homeslice5484
11-07-2010, 01:35 PM
TORONTO - Jim Kelly was on the field before the Bills game with the Bears in Toronto. These days he works the sidelines, and looks ahead to a future for the team in Western New York he says... not Toronto.
"It's going alright... but as I said earlier, I can't see a Toronto Bills. It's the Buffalo Bills."
Kelly says he remains committed to being a part of a future ownership group that will keep the team in Buffalo.
"The bottom line is I've had a number of people contact me over the years, and there's serious interest about keeping the Bills in Western New York... I can't name those people... but major, major business people that want to see the Bills stay in Western New York. To be honest with you, with Roger Goodell as commissioner, and the State of New York, I can't see how they'd let a team in Buffalo go... at least not without a serious fight and and I'm one of those guys who will fight... but again, this is Mr. Wilson's team."
Kelly said there have been no additional conversations about transitioning ownership to the Kelly group after Mr. Wilson passes away.
"You have to know what buttons to push and when to push them. Right now I want to let Ralph Wilson be the proud owner of the Buffalo Bills."
Earlier this week, Rogers executive Phil Lind spoke to the Associated Press about the desire to extend the series past 2012 and add "at least one more game" per year in the future. Kelly was guarded on that issue.
"I don't know about the long term. Let's see how the five years pans out."
2-On-Your-Side's Adam Benigni asked Kelly if the franchise needed the financial (http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=94137&catid=37#) support of playing some games in Toronto to survive in Buffalo long term.
No... I don't think so... but I'm sure there's other people that put the formulas together, and you try to get as much Canadian support as you can."
Benigni also spoke to Bills CEO Russ Brandon amid reports about adding more game in the future.
"The only conversations we've had pertain to strengthening what we have right now. We have not talked about adding more games in the future."
The Bills are under contract to play three more games in Toronto over the next two years - two in the regular season and one preseason game.
Rogers Communications paid the Bills a reported $78-million to host eight games over a five year period.
Follow 2 On Your Side on Twitter (http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/www.twitter.com/wgrz)
"It's going alright... but as I said earlier, I can't see a Toronto Bills. It's the Buffalo Bills."
Kelly says he remains committed to being a part of a future ownership group that will keep the team in Buffalo.
"The bottom line is I've had a number of people contact me over the years, and there's serious interest about keeping the Bills in Western New York... I can't name those people... but major, major business people that want to see the Bills stay in Western New York. To be honest with you, with Roger Goodell as commissioner, and the State of New York, I can't see how they'd let a team in Buffalo go... at least not without a serious fight and and I'm one of those guys who will fight... but again, this is Mr. Wilson's team."
Kelly said there have been no additional conversations about transitioning ownership to the Kelly group after Mr. Wilson passes away.
"You have to know what buttons to push and when to push them. Right now I want to let Ralph Wilson be the proud owner of the Buffalo Bills."
Earlier this week, Rogers executive Phil Lind spoke to the Associated Press about the desire to extend the series past 2012 and add "at least one more game" per year in the future. Kelly was guarded on that issue.
"I don't know about the long term. Let's see how the five years pans out."
2-On-Your-Side's Adam Benigni asked Kelly if the franchise needed the financial (http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=94137&catid=37#) support of playing some games in Toronto to survive in Buffalo long term.
No... I don't think so... but I'm sure there's other people that put the formulas together, and you try to get as much Canadian support as you can."
Benigni also spoke to Bills CEO Russ Brandon amid reports about adding more game in the future.
"The only conversations we've had pertain to strengthening what we have right now. We have not talked about adding more games in the future."
The Bills are under contract to play three more games in Toronto over the next two years - two in the regular season and one preseason game.
Rogers Communications paid the Bills a reported $78-million to host eight games over a five year period.
Follow 2 On Your Side on Twitter (http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/www.twitter.com/wgrz)