Selling The Team

[Typ0]

Put yourself in RW shoes right now. He'd be lucky to have five more shots at winning the big game. What price would you sell for?

[Marvelous]

Huh? iF YOU MEAN MONEY(WHICH I DON'T THINK YOU DO).
-We would have no idea what kind of money this team is worth.

-What we do need is plans for the future. A Owner who wants to win. Not in the Dan Snyder way, but The Wayne Hyzinga way sounds good to me...The Ralph DOES want to win & SHOWED IT BY RETAINING Bobby April, but man od we need a jump start & soon...I think The Ralph should sell soon so he can work hands on with the new owner...Sooner the better for the teams sake IMO..

[Hemlepp53]

If I was RW i would leave the team to the City of Buffalo and turn it into a non-profit community owned team like the Packers. This will keep the team where it belongs in BUFFALO and provide income to the city of Buffalo.

Just my thoughts...

[Captain gameboy]

Forbes claims the team was worth $637m last fall.

I would put that at 570 now.

If I was Ralph, and I could get $500m for it with a guarantee it would stay in Buffalo, I would do it.
That would make his family comfortable for history, and ensure his legacy as a good guy.

If there was no such guarantee, I would do it for 550m.

Next year's collective bargaining agreement is going to be a huge argument in this discussion.

[Ebenezer]

When the day comes the Bills will go for at least $750 mil.

[Marvelous]

Is moving somewhere else in WNY a option? Like Roch? or somewhere within 75 miles... Not like most don't drive far anyways..
--Is Training camp with the festivities for kids still going on, or did i miss it? Told wife i'd take our 20 month old daughter etc etc.

[SeatownBillsFan21]

Why is this even being discussed???

[Buffalogic]

I'd trade park place AND boardwalk for RWS.

[sdbillsfan2]

If I was RW i would leave the team to the City of Buffalo and turn it into a non-profit community owned team like the Packers. This will keep the team where it belongs in BUFFALO and provide income to the city of Buffalo.

Just my thoughts...


I'd like to see this too, but it can't happen . The NFL rules changed some time back and don't allow the same situation that GB currently enjoys (community ownership). I wouldn't expect the other owners to make an exception for the Bills . They would love the Bills to go to a larger market . More money to split up!

[Jan Reimers]

Ralph should leave it to his wife and avoid the death tax.

[Typ0]

I didn't start this thread to stir up all the banter about selling the team. I just thought of a new angle on why RW refuses to sell the team and I think it's an honorable one. He believes he has a chance to win a SB. It's the only thing he hasn't gotten done. His only chance to do this is to hold on to the team until at least that happens. Well, I don't know if you noticed but he's getting old...

[THATHURMANATOR]

Is moving somewhere else in WNY a option? Like Roch? or somewhere within 75 miles... Not like most don't drive far anyways..
--Is Training camp with the festivities for kids still going on, or did i miss it? Told wife i'd take our 20 month old daughter etc etc.
Why would they move it to Rochester? MAKES ZERO SENSE.

[Jan Reimers]

I didn't start this thread to stir up all the banter about selling the team. I just thought of a new angle on why RW refuses to sell the team and I think it's an honorable one. He believes he has a chance to win a SB. It's the only thing he hasn't gotten done. His only chance to do this is to hold on to the team until at least that happens. Well, I don't know if you noticed but he's getting old...
You may be right, but we better win a Super Bowl soon. I was afraid Ralph might keel over during his HOF speech. I hope he goes on for a long time, but he's starting to look awfully frail. . .

[THATHURMANATOR]

I didn't start this thread to stir up all the banter about selling the team. I just thought of a new angle on why RW refuses to sell the team and I think it's an honorable one. He believes he has a chance to win a SB. It's the only thing he hasn't gotten done. His only chance to do this is to hold on to the team until at least that happens. Well, I don't know if you noticed but he's getting old...
I don't have a problem with him not selling the team. It is HIS team.

I just wish he was working behind the scenes with local buyers(if any exist) to get something in place upon his death.

