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All: The new Billszone site with the updated software is scheduled to be turned on Tuesday, May 21, 2024. The company that built it, Dynascale, estimates a FOUR HOUR shut down, from 8pm Pacific, (5pm Eastern) while they get it up and running. Nobody will be able to post in any forum until they are done. Afterwards, you may need to do a web search for the site, as old links will not work, because the site is getting a new IP address. Please be patient. If there are bugs, we will tackle them one at a time. Remember the goal is to be up and running with no glitches by camp. Doing this now assures us of that, because it gives us all summer to get our ducks in a row. Thank you!
There is work to be done and things to be learned. We are going to try to get the old look back - or something close to it. We also know there are bugs. A thread will be started to report bugs and then we can pass those onto the host.
Thank you for all the patience and support with this - hopefully this will greatly reduce the crashes and other site issues we have had lately.
Please use this thread to report any issues you come across
http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/forum/feedback-forums/billszone-q-a/6521455-upgrade-report-bugs-here
The Buffalo Bills are one of the National Football League’s most profitable teams, but that could change in a hurry if the team is sold.
Because Bills owner Ralph Wilson founded the team for a mere $25,000 back in 1959, he doesn’t have to worry about paying off a huge loan to finance the team’s purchase.
But whoever buys the Bills from Ralph Wilson or his estate will have that worry — and those loan payments could easily turn the franchise from one that makes a nice profit to one that roughly breaks even or worse.
And that could be the biggest hurdle to keeping the Bills in Buffalo once the team changes hands.
YardRat Wall of Fame #56 DARRYL TALLEY #29 DERRICK BURROUGHS#22 FRED JACKSON #95 KYLE WILLIAMS
I still can't understand why Ralph doesn't leave the team to his wife, who could let Brandon and his guys run the operation. It would solve the estate tax problem, keep the appreciation ball rolling for his family, and allow the team to continue to be debt free - and profitable.
Should have known, way back in 1960 when we drafted Richie Lucas Number 1, that this would be a long, hard ride. But who could have known it would be THIS bad?
I still can't understand why Ralph doesn't leave the team to his wife, who could let Brandon and his guys run the operation. It would solve the estate tax problem, keep the appreciation ball rolling for his family, and allow the team to continue to be debt free - and profitable.
I've always thought the same thing. She's in her 50's and she's a huge fan of the team.
I've always thought the same thing. She's in her 50's and she's a huge fan of the team.
Plus, I read an article in the Buffalo News about the Girls in Sports programs that she started and are held at the fieldhouse, where she said she would love to do more with the local community and to live in Buffalo.
Should have known, way back in 1960 when we drafted Richie Lucas Number 1, that this would be a long, hard ride. But who could have known it would be THIS bad?
Plus, I read an article in the Buffalo News about the Girls in Sports programs that she started and are held at the fieldhouse, where she said she would love to do more with the local community and to live in Buffalo.
I used to volunteer for the Women Understanding Football Clinic every fall.
That's how I got to meet Jeff Nixon.
He was instructing the women on D Line and pass rush....and I was his QB tackling dummy.
“Our sole focus — our sole focus — is to keep this franchise financially sound in Western New York,” said Russ Brandon
I like to hear that, whether he means it 100% or not, at least he's saying it.
Ralph has made it clear that there will be a sale of the team when he dies... I'd like to see it stay in the family as well but it isn't in the cards apparently. I still think they need to look into what Green Bay has done and sell the team off as "shares of stock". The Galisanos of the area would have first crack so we can make sure someone doesn't come in and try to buy controlling share and take the team elsewhere, then the locals (they'd put a provision in that said you had to live in Erie, Niagara, Monroe, Genessee county, etc. or something like that), then, after we've established local majority ownership, open it up to anyone.
We've talked about this before... assuming the team sold for $800 million, you could make 4 million shares of stock available. That's $200 a share at the "IPO". Let the local managing partners buy their chunk, then the fans. I know I'd buy a share just for the claim of being part owner of the Bills. If the initial investment was $360 million (local business leaders), do you think there are a quarter million people living in WNY who would spend $200 to own part of the team? I do. They spend a lot more than that on average in the course of a single season. That gets us over 50%. That means all decisions involving the team are being made by a majority that has a vested interest in the Greater Buffalo area. If we can get a better turnout than this, it simply means more local ownership. You could even have the Canadians get involved to guarantee their one preseason and one regular season game a year (which I'd be more than willing to do if it meant keeping us in Buffalo).
That leaves $390 million, or 1.95 million shares (max.), to be bought up by anyone else. Considering the success of the league, there would be little problem in selling these off. Find me a consistent roi that can rival the NFL....
I know it is a lot more complicated than this, but the idea of parttial public ownership should be one that is fully heard when Ralph finally moves on to the nex phase of life.
I like to hear that, whether he means it 100% or not, at least he's saying it.
Ralph has made it clear that there will be a sale of the team when he dies... I'd like to see it stay in the family as well but it isn't in the cards apparently. I still think they need to look into what Green Bay has done and sell the team off as "shares of stock". The Galisanos of the area would have first crack so we can make sure someone doesn't come in and try to buy controlling share and take the team elsewhere, then the locals (they'd put a provision in that said you had to live in Erie, Niagara, Monroe, Genessee county, etc. or something like that), then, after we've established local majority ownership, open it up to anyone.
We've talked about this before... assuming the team sold for $800 million, you could make 4 million shares of stock available. That's $200 a share at the "IPO". Let the local managing partners buy their chunk, then the fans. I know I'd buy a share just for the claim of being part owner of the Bills. If the initial investment was $360 million (local business leaders), do you think there are a quarter million people living in WNY who would spend $200 to own part of the team? I do. They spend a lot more than that on average in the course of a single season. That gets us over 50%. That means all decisions involving the team are being made by a majority that has a vested interest in the Greater Buffalo area. If we can get a better turnout than this, it simply means more local ownership. You could even have the Canadians get involved to guarantee their one preseason and one regular season game a year (which I'd be more than willing to do if it meant keeping us in Buffalo).
That leaves $390 million, or 1.95 million shares (max.), to be bought up by anyone else. Considering the success of the league, there would be little problem in selling these off. Find me a consistent roi that can rival the NFL....
I know it is a lot more complicated than this, but the idea of parttial public ownership should be one that is fully heard when Ralph finally moves on to the nex phase of life.
Current NFL bylaws, as I understand, prohibit public ownership of franchises. That's not to say that Congress, using its anti-trust exemption hammer, couldn't force an exemption for the Bills.
Should have known, way back in 1960 when we drafted Richie Lucas Number 1, that this would be a long, hard ride. But who could have known it would be THIS bad?
Current NFL bylaws, as I understand, prohibit public ownership of franchises. That's not to say that Congress, using its anti-trust exemption hammer, couldn't force an exemption for the Bills.
They do? How did GB get around it? If the anti-trust route needs to be taken, then so be it. It seems we're pretty close to that after spygate anyway.
They do? How did GB get around it? If the anti-trust route needs to be taken, then so be it. It seems we're pretty close to that after spygate anyway.
I believe the bylaws were changed sometime after GB went public.
Should have known, way back in 1960 when we drafted Richie Lucas Number 1, that this would be a long, hard ride. But who could have known it would be THIS bad?
The Green Bay Football Corp sold team stock starting in 1920 through 1950. There are 1900 shareowners. No one owns more than 200 shares and there is zero profit made on the shares- all is plowed back into the team and the facilities.
The NFL (and all other major pro sports leagues) have since discontinued this practice. Some sports teams have sold novelty stock (The Celtics for one a few years ago) but for the most part it is worthless.
I still can't understand why Ralph doesn't leave the team to his wife, who could let Brandon and his guys run the operation. It would solve the estate tax problem, keep the appreciation ball rolling for his family, and allow the team to continue to be debt free - and profitable.
Perhaps she likes being an owner's wife, but is not interested in ownership itself?
Green Bay had the vision to do it right, and after all of these years, no matter how smal their market gets, they're not going anywhere. It's unfortunate if we can't work out some 'modern day' version of their blueprint.
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