Toronto trying to get an NFL team, but not the Bills:

[Jeff1220]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/05/05/toronto-eyeballs-two-teams-for-possible-relocation/

Toronto has gotten a taste of the NFL over the past few years, hosting at least one Bills game annually. And it has made the powers-that-be hungry for more.
...
“They have to take care of the problem in Los Angeles first,” Ford said. “Two teams are kind of in play here: Jacksonville’s number one; New Orleans is the other. So there’s two teams. Once they take care of Los Angeles, we’re going to fly over to New York, set up a meeting with [NFL commissioner Roger] Goodell and give him our pitch.”

[cgbm]

Re: Toronto trying to get an NFL team, but not the Bills:

that would prolly make a sweet new rivalry for us.

especially the fact that they would be right across the lake and in another country.

id love it

[THATHURMANATOR]

Re: Toronto trying to get an NFL team, but not the Bills:

that would prolly make a sweet new rivalry for us.

especially the fact that they would be right across the lake and in another country.

id love it

It would be amazing but I am totally against stealing teams from cities.....

[superbills]

Re: Toronto trying to get an NFL team, but not the Bills:

No.
Way.
In.
Hell.

That the NFL lets the Saints move. It would be a PR nightmare and they are the "every man's neighborhood" football darling. Jacksonville on the other hand...

[cgbm]

Re: Toronto trying to get an NFL team, but not the Bills:

It would be amazing but I am totally against stealing teams from cities.....

its not stealing.

if an owner sells it, he sells it.

its a business. and a big lucrative one.

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

Re: Toronto trying to get an NFL team, but not the Bills:

The Jaguars can move to Toronto and get less fans for games than they get in Jacksonville.

[Michael82]

Re: Toronto trying to get an NFL team, but not the Bills:

An NFL team in Toronto would kill the Buffalo Bills. Sure the rivalry would be nice, but it would take a lot of the canadian fans out of Orchard Park and have them stay home in Toronto and become fans of that team instead.

[OpIv37]

Re: Toronto trying to get an NFL team, but not the Bills:

Anyone who thinks Jacksonville will move needs to Google the details of their stadium lease. It would cost millions to break.

Also, a team in Toronto is a death sentence for the Bills. The region can't support two NFL teams and we'd lose a lot of the support from Canadian fans that the team counts on.

If you're the ownership in Toronto, this is a brilliant PR move. LA steals the Bills, Toronto steals another team and then says to Bills fans "Hey, sorry it's not in Buffalo, but we brought you NFL football as close as we could. Come enjoy it." It's the perfect way to get an NFL team without alienating Bills fans.

[trapezeus]

Re: Toronto trying to get an NFL team, but not the Bills:

An NFL team in Toronto would kill the Buffalo Bills. Sure the rivalry would be nice, but it would take a lot of the canadian fans out of Orchard Park and have them stay home in Toronto and become fans of that team instead.

Not true. that's the sales pitch you'll get, but think of the reality.

You are a canadian bills fan for 20+ years. You've rooted for them your entire life. Toronto gets a team, charges $250 a ticket, no tailgating.

I think the bills toronto series has shown that there is a place for teams like the bills. when given an option, fans will stick with their team and they'll take the cheaper cost.

Bills football is also about the experience. people love their tailgating.

I think a team in toronto would be just as weakly followed. The cost and the atmosphere isn't the same and apeople don't just change affliations overnight.

maybe if the bills keep sucking and toronto comes out hot. but that's unlikely.

[OpIv37]

Re: Toronto trying to get an NFL team, but not the Bills:

Not true. that's the sales pitch you'll get, but think of the reality.

You are a canadian bills fan for 20+ years. You've rooted for them your entire life. Toronto gets a team, charges $250 a ticket, no tailgating.

I think the bills toronto series has shown that there is a place for teams like the bills. when given an option, fans will stick with their team and they'll take the cheaper cost.

Bills football is also about the experience. people love their tailgating.

I think a team in toronto would be just as weakly followed. The cost and the