[billsfanone]

885mm

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/30/sportsmoney_nfl08_NFL-Team-Valuations_Rank_2.html

[ddaryl]

Forbes claims the team was worth $637m last fall.

I would put that at 570 now.

If I was Ralph, and I could get $500m for it with a guarantee it would stay in Buffalo, I would do it.
That would make his family comfortable for history, and ensure his legacy as a good guy.

If there was no such guarantee, I would do it for 550m.

Next year's collective bargaining agreement is going to be a huge argument in this discussion.


the league prohibits fan ownership nd that rule was put in place right after greenbay did it, but I'm not sure what the rules on donating/willing the team to the city is ??

but if the city runs the Bills like they run the city well then it probably wouldn't be a very good match.

Ralph has already said more then once he will sell to highest bidder, because lets face it, no family can survive on 300 million after taxes, which is about what his family would be left with after death/estate taxes from the sale of the Bills

[Ickybaluky]

Why would they move it to Rochester? MAKES ZERO SENSE.

I'm thinking West Seneca.

[Ickybaluky]

the league prohibits fan ownership nd that rule was put in place right after greenbay did it, but I'm not sure what the rules on donating/willing the team to the city is ??

He can't donate or will it to the city, since it would still be in violation of the league charter. If they are in violation of the league charter, they could lose their franchise.

Any new owners would have to be approved by vote of the other owners, anyway.

[THATHURMANATOR]

I'm thinking West Seneca.
West Seneca is like 5 minutes from where the Stadium is currently.

[Dying_-2-_Live]

How about he moves them to jamestown ;)... Yeah right :( we dont have enough money to support that. Id rather them stay in buffalo... But you gotta admit... a stadium near Chautauqua lake would be beautiful.

[Ickybaluky]

West Seneca is like 5 minutes from where the Stadium is currently.

They so need their own team.

[trapezeus]

the team is pretty much canada bound at this point. They are in the same position of having a stadium already established and paid for. The new owners will support just the purchase price.

Additionally, i'd think the NFL will slow bleed us bills fans with games just slowly shifting to canada. And by the time they are playing 7games in toronto and 1 in OP, we'll all be none the wiser.

The new owners will dig it because even a poorly sold stadium at their ticket prices more than cover the packed house in buffalo. but the packed house in buffalo will give them legitamacy.

The only thing we as a city have going for us is that we are in the worst economic environment in decades and that might stop some of these buyers who will pay anything and finance anything to be able to be a single owner (a la jerry jones, dan synder) The rest of the league may have to look at their books and admit that its worth having a no debt team playing in an old stadium turning a sizable profit than adding another team in a new area with a new stadium with tons of debt.

This crisis has bought us at least 5 years after RW' death.

[Captain gameboy]

the league prohibits fan ownership nd that rule was put in place right after greenbay did it, but I'm not sure what the rules on donating/willing the team to the city is ??

but if the city runs the Bills like they run the city well then it probably wouldn't be a very good match.

Ralph has already said more then once he will sell to highest bidder, because lets face it, no family can survive on 300 million after taxes, which is about what his family would be left with after death/estate taxes from the sale of the Bills

I'm well aware of all that.

Not sure what it has to do with my post, as I never suggested anything regarding donating the entity to Buffalo.

[HHURRICANE]

If I was RW i would leave the team to the City of Buffalo and turn it into a non-profit community owned team like the Packers. This will keep the team where it belongs in BUFFALO and provide income to the city of Buffalo.

Just my thoughts...

Can't do this. It's not allowed anymore.

[HHURRICANE]

Ralph is not selling the team because "he wants a Superbowl ring". If that was the case than he'd not be doing "cash to cap".

I think he's just selfish in that regard and that's his choice. The part I hate is he keeps portraying himself as the savior of Buffalo and that somehow Buffalo is so decimated that people can't think for themselves.

Everytime he opens his mouth, including HOF speech, he makes Buffalo look 10X worse than it is. Guess what? You guys are actuallly doing better right now than most of the country. My office there is thriving and the City has life.

Come to Atlanta and see the beating wee took the last 18 months regionally.

Ralph is the problem not the cure.