Toronto group bidding on Rams [Archive] - BillsZone.com

Ickybaluky

01-31-2010, 07:51 AM

One of 3 groups bidding to buy the Rams is from Toronto:

LINK (http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/columnists.nsf/berniemiklasz/story/82E3BE44B40E8122862576BC00126A28?OpenDocument)

Multiple sources tell me that another group has strong ties to Toronto, which should concern those who want to see the Rams remain in St. Louis.

One has to think that if the Rams were to move to Toronto it would effect the Bills.

kernowboy

01-31-2010, 08:04 AM

One of 3 groups bidding to buy the Rams is from Toronto:

LINK (http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/columnists.nsf/berniemiklasz/story/82E3BE44B40E8122862576BC00126A28?OpenDocument)

One has to think that if the Rams were to move to Toronto it would effect the Bills.

If Kroenke wanted to buy Arsenal FC, I think he would need to cash out his 40% as it may cost him up to $700m to do so.

ddaryl

01-31-2010, 08:19 AM

If it has any chance of happening the question now is ... how does this affect the Bills ability to stay in the region

and who do we kick out of the AFC East to accomodate Toronto.

My guess is Buh Bye Miami...

Michael82

01-31-2010, 08:22 AM

Buffalo has the Toronto market covered. I don't see the NFL allowing this, especially when we play 1-2 home games per year there.

Don't Panic

01-31-2010, 08:25 AM

Interesting... as much as we have come to rely on So. Ontario as part of our fan base, if something like this did happen, I would think it would be beneficial to the Bills staying in Buffalo. We could still support the team with a neighbor in TO, although it may be harder to sell out every game. I don't see this as an alternative path to force a Bills move though... putting a team in TO would not be so damaging that we were forced to move to LA. Not unless Ralph sells to the highest bidder and the league does nothing to protect us from leaving. Still... I doubt the TO bid wins out in the Rams case.

Night Train

01-31-2010, 08:44 AM

One of 3 groups bidding to buy the Rams is from Toronto:
LINK (http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/columnists.nsf/berniemiklasz/story/82E3BE44B40E8122862576BC00126A28?OpenDocument)
One has to think that if the Rams were to move to Toronto it would effect the Bills.

Not to take the negative route but it could be a start of remapping the NFL, with the Bills and a few other teams smply being dropped.

If the Revenue Sharing issue is indeed a hot topic, as rumored, then that could be the final straw for Buffalo, Jacksonville, Cinci, Oakland and maybe a couple others.

Naturally, I hope I'm wrong but the rich boys club is dead against any future revenue sharing and I'm not impressed with Roger Godell at all. He's been a terrible commish and will just go along with it. :down: Look at the " Who Dat " issue in New Orleans. Just incredible how bad that looks.

The NFL is completely focused on $$ over the greater good of all and will claw for every $$ they can grab. It's a corportate favoring sport for large markets only. Screw the blue collar fan.

YardRat

01-31-2010, 08:53 AM

I don't see teams co-existing in Toronto and Buffalo.

Interesting that LA isn't part of the mix...kind of shows that they are mostly bluster with very little balls, passing on an opportunity to bring 'their' team back into the fold just sitting there for them to scoop up.

eee1776

01-31-2010, 08:54 AM

I don't see this happening, although if it did we would lose about 25% of our season tickets holders about 16,000 season tickets. More importantly some luxury seats which the Bills count on for revenue.

The bills need that toronto market share to viable in there market.

Night Train

01-31-2010, 08:57 AM

Interesting that LA isn't part of the mix...kind of shows that they are mostly bluster with very little balls, passing on an opportunity to bring 'their' team back into the fold just sitting there for them to scoop up.

People keep forgetting that Al Davis still has territorial rights for LA. You want a team there, you must deal with the bat**** loon.

YardRat

01-31-2010, 10:00 AM

People keep forgetting that Al Davis still has territorial rights for LA. You want a team there, you must deal with the bat**** loon.

Good point, but whoever wants to bring a team to LA is going to have to deal with Davis regardless of whether the current team involved is Buffalo, Jacksonville, St Louis or somebody else, now or in the future.

LA has an opportunity to 'man-up' staring them in the face, and they are passing on it.

OpIv37

01-31-2010, 10:06 AM

Interesting... as much as we have come to rely on So. Ontario as part of our fan base, if something like this did happen, I would think it would be beneficial to the Bills staying in Buffalo. We could still support the team with a neighbor in TO, although it may be harder to sell out every game. I don't see this as an alternative path to force a Bills move though... putting a team in TO would not be so damaging that we were forced to move to LA. Not unless Ralph sells to the highest bidder and the league does nothing to protect us from leaving. Still... I doubt the TO bid wins out in the Rams case.

the area can barely support one NFL franchise, let alone 2. If the NFL put a team in Toronto, either the Buffalo or the Toronto franchise would be doomed to fail. There is a reason why the Bills promote themselves regionally in Rochester, Syracuse, Southern Ontario, etc- Buffalo proper isn't strong enough to support a team.

