County Executive Chris Collins Confident About Extending Buffalo Bills' Lease

[dasaybz]

BUFFALO, NY-- Erie County Executive Chris Collins says he's confident that the county and state can reach a new lease agreement with the Buffalo Bills, although he adds a new lease could include one additional game per season in Toronto.
As part of the current lease, the Bills will spend $2.8 million on upkeep at the stadium, which this year will include new turf.
The team's lease with the county expires in the summer of 2013.
"I'm firmly convinced they will remain the 'Buffalo Bills,'" said Collins.
Collins believes the Bills and the NFL (http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/109550/37/Collins-Confident-About-New-Lease-With-Bills#) have a good thing going in Western New York, with a stadium that's paid off and in good shape, and fans that continually support the team despite its bumbles, stumbles and fumbles.
Scott Brown: "Have you begun talks with the Bills?"
County Executive Collins: "I've had preliminary discussions, absolutely."
Collins says he and the Bills have agreed that serious negotiations won't begin until the league and the players' union come to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, something which could still be months away.
Once lease talks do begin, the Bills treasurer, Jeff Littmann is expected to negotiate on behalf of the team, as he did (http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/109550/37/Collins-Confident-About-New-Lease-With-Bills#) during the last set of negotiations in the late 1990's, if Collins wins re-election, he and his top aides will represent the county, and Governor Cuomo will likely be represented by the New York's Empire State Development Corporation.
Scott Brown: "In the new talks, do you believe the Bills will want to play more games in Toronto every year?"
County Executive Collins: "I believe there will be 18 regular season games not 16. I think as we have 18 regular season games it would not be difficult to say if we have nine regular season games at home, we could have two of those up in Toronto."


more (http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/109550/37/Collins-Confident-About-New-Lease-With-Bills)

[THATHURMANATOR]

Why another game in Toronto? **** THAT!! How could we ever succeed with 6 home games and 10 road games a season?

[Jeff1220]

Why another game in Toronto? **** THAT!! How could we ever succeed with 6 home games and 10 road games a season?

I don't like it either, but he's saying (last paragraph of the quote) that that if there were 18 reg season games, there's be 7 in OP and 2 in TO.

[justasportsfan]

Why another game in Toronto?

so the bills can host a sb in toronto :ugly:

[Beebe's Kid]

**** Toronto. It is an epic failure, except for Ralph making out financially. That is no a bad thing, but like Thurm pointed out...the extra road game is horse ****.

[Ed]

I don't like it either, but he's saying (last paragraph of the quote) that that if there were 18 reg season games, there's be 7 in OP and 2 in TO.
So 7 home games and 11 road games. Still sounds crappy to me.

[BertSquirtgum]

another game in toronto? is chris collins ****ing ******ed? somebody should wait outside his office and punch him in the privates for saying something so ****ing dumb.

[BertSquirtgum]

I don't like it either, but he's saying (last paragraph of the quote) that that if there were 18 reg season games, there's be 7 in OP and 2 in TO.

nope. **** THAT and **** toronto. they have shown no support for the Bills. they don't deserve to watch them in person once a year in their home country.

[X-Era]

Why another game in Toronto? **** THAT!! How could we ever succeed with 6 home games and 10 road games a season?Agreed. Just convert a damn road game to another Toronto game.

[Forward_Lateral]

It's all about money, fellas. C'mon, you haven't figured that out by now?

[trapezeus]

FL, it is all about the money. It's about tax dollars going to ralph and paying his expenses like stadium up keep, and him being allowed to singlehandedly go to toronto and keep the cash for himself as a single owner.

It's absurd. Either the state is a debt provider or an equity partner in this, but instead we are treated like the rich father who can't do enough to keep his spoiled daughter happy.

[OpIv37]

So, a guy who may or may not win re-election as County Exec has had "preliminary talks" with the owner of the Bills who may or may not be alive when the lease expires.

Well, glad we got that situation resolved before it becomes a problem.

[Jan Reimers]

For once, I'll be a realist. Seven (of nine) home games in Buffalo is a helluva lot better than zero home games in Buffalo.

[WeAreArthurMoates]

If it meant keeping the Bills in Buffalo for the next 30 years I have no problem with another game in Toronto.

[Ed]

I'm ok with one home game in Toronto because I'm pretty sure it's the leagues intention to have every team host one international game. At least that's what Goodell said last year when they first started talking about adding another game or two. So if everyone plays an international home game then we might as well play ours in Toronto.

[trapezeus]

not every team sacrifices a home game every single season.

the problem is that the deal is idiotic. Toronto people aren't stupid. They aren't going to have season tickets in buffalo and go to the games and then be like, "oh, i'll pay 5 times the amount once in a place that the team hasn't played well in, and the atmosphere is different."

If the games were not played in buffalo at all, i bet the prices would be paid. but the alternative of having cheaper seats in buffalo, get US shopping in, and travel all included vs. paying $250 for 1 seat isn't going to help.

The real outrage of the toronto games haven't even come to fruition. What would we do if a december game with the bills on the verge of the playoffs is played in toronto. Can you imagine the outrage? Having to pay to cross the border, travel, have no where to tailgate, and then watch a game indoors in december with our playoff hopes on the line?

That will be a fun week on the boards.

[ParanoidAndroid]

One more pre-season game.....sure. Regular season? No friggin' way!

[justasportsfan]

It's not like we can sell out all the games at Orchard Park especially with an 18 game season.

[BertSquirtgum]

For once, I'll be a realist. Seven (of nine) home games in Buffalo is a helluva lot better than zero home games in Buffalo.
I would rather have zero games than to see the Bills play one more home game in Toronto. Zero games will relieve me of a strong emotional attachment that is slowly killing me. The Bills don't need two extra road games. Let them play in Hamilton. i hate you toronto. **** you.

[Night Train]

It's just talk by a one way (his way) politician.

Means nothing.

[HAMMER]

I would rather have zero games than to see the Bills play one more home game in Toronto. Zero games will relieve me of a strong emotional attachment that is slowly killing me. The Bills don't need two extra road games. Let them play in Hamilton. i hate you toronto. **** you.

I agree, I would likely move on if we send another game to Canadia, F&@# them. It would be a huge competitive disadvantage that would likely be impossible to overcome. Due to having the best QB in the league and two picks in each of the first four rounds this year, NE is only going to get better. You can't beat out one of the best franchises by giving your home field advantage away.

If Rogers makes the same offer when the current agreement is up I don't see Ralph turning it down. 78 million over five years for a preseason game and a regular season game is likely more than his net profit from all 35 home games in that same time period.