This just kills me......

[tat2dmike77]

The Bills have sold out 42 of their past 47 home games and 59 of 71 since 2000. That's impressive considering the team did not reach the playoffs during that span.


Yet our owner who somehow cried his way into the HOF claims how broke he is all the time and it is so hard for him to keep up with cost. Yet there it is 42 home games sold out. Between being ass raped for parking ($25) and buying a beer ($7) or a soda ($5) how can he sit there with a straight freaking face and say oh i'm so poor feel sorry for me.

Seeing that fans come out and buy tixs is nice but it's frustrating when you hire coaches like jauron because it's obvious he wants to keep as much money for his fam as he can. We must ensure that future generations of wilsons do not have to work. Again how did this guy get into the HOF? I know what he did in the 60's was important but what has happened since then?


*Thanks shelby for the quote*

[Ebenezer]

Yet our owner who somehow cried his way into the HOF claims how broke he is all the time and it is so hard for him to keep up with cost. Yet there it is 42 home games sold out. Between being ass raped for parking ($25) and buying a beer ($7) or a soda ($5) how can he sit there with a straight freaking face and say oh i'm so poor feel sorry for me.

Seeing that fans come out and buy tixs is nice but it's frustrating when you hire coaches like jauron because it's obvious he wants to keep as much money for his fam as he can. We must ensure that future generations of wilsons do not have to work. Again how did this guy get into the HOF? I know what he did in the 60's was important but what has happened since then?


*Thanks shelby for the quote*

Not defending RW but have you been to NY, Tampa or Chicago for a game recently? Those prices are cheap compared to other cities. In 2004 we paid $9 for a Heiniken at Yankee Stadium...in 1997 I paid $6 for a beer at a TB/Sabres game in St. Pete. In 2003 I paid $5 for a pop at Wrigley. In 1986, it cost $12 to park at Foxboro (friends of a friend went to a game there). The Ralph is cheap compared to other stadiums.

[X-Era]

Yet our owner who somehow cried his way into the HOF claims how broke he is all the time and it is so hard for him to keep up with cost. Yet there it is 42 home games sold out. Between being ass raped for parking ($25) and buying a beer ($7) or a soda ($5) how can he sit there with a straight freaking face and say oh i'm so poor feel sorry for me.

Seeing that fans come out and buy tixs is nice but it's frustrating when you hire coaches like jauron because it's obvious he wants to keep as much money for his fam as he can. We must ensure that future generations of wilsons do not have to work. Again how did this guy get into the HOF? I know what he did in the 60's was important but what has happened since then?


*Thanks shelby for the quote*

I dont know why he didnt raise the ticket costs at all.

$10.00 x 72,000 = 720,000 x 8 = $5,760,000

Thats enough to pay the extra for a player like Suggs or Peppers

If Crow costs 4-5 mill per, another 3-4 takes you to Pepp (in cap hit)

[lukabrossi]

Just keep shelling out yer hard-earned dollars for Ralphie.....if yer stupid enough to line Ralphs pockets, then yer stupid enough to pay 25 for parking and 7 dollars a beer.

[Jan Reimers]

Just keep shelling out yer hard-earned dollars for Ralphie.....if yer stupid enough to line Ralphs pockets, then yer stupid enough to pay 25 for parking and 7 dollars a beer.
Some of us enjoy Bills' football despite our ownership, and realize that tickets are comparatively cheap, and parking, concessions and merchandise are on a par with other stadiums.

[lukabrossi]

i agree completely and the pricing is absolutely comparable.....but the attitude of Ralph towards the fans is mind-numbing.

[Jan Reimers]

i agree completely and the pricing is absolutely comparable.....but the attitude of Ralph towards the fans is mind-numbing.
I agree, and I'm not happy with Ralph, either. But I love the atmosphere at Bills' games and like going so much that I just put Ralph out of my mind and enjoy the experience.

[Michael82]

I agree, and I'm not happy with Ralph, either. But I love the atmosphere at Bills' games and like going so much that I just put Ralph out of my mind and enjoy the experience.
Great post, Jan! I completely agree! :bf1:

[tat2dmike77]

I wasn't complaining about the prices i am complaining about the fact this guy gets millions upon millions of dollars and has the balls to sit and say how hard it is for him to run the team finacally. I know tickets are relativly cheap compared to other places. Which is also why i don't get why some people on this board want a new stadium built. All that will do is double or triple ticket prices.

Point is RW saying he is hard up for cash is a joke and when you see 42 home games sold out something funny is stirring the kool aid.

[Luisito23]

I feel you Mike. :up:

[Typ0]

I wasn't complaining about the prices i am complaining about the fact this guy gets millions upon millions of dollars and has the balls to sit and say how hard it is for him to run the team finacally. I know tickets are relativly cheap compared to other places. Which is also why i don't get why some people on this board want a new stadium built. All that will do is double or triple ticket prices.

Point is RW saying he is hard up for cash is a joke and when you see 42 home games sold out something funny is stirring the kool aid.

what you say would only be true if ticket sales were a large portion of the revenues from an NFL team but they aren't. There is no corporate base to sell luxury boxes in this market. Per capita income is low here and the population down which hurts television revenues and merchandising.

[X-Era]

what you say would only be true if ticket sales were a large portion of the revenues from an NFL team but they aren't. There is no corporate base to sell luxury boxes in this market. Per capita income is low here and the population down which hurts television revenues and merchandising.

How many luxury boxes do the Bills typically sell out of how many they have?