While the Bills have the history, Toronto is a larger and more affluent city, and would likely win out over time.

mrbojanglezs

01-31-2010, 10:18 AM

if they brought a team to toronto that might hurt the bills more than people think....all the toronto fans and southern ontario fans might cheer for them

Historian

01-31-2010, 10:23 AM

"affect"

ddaryl

01-31-2010, 10:40 AM

I think if you re-align the divisions better you could make this work without much issue.

not all Southern Ontario fans are going to change allegiances.

I could see a Cleveland, Buffalo Toronto, New England AFC East. then you would almost guarentee fans traveling to all of these cities helping all teams in the division remain fruitful.

but nothing changes one fact. If the Bills are going to compete from this day forward they have to start pricing their tickets accordingly and selling naming rights along side of all the other tricks they are doing to generate revenue.

mrbojanglezs

01-31-2010, 10:41 AM

I think if you re-align the divisions better you could make this work without much issue.

not all Southern Ontario fans are going to change allegiances.

I could see a Cleveland, Buffalo Toronto, New England AFC East. then you would almost guarentee fans traveling to all of these cities helping all teams in the division remain fruitful.

but nothing changes one fact. If the Bills are going to compete from this day forward they have to start pricing their tickets accordingly and selling naming rights along side of all the other tricks they are doing to generate revenue.

Pittsburgh, Toronto, cleveland, Buffalo

ddaryl

01-31-2010, 10:43 AM

Pittsburgh, Toronto, cleveland, Buffalo

even better for a highway series.

It would guarentee lots of intra division fans traveling for all the teams here

tampabay25690

01-31-2010, 10:48 AM

even better for a highway series.

It would guarentee lots of intra division fans traveling for all the teams here

Would be the smart way to do it and even maybe Cinci.....

Goobylal

01-31-2010, 10:48 AM

No team other than the Bills and their annual opponent(s) will play in the Toronto. End of story.

Mike13

01-31-2010, 10:59 AM

If it has any chance of happening the question now is ... how does this affect the Bills ability to stay in the region

and who do we kick out of the AFC East to accomodate Toronto.

My guess is Buh Bye Miami...

I could see Miami moving to the AFCS If this happens. But I doubt it, If Toronto gets a team, the most logical move is to bring Buffalo up north to avoid a cluster **** of a realignment.

YardRat

01-31-2010, 11:16 AM

Hypothetically speaking of course, if Toronto were to get a team and none other were to fold, I doubt you would see any kind of re-alignment immediately. The AFC East would simply remain the same, plus Toronto.

feldspar

01-31-2010, 12:42 PM

People keep forgetting that Al Davis still has territorial rights for LA. You want a team there, you must deal with the bat**** loon.

If that's true, like I keep hearing, then Davis had better not even consider letting the Bills ever move to LA after Ralph Wilson saved the Raiders franchise years ago with the money he gave/lent them.

Don't Panic

01-31-2010, 02:12 PM

Somewhat off topic, but if/when the Jags move to LA, here is my proposal for realignment:

<link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="Edit-Time-Data" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_editdata.mso"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><style>  </style> <table class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 100%;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr style=""> <td style="width: 288.75pt; padding: 0in;" valign="top" width="385" nowrap="nowrap"><o:p></o:p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 100%;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr style="height: 13.5pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 13.5pt;"> East<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Baltimore Ravens (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/bal/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Miami Dolphins (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/mia/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> New England Patriots (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/nwe/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> New York Jets (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/nyj/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <o:p> </o:p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 100%;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr style="height: 5.25pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 5.25pt;"></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <o:p> </o:p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 100%;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr style="height: 13.5pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 13.5pt;"> North<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Buffalo Bills (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/buf/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Cincinnati Bengals (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/cin/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Cleveland Browns (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/cle/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Pittsburgh Steelers (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/pit/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <o:p> </o:p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 100%;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr style="height: 5.25pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 5.25pt;"></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <o:p> </o:p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 100%;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr style="height: 13.5pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 13.5pt;"> South<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Kansas City Chiefs (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/kan/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Indianapolis Colts (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/ind/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> St. Louis Rams (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/stl/) <o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Tennessee Titans (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/ten/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <o:p> </o:p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 100%;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr style="height: 5.25pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 5.25pt;"></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <o:p> </o:p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 100%;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr style="height: 13.5pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 13.5pt;"> West<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Denver Broncos (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/den/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Houston Texans (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/hou/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Oakland Raiders (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/oak/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> San Diego Chargers (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/sdg/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <o:p> </o:p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 100%;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr style="height: 5.25pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 5.25pt;"></td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td style="width: 22.5pt; padding: 0in;" width="30" nowrap="nowrap"> <o:p></o:p>
</td> <td style="width: 288.75pt; padding: 0in;" valign="top" width="385" nowrap="nowrap"><o:p></o:p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 100%;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr style="height: 13.5pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 13.5pt;"> East<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Dallas Cowboys (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/dal/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> New York Giants (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/nyg/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Philadelphia Eagles (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/phi/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Washington Redskins (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/was/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <o:p> </o:p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 100%;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr style="height: 5.25pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 5.25pt;"></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <o:p> </o:p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 100%;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr style="height: 13.5pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 13.5pt;"> North<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Chicago Bears (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/chi/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Detroit Lions (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/det/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Green Bay Packers (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/gnb/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Minnesota Vikings (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/min/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <o:p> </o:p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 100%;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr style="height: 5.25pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 5.25pt;"></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <o:p> </o:p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 100%;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr style="height: 13.5pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 13.5pt;"> South<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Atlanta Falcons (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/atl/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Carolina Panthers (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/car/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> New Orleans Saints (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/nor/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Tampa Bay Buccaneers (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/tam/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <o:p> </o:p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 100%;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr style="height: 5.25pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 5.25pt;"></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <o:p> </o:p>
<table class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 100%;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr style="height: 13.5pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 13.5pt;"> West<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Arizona Cardinals (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/ari/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> San Francisco 49ers (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/sfo/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Seattle Seahawks (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/sea/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 18.75pt;"> <td style="padding: 0in; height: 18.75pt;"> Los Angeles Jaguars (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/jac/)<o:p></o:p>
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table>
This gives the Bills a more geographically logical division and shores up some of the other disparities.

BillsWin

01-31-2010, 02:20 PM

In my opinion, if the Rams move to Toronto and Jacksonville moves to L.A. I'd be one happy camper.

WeAreArthurMoates

01-31-2010, 04:52 PM

what makes this great news is that the Toronto group realizes that theres no reason to pursue the Bills.

TigerJ

01-31-2010, 11:27 PM

Buffalo has the Toronto market covered. I don't see the NFL allowing this, especially when we play 1-2 home games per year there.
Agreed. Like it or not, Buffalo really depends on fans from Canada to help keep the Bills viable in Buffalo. If there is a team in Toronto a lot of those fans will be siphoned away and the Bills are sunk. The team will be forced to move.

Meathead

02-01-2010, 05:06 AM

absolutely zero chance there will ever be an nfl team in both bflo and tor in our lifetimes

none. just forget about that

the second you allow a separate team in toronto you also kill the bills franchise. no way around that

so the only way toronto will have their own team in the next fifty years minimum is if the team in buffalo ceases to exist

trapezeus

02-01-2010, 09:01 AM

I'd love to see the models that that Toronto group uses to justify the purchase. Ticket sales for the bills were awful, the suites must be at full capacity, and they'll need to put out a good product quick to make people excited

I'd rather have them buy the bills and share the team than have the bills move to LA after t his and be forced to either give up football (which i'm fairly certain i will) or watch the Toronto Rams.

Meathead

02-01-2010, 12:22 PM

I'd rather have them buy the bills and share the team than have the bills move to LA after this
which is why i have said for five years i would be content if we shared games with them 50/50

Likelihood of the Bills staying in Bflo under the following scenarios (remember, luxury boxes are the key to any franchises' financial viability):

2% - Bills generate enough in tix/luxury suites all on their own to fend off relocation pressure. this just aint gonna happen, simply not enough companies in this area to buy boxes at competitive prices. an economic miracle would have to happen for this scenario to be viable

20% - Bills successfully manage to leverage their current Toronto partnership enough to get Toronto companies to buy boxes. i just dont think Tor companies are going to pony up to buy boxes at both places when they only get one game a season there, plus crappy preseason games

70% - Buffalo splits the season with Toronto, Buffalo officially retains the team. with four games in Toronto now you have enough leverage to force Canadian companies that want a box there to buy one here, too

thus, the future viability of a Buffalo NFL team lies in sharing it with Toronto. nobody wants to admit that but its just a fact. if they dont figure out how to do that, this team is gaan

dannyek71

02-01-2010, 12:25 PM

How about just move them back to LA. That way, we can get my Techmo Bowl teams more accurate.

Goobylal

02-01-2010, 12:46 PM

Toronto is within the 75-mile blackout radius (i.e. home market) of Buffalo, and even Orchard Park. No (other) team can go there.

Ickybaluky

02-11-2010, 07:24 AM

Looks like the Rams will be sold to Illinois businessman Shahid Khan, which means they probably stay in St. Louis.

LINK (http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/rams/story/130588200E53CBEC862576C700219A8C?OpenDocument)

So, no Toronto Rams.

trapezeus

02-11-2010, 08:17 AM

aaaand, phew.