Schumer, Goodell meet in Washington D.C.

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer says there is a "sign of hope" from his Wednesday meeting with N.F.L. commissioner, Roger Goodell.

New York's senior U.S. Senator says Goodell has promised him, Buffalo Bills owner, Ralph Wilson Jr., will be a part of a qualifiers committee meeting on January 23rd. The meeting will address revenue sharing among small market N.F.L. teams.

Senator Schumer met with the N.F.L commissioner at his Washington, D.C. office for around a half hour on Wednesday. The senator is lobbying the N.F.L. to make sure small market teams like the Bills receive the money they need to stay in their current markets.

Goodell also promised Schumer, the league would look at the Bills schedule for 2007 and try avoid scheduling most of the homes game, late in the season.
http://www.wgrz.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=44023

video http://www.wgrz.com/video/vplayer.aspx?aid=21331&bw=

[Carlton Bailey]

Thanks for the update. Good on Chuck for continuing to work diligently to help the Bills out.

[Michael82]

Goodell also promised Schumer, the league would look at the Bills schedule for 2007 and try avoid scheduling most of the homes game, late in the season.

:mad: I like the late season home games. Those are usually the best ones. :(

[jamze132]

So now we are going to get charity? We are turning into the laughing stock of professional football. We were blacked out more than any team in the NFL last season, we didn't sell out a Dolphins game, and our owner is publicly *****ing at every chance he gets.

All this complaining is going to bite us in the ass, one way or another soon. I understand the position the Bills franchise is in and everyone who can make economical decisions reguarding football in western New York already knows what is going on.

I do appreciate Schumer for what he has been trying to do though, I just wish everything wasn't so public.

[X-Era]

:mad: I like the late season home games. Those are usually the best ones. :(

I think we dont get the draw on the late season games because only the hard core fans will weather the cold to watch them.

Wanna fix it Ralph? spend your money on Superbowl quality talent, produce on the field and the fans will come. But if we go into the season without spending even close to our cap limit, you can expect more of the same. No one is saying we should spend just to do it, but if we dont invest in this team when all the other teams are we lose to them in the offseason, the on the field product suffers, and no one is interested in watching medicority much anymore!

[patmoran2006]

WE got ourselves into a mini playoff run and couldnt sell out the rival Dolphins game, and didnt even get in the ballpark of selling out the Titans game..

that is VERY bad news..

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

Forked from: Schumer, Goodell meet in Washington D.C. (http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showpost.php?postid=1803375)


U.S. Senator Charles Schumer says there is a "sign of hope" from his Wednesday meeting with N.F.L. commissioner, Roger Goodell.

New York's senior U.S. Senator says Goodell has promised him, Buffalo Bills owner, Ralph Wilson Jr., will be a part of a qualifiers committee meeting on January 23rd. The meeting will address revenue sharing among small market N.F.L. teams.

Senator Schumer met with the N.F.L commissioner at his Washington, D.C. office for around a half hour on Wednesday. The senator is lobbying the N.F.L. to make sure small market teams like the Bills receive the money they need to stay in their current markets.

Goodell also promised Schumer, the league would look at the Bills schedule for 2007 and try avoid scheduling most of the homes game, late in the season.
http://www.wgrz.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=44023

new video http://www.wgrz.com/video/vplayer.aspx?aid=21343&bw=

[Historian]

Late season home games used to be an advantage for us because of the weather.

[Yasgur's Farm]

I heard Chuckie speak concerning this on the radio yesterday... I was disheartened.

He said the reason the fans didn't fill the seats at the end of this season was because...
1) The teams facing the Bills were weak.
2) IT WAS COLD!

He said that the commish will "look into" scheduling higher draw teams in Buffalo in December.

This is purely a political op for him. He doesn't know a thing about the plight of the Bills fan or Western NY for that matter.

[Typ0]

Miami, Jets, Tennesee and Baltimore were weak teams? Thats kind of silly. Two division rivalries one a surprise going to the playoffs and another our biggest "rival". The hottest team in Tennessee with Vince Young, a real rookie who was playing like a stud...and baltimore one of the best teams in the league. Prior to that at home we had Jax and SD!

[Jan Reimers]

Just for the record, our last 4 home games were against Jacksonville, San Diego, Miami and Tennessee, none of which are exceptionally "weak." In fact, the Chargers are one of the best teams in football, and Miami is probably our most bitter rival.

Schumer would have been smarter to point to games on the Sunday after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve as unfortunate scheduling, but what can you expect from a liberal Democrat from NYC?

[Michael82]

WE got ourselves into a mini playoff run and couldnt sell out the rival Dolphins game, and didnt even get in the ballpark of selling out the Titans game..

that is VERY bad news..
I blame the Sabres. :(

[Michael82]

Late season home games used to be an advantage for us because of the weather.
Exactly! I don't know why the hell we would be asking the league to take those away from us? :shakeno:

[Yasgur's Farm]

It's scarey to think that a guy who doesn't have his finger on the pulse of the problem is one of the few remaining barriers kepping the Bills here.

[DMBcrew36]

I'd say the #1 reason, next to weather, is that the fans are finally sick of paying for a poor/mediochre product.

[Typ0]

holidays.

[jamze132]

Late season home games used to be an advantage for us because of the weather.
And they will be again if we can start to consistently win, especially at home.

[jamze132]

I'd say the #1 reason, next to weather, is that the fans are finally sick of paying for a poor/mediochre product.
I agree that is the biggest reason. The Sabres aren't helping either. But I can alomst gaurantee that if both the Bills and Sabres were winning consistently, fans would mysteriously find enough money to catch a Sabres game and Bills game in the same week.

