever came up in negotiations. This is just my opinion, but I believe Ralph Wilson will always do everything in his power to keep the Buffalo Bills in or near the city of Buffalo. Besides, Two games in Toronto probably makes the Organization as a whole more profitable and stable, especially in our nations time of economic hardships. Let the Canadians foot the Bills, geeesh Should we start getting use to calling them the "BUFFARONTO" BILLS? or the"TORONUFFALO BILLS" niether sounds good to me at all
2020 Our Year For Sure Posted March 21, 2009 Posted March 21, 2009 Here it is. ESPN.com: Plans afoot to move more Bills games to Toronto? Here's a JPEG of the screen that quote is from. Let me know if you can see it: http://www.stadiumwall.com/uploads/monthly...-1237672069.jpg I love the way that is written from our perspective; it shows people what WE as Bills fans see when we look at this thing. Thank you, Tim.
papazoid Posted March 21, 2009 Posted March 21, 2009 i am a season ticket holder. while the thought of sharing regular season games with Toronto is very distasteful. i recognize the fact the it is absolutely essential, to bring the 3 plus million people into our market to transform us into a medium to large market club. Without Toronto, there will be no Buffalo Bills in our long term future. SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING. The current five year deal will NOT be altered, but going forward, it is possible that we will see a second regular season game go north. Posession is nine tenths of the law. We as fans, MUST continue to sell out every home game, this is our insurance policy that our franchise will not be moved. When the sellouts stop, the franchise will move.
lets_go_bills Posted March 21, 2009 Posted March 21, 2009 Here it is. ESPN.com: Plans afoot to move more Bills games to Toronto? Tim included the link to the pop-up pricing screen, but I expect Voxco to pull it down at some point. So, here's a JPEG of the same thing: http://www.stadiumwall.com/uploads/monthly...-1237672069.jpg This is bad news. But just because they want more games in Toronto doesn't mean they'll get them.
Lori Posted March 21, 2009 Posted March 21, 2009 i am a season ticket holder. while the thought of sharing regular season games with Toronto is very distasteful. i recognize the fact the it is absolutely essential, to bring the 3 plus million people into our market to transform us into a medium to large market club. Without Toronto, there will be no Buffalo Bills in our long term future. SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING. The current five year deal will NOT be altered, but going forward, it is possible that we will see a second regular season game go north. Posession is nine tenths of the law. We as fans, MUST continue to sell out every home game, this is our insurance policy that our franchise will not be moved. When the sellouts stop, the franchise will move. Based on that survey, someone in the "Bills in Toronto" group would disagree with you.
Kipers Hair Posted March 21, 2009 Posted March 21, 2009 It appears this is inevitable - but the future is unwritten. Those of you so motivated, make it known to the brass you will not tolerate this...I myself believe the team best served to be a regional one - WNY, Canada, Western PA ETAL...
trolls_r_us Posted March 21, 2009 Posted March 21, 2009 something is better than nothing..... That's what sucks... WHEN this team moves full-time to Toronto and we get thrown a scrap here and there that's what many Bills fans are going to say, and my god it is sickening......... I would rather the team move to Los Angeles than Toronto, just so we wouldn't even have to listen to the "it's still everyone's team, it just plays in Toronto.." PR line that would be almost as bad as not having any team at all. Let's be clear, if this team goes full time to Toronto, it is NOT our team any more, and never will be again.
The Dean Posted March 21, 2009 Posted March 21, 2009 Sorry, can't provide a link, but I was sent a survey from Rogers since I bought tickets for Toronto, and part of it was asking about pricing because they are trying to get 1 pre-season and 2 regular season games for Toronto in 2010, 2011, and 2012. $99 per seat would be the cheapest each year for those three games, in the upper deck. No discount for pre-season. Sounds like speculative research, IMO. That is, they likely don't know if they want more games, but are asking the question that way for a reason. Of course, I can't be certain, but I wouldn't confuse a research mailer like that as any sort of official confirmation that they really want those games, just yet.
LynchMob23 Posted March 21, 2009 Posted March 21, 2009 Hey, depending on the post (or poster) the Bills are the laughingstock of the league...why not let Canada have another chuckle in their house?
Lori Posted March 21, 2009 Posted March 21, 2009 Sounds like speculative research, IMO. That is, they likely don't know if they want more games, but are asking the question that way for a reason. Of course, I can't be certain, but I wouldn't confuse a research mailer like that as any sort of official confirmation that they really want those games, just yet. Here's the text of the original e-mail, minus the link. (The URL includes a PIN that's apparently only good for one use.) Thank you for having purchased tickets for the Bills Toronto Series. Rogers has been listening to Bills Toronto Series fans and is exploring alternative ticket price options for future games. To help us with this, we would like you to participate in a survey about possible pricing options and your attitudes to the Bills Toronto Series. If you complete the questionnaire, you will be entered in a draw for prize of a pair of tickets for the Bills 2009 game in Toronto and a Bills Prize Pack. If any changes are made on pricing for future Bills Toronto Series games, you will be among the first to be informed about this. Thanks for participating in this survey and thanks for supporting the Bills Toronto Series. The first question was about the current two-game package for 2010, asking how likely the customer would be to buy tickets in those price ranges. The 3-game deal reared its ugly head about seven pages in. And later on, as you might expect: "Terrell Owens has recently joined the Buffalo Bills. How does this affect your likelihood of purchasing tickets for the Bills Toronto Series?"
The Dean Posted March 21, 2009 Posted March 21, 2009 Here's the text of the original e-mail, minus the link. (The URL includes a PIN that's apparently only good for one use.) The first question was about the current two-game package for 2010, asking how likely the customer would be to buy tickets in those price ranges. The 3-game deal reared its ugly head about seven pages in. And later on, as you might expect: "Terrell Owens has recently joined the Buffalo Bills. How does this affect your likelihood of purchasing tickets for the Bills Toronto Series?" Sounds like legit research, with a fishing expedition, for them to evaluate the idea of possibly negotiating for more Bills' games, Thanks, Lori.
Lori Posted March 21, 2009 Posted March 21, 2009 Sounds like legit research, with a fishing expedition, for them to evaluate the idea of possibly negotiating for more Bills' games, Thanks, Lori. Yeah, I checked out both the Logit Group (which sent the e-mail) and Voxco (which runs the data-collection software) before I said anything to Tim about it. My question is, why do the Bills in Toronto folks think there's a possibility of getting a second game each year? Is there something written into the contract about doing so? And if there is, what else might be lurking within the pages of that deal?
The Dean Posted March 21, 2009 Posted March 21, 2009 Yeah, I checked out both the Logit Group (which sent the e-mail) and Voxco (which runs the data-collection software) before I said anything to Tim about it. My question is, why do the Bills in Toronto folks think there's a possibility of getting a second game each year? Is there something written into the contract about doing so? And if there is, what else might be lurking within the pages of that deal? There might be something there...I think I remember a comment like "the possibility exists of more games might be added at a later date", or something to that effect, when the deal was announced. That might mean the option is already built-in, or in the discussions, it was mentioned that they would revisit the number of games, at a later date.
BillnutinHouston Posted March 22, 2009 Posted March 22, 2009 I'm afraid that WNY needs to get used to the idea of a true Niagara-region franchise. The Bills will either get regional or they will get on down the road. I find it amusing how some are determined to shut out Toronto, yet look on in frustration at the thought that our last free agent signing will be Pat Thomas. You don't get the connection? As it is, the Bills' weak local market dictates that they command the lowest ticket prices in the league and likely are near the bottom of the NFL in advertising revenues. Yet we cling to the hope of a playoff appearance. Are we nuts, unrealistic or just clueless? Time to get our heads out of the sand and realize just how much the weak WNY market holds back the competitiveness of this franchise. Two or three games in Toronto is a NECESSITY if we want watchable football - and whether we LIKE it or not is immaterial.
nucci Posted March 22, 2009 Posted March 22, 2009 Should we start getting use to calling them the "BUFFARONTO" BILLS? or the"TORONUFFALO BILLS" niether sounds good to me at all That's because they are ridiculous names.
TheLynchTrain Posted March 22, 2009 Posted March 22, 2009 Marshawn can do that with his Cayenne Turbo. Yeah Marshawn's a hero. He needs to mow down more canadians.
The Dean Posted March 22, 2009 Posted March 22, 2009 I'm afraid that WNY needs to get used to the idea of a true Niagara-region franchise. The Bills will either get regional or they will get on down the road. I find it amusing how some are determined to shut out Toronto, yet look on in frustration at the thought that our last free agent signing will be Pat Thomas. You don't get the connection? As it is, the Bills' weak local market dictates that they command the lowest ticket prices in the league and likely are near the bottom of the NFL in advertising revenues. Yet we cling to the hope of a playoff appearance. Are we nuts, unrealistic or just clueless? Time to get our heads out of the sand and realize just how much the weak WNY market holds back the competitiveness of this franchise. Two or three games in Toronto is a NECESSITY if we want watchable football - and whether we LIKE it or not is immaterial. I think it is far-fetched to believe an NFL team can survive by playing home games in two different cities (and countries), over a long period of time. The Toronto gambit is an opportunity to help strengthen the Canadian tie to the Bills, and make it feasible for companies based in Toronto to buy luxury suites at the Ralph. Short term, it's doable...the Packers did it for a while, playing games in Milwaukee. But, as a permanent arrangement? I guess it is possible, but I don't think so. Either the current ploy works, and the Bills increase their Canadian sales of tickets at the Ralph, or it is a failure, IMO.
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