Wilson says Bills to be sold after his death

[TMAC24McGee]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2906872

BUFFALO, N.Y. ---- The first and only owner of the Buffalo Bills has no plans to sell the team in his lifetime.
Ralph Wilson told The Buffalo News that the team will be sold after he dies and that he does not plan to leave the Bills to his wife, Mary.
"I think she's capable and she could do it, but it would be tough," the 88--year--old said. "My daughters are interested in the game, but they're not going to own the team."
Wilson knows the future of the Bills is a concern for fans, who don't want an outsider to buy the team and move it to another city.
"It is the situation as it always has been [the team] will be sold," Wilson said. "It hasn't changed. I know the people are jumpy there. But I get jumpy the more I hear about it."
If Wilson did leave the team to his daughters they would likely struggle to pay estate taxes -- 45 percent of the value of the franchise -- on the team valued at about $600 million.

[Ebenezer]

Re: ESPN: Wilson says Bills not for sale

try a franchise last year valued at over $710 mil...and only going up. It will take a huge move by a major consortium of local richies to buy that team.

[YardRat]

Wilson says Bills to be sold after his death

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070617/SPORTS/70617001/1007

The first and only owner of the Buffalo Bills has no plans to sell the team in his lifetime.

Ralph Wilson told The Buffalo News that the team will be sold after he dies and that he does not plan to leave the Bills to his wife, Mary.

“I think she’s capable and she could do it, but it would be tough,” the 88-year-old said. “My daughters are interested in the game, but they’re not going to own the team.”

Wilson knows the future of the Bills is a concern for fans, who don’t want an outsider to buy the team and move it to another city.

“It is the situation as it always has been (the team) will be sold,” Wilson said. “It hasn’t changed. I know the people are jumpy there. But I get jumpy the more I hear about it.”

If Wilson did leave the team to his daughters they would likely struggle to pay estate taxes — 45 percent of the value of the franchise — on the team valued at about $600 million.

Wilson said it’s possible that the next owner could be someone who would want to keep the Bills in Buffalo, but he’s not willing to speculate beyond that.

“There’s so much liquidity that’s floating around the country now,” Wilson said. “Look at the stock market, it’s gone up, up, up. It’s not on dividends. Somebody hopes they’ll buy a stock and somebody will come along and pay them a little more for it. So they’ll sell it. You don’t know. There may be somebody who will come along in Buffalo and buy it. You can’t tell. I can’t guess the future and nobody can.”

[YardRat]

Re: Wilson says Bills to be sold after his death

Oooops, my bad.

Could a mod please either delete this thread, or merge it with tmac's?

Thanks in advance.

[Historian]

Re: Wilson says Bills to be sold after his death

Done.

Sad news too.

[shelby]

Re: Wilson says Bills to be sold after his death

That ing sucks.

[YardRat]

Re: Wilson says Bills to be sold after his death

I'm gonna start rolling the coins in my 'mad money' jar.

If I'm a couple of bucks short, anybody wanna chip in?

[njsue]

Re: Wilson says Bills to be sold after his death

Let me pull some $ out from my mattress.

[Romes]

Re: Wilson says Bills to be sold after his death

great...there is going to be so much confusion, rumors, worry, and panic among Bills fans when he passes...as if there isn't enough of that already about this team moving.

Maybe I am missing something but this appears to me like a completley selfish move by Wilson.

[Philagape]

Re: Wilson says Bills to be sold after his death

****ing estate tax

[RedEyE]

Re: Wilson says Bills to be sold after his death

I actually see some positive in this. Wilson's wife or children would be taxed out the ying-yang if they were to inherit the team. I don't think his girls are capable of handling that kind of financial stress. With this announced, potential suitors can now start aligning funds to move on the team when that sad day comes. That also gives local guys like Golsiano an opportunity or two as well. This might not be such a bad thing.

[Michael82]

Re: Wilson says Bills to be sold after his death

great...there is going to be so much confusion, rumors, worry, and panic among Bills fans when he passes...as if there isn't enough of that already about this team moving.

Maybe I am missing something but this appears to me like a completley selfish move by Wilson.

yeah it is. VERY SELFISH!

[Michael82]

Re: Wilson says Bills to be sold after his death

“There’s so much liquidity that’s floating around the country now,” Wilson said. “Look at the stock market, it’s gone up, up, up. It’s not on dividends. Somebody hopes they’ll buy a stock and somebody will come along and pay them a little more for it. So they’ll sell it. You don’t know. There may be somebody who will come along in Buffalo and buy it. You can’t tell. I can’t guess the future and nobody can.”

I hate that last quote. It sounds like total greed and sounds to me like highest bidder wins....which equals.... Buffalo Bills

[ddaryl]

Re: Wilson says Bills to be sold after his death

If it wasn't for Ralph Wilson the Bills would have more then likely moved away from Buffalo a decade ago and we wouldn't even be having this discussion.

But in typical Buffalonian fashion we will here the extreme pessimistic side of the situation and nobody will allow themselves to believe it'll be alright in the end.

Have some faith

[Tatonka]

Re: Wilson says Bills to be sold after his death

i cant imagine the bills anywhere but buffalo.. so i really cant think about them being somewhere else.

the toronto bills.. just sounds stupid.