Bills fans need to feel what it's like for our favorite teams to win and that is why everyone in Buffalo is all over the Sabres right now. Who wants to support a mediocre product when they can feel good about themselves by cheering for the best team in the NHL? But like I said, once the Bills start winning like they did 10-15 years ago, the fans will be back better than ever.

Hey Ralph... hint, hint.... show them the money!

[jamze132]

Just for the record, our last 4 home games were against Jacksonville, San Diego, Miami and Tennessee, none of which are exceptionally "weak." In fact, the Chargers are one of the best teams in football, and Miami is probably our most bitter rival.

Schumer would have been smarter to point to games on the Sunday after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve as unfortunate scheduling, but what can you expect from a liberal Democrat from NYC?
At least someone with some power is sticking up for us. He understands what the Bills mean economically to western New York.

[Jan Reimers]

At least someone with some power is sticking up for us. He understands what the Bills mean economically to western New York.
I agree. He is the one politician who has really pursued this whole problem and done a great job of representing the Bills' interests. For that, I give him a lot of credit.

In fact, if I lived in New York, I might even vote for him - but probably not.

[jamze132]

I agree. He is the one politician who has really pursued this whole problem and done a great job of representing the Bills' interests. For that, I give him a lot of credit.

In fact, if I lived in New York, I might even vote for him - but probably not.
I wonder if he buys any tickets to see the Bills or has he been blacked out? LOL

[G. Host]

That winter storm in October resulted in a lot of discretionary spending being spent on other things which definitely impacted the sales. This is something those *****ing never cite because it does not go along with their pet theories.

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

That winter storm in October resulted in a lot of discretionary spending being spent on other things which definitely impacted the sales. This is something those *****ing never cite because it does not go along with their pet theories.

Yeah Generators what go for what :$:400-1,000.

[The_Philster]

But if we go into the season without spending even close to our cap limit, you can expect more of the same.
When haven't we spent close to the cap limit? :huh:

I heard Chuckie speak concerning this on the radio yesterday... I was disheartened.

He said the reason the fans didn't fill the seats at the end of this season was because...
1) The teams facing the Bills were weak.
2) IT WAS COLD!

He said that the commish will "look into" scheduling higher draw teams in Buffalo in December.

This is purely a political op for him. He doesn't know a thing about the plight of the Bills fan or Western NY for that matter.1...they were strong teams
2...it wasn't cold

[G. Host]

Yeah Generators what go for what :$:400-1,000.

More than enough for a season ticket. Lots more. Lots of people lost refrigerators and freezers of food, damage to houses and yards, flooded basements with furniture, rugs, etc throw out, some people were out of work, businesses which lost customers, etc and much of this uncovered by insurance. I have lots of relatives in Buffalo and people outlayed thousands.

[Michael82]

More than enough for a season ticket. Lots more. Lots of people lost refrigerators and freezers of food, damage to houses and yards, flooded basements with furniture, rugs, etc throw out, some people were out of work, businesses which lost customers, etc and much of this uncovered by insurance. I have lots of relatives in Buffalo and people outlayed thousands.
But they had enough money to buy Sabres tickets and load up on Sabres merchandise? :bs:

[G. Host]

But they had enough money to buy Sabres tickets and load up on Sabres merchandise? :bs:

You make it sound like all of the same people buying tickets for Sabres are buying Bils tickets.

[CuseJetsFan83]

chuck is only doing this because the bills are technically the only ny team...... and with him being the "senior senator" he has to keep up the pr..........

last i checked with everyone who went to games, weather wise it wasnt even close to being bad.......

hell, the bills jets game in jersey was in the 50's at 4pm in middle of dec.

while yes, i agree with him "fighting the good fight" on behalf of the bills fans in WNY for economic reasons, at least get some correct insight before the comments.....

and as far as scheduling.... the NFL made it...... cant really do squat bout that.....

dont be surprised if you get something like 2home-2away alternating all year if for some insane reason they cave in..... and all teams start doing that :-(

while yes, im glad he's doing something for you bills fans...... its still... i dunno, fishy...... and not in a dolphin sense.....

[BillsFever21]

:mad: I like the late season home games. Those are usually the best ones. :(

How is this good for our team? Playing on the road to end the season in the most important games of the year is good for our team?

When this happens we still won't be making the playoffs because we're finishing out on the road to end the season and no longer have any home field advantage and the stadium will continue to have empty seats.

[BillsFever21]

That winter storm in October resulted in a lot of discretionary spending being spent on other things which definitely impacted the sales. This is something those *****ing never cite because it does not go along with their pet theories.

So one storm early in the year resulted in the Bills not being able to sell anymore tickets the rest of the year? It didn't hurt the Sabres ticket sales.

Buffalo has huge storms almost every season and it never made a difference before when selling tickets to games.

[DolfanTom]

Thanks for the update. Good on Chuck for continuing to work diligently to help the Bills out.It's about time Chuck has done something for Upsate NY!!

Anyways, I think RW is full of it if you ask me. I think he wants more $$$ than the millions he's already making here so he's setting things up to leave. He should be forced to sell in some way before that happens!

One thing that would help you is building a smaller stadium if that's possible. Get it down to - say - 70,000 and you'll rarely not sell out a game. That Titans game on Christmas Eve was an exception to the rule.

Plus, if you guys are say - 8-4 - going into December next year, I'm guessing people will show up!

[RockStar36]

I blame the Sabres. :(

Those bastards. How dare they perform like the best team in the league and consistently win games. What are they thinking?

[Typ0]

You make it sound like all of the same people buying tickets for Sabres are buying Bils tickets.

There is no way he's going to see the difference.