[billogic99]

Is that due to loyal fans or the fact that the Bills are the cheapest home game in all the NFL and the only show in town? I wouldn't call it loyalty, cause when the Bills played their one and only home game in Canada this year there was hardly a Bill fan to be found. Thanks in large part to the ticket prices. If RW charged the Bill fans the avg ticket price of the other teams around the league there wouldn't be any more sold out games.

[PECKERWOOD]

I would gladly pay an extra 20$ a ticket if it meant us winning more games.

[Typ0]

How many luxury boxes do the Bills typically sell out of how many they have?

they do have trouble selling them. But it's not just that. It's also the price they can charge for them in the first place. I don't have the numbers handy here but they have been around and this is the gripe over the last 20 years from RW. Don't forget about the television revenues and merchandising also. You have to really look at the bottom line on everything to see the impact of being in a smaller market. Far too many fans look at a full stadium and assume that means revenues are being maximized and that is far from the case.

[don137]

I feel you Mike. :up:

:cp:

[tat2dmike77]

they do have trouble selling them. But it's not just that. It's also the price they can charge for them in the first place. I don't have the numbers handy here but they have been around and this is the gripe over the last 20 years from RW. Don't forget about the television revenues and merchandising also. You have to really look at the bottom line on everything to see the impact of being in a smaller market. Far too many fans look at a full stadium and assume that means revenues are being maximized and that is far from the case.

Have you been in the Bills store after or before a home game? It is packed with people and sometimes there is a line to get in. I'm not saying that every person buys something but lets say half do and lets say they allow 150 people in at a time. So if half buy something at an average of say 20 bucks (and that is being generous with those prices) that is 1500. Obviouslly people buy merch all throughout the stadium and on the web site. I see plenty of Bill gear here in columbus. I get what you are saying but don't play the we don't sell enough merch card cause it won't fly.

I know there is more to running the franchise then a full stadium but that is where alot of the money comes from. I get the no TV deal and corporate stuff but i sure do hear the bison dip song every other minute along with labatt blue signs as well through out the place. Maybe if ol ralphie would spend some money on decent coach and win some games and make the playoffs more sponser would come running. But thats a stupid idea why spend money when ralph can keep all the money.

[Night Train]

He's not saying he's poor. He's saying he can't compete with the big markets which charge insane prices for tickets, parking, food etc. The NFL is waaaay too expensive for the average fan.

Crying won't change it.

[yordad]

If you count every dollar from ticket sales as profit, what is the total? Now, what is the salary cap?

I really don't think selling out is the only factor. Not that I agree with Ralph, but I just don't fully agree with the argument put forth in this thread. Ticket sales are only a part of the equation.

Oh, and Jan is the man.

[yordad]

He's not saying he's poor. He's saying he can't compete with the big markets which charge insane prices for tickets, parking, food etc. The NFL is waaaay too expensive for the average fan.

Crying won't change it.Translation: "Other team owners are making 112 million in-pocket profit a year, and I'm pissed I'm only making 37 million. I am sooo friggin poor. Boohoo."

[Typ0]

Have you been in the Bills store after or before a home game? It is packed with people and sometimes there is a line to get in. I'm not saying that every person buys something but lets say half do and lets say they allow 150 people in at a time. So if half buy something at an average of say 20 bucks (and that is being generous with those prices) that is 1500. Obviouslly people buy merch all throughout the stadium and on the web site. I see plenty of Bill gear here in columbus. I get what you are saying but don't play the we don't sell enough merch card cause it won't fly.

I know there is more to running the franchise then a full stadium but that is where alot of the money comes from. I get the no TV deal and corporate stuff but i sure do hear the bison dip song every other minute along with labatt blue signs as well through out the place. Maybe if ol ralphie would spend some money on decent coach and win some games and make the playoffs more sponser would come running. But thats a stupid idea why spend money when ralph can keep all the money.


Still not really getting it though. It's about opportunity cost. No one is saying the team doesn't turn a profit. But they would make a lot more in the larger market. They wouldn't need revenue sharing in a larger market either.

[chernobylwraiths]

Can someone link me to the story where Ralph cried that he doesn't make enough or any money?

He has claimed that this market is small.
He has claimed that he can't charge as much for tickets to games because the people can't afford it.

[Night Train]

Translation: "Other team owners are making 112 million in-pocket profit a year, and I'm pissed I'm only making 37 million. I am sooo friggin poor. Boohoo."

Congrats on the Capt. Obvious award. :bf1:

[Typ0]

Can someone link me to the story where Ralph cried that he doesn't make enough or any money?

He has claimed that this market is small.
He has claimed that he can't charge as much for tickets to games because the people can't afford it.


you are kidding me right? What is the effect of being in a small market? What is the effect of low ticket prices? Do you think he's complaining about those things because he's worried about his breakfast staying hot or something?

[chernobylwraiths]

you are kidding me right? What is the effect of being in a small market? What is the effect of low ticket prices? Do you think he's complaining about those things because he's worried about his breakfast staying hot or something?

Please, this has been over numerous times. If he wanted more money he would have left a long time ago, he has had ample opportunity.

[Mr. Pink]

I love how he complains yet the TV contract pays for every player's salary anyways.

Raise ticket prices and instead of getting bargain guys that you have to overpay you can sign studs that you have to overpay for a few years.

More revenue = more money into signing bonuses!

Then after a year or two of bringing in stars, the team will get better, which will mean that top flight talent will want to come here and then stay to build upon the performances year to year.

For someone so business savvy he certainly doesn't get the whole you need to spend money to make money idea.

[Typ0]

Please, this has been over numerous times. If he wanted more money he would have left a long time ago, he has had ample opportunity.

it's not about what he wants any more once he's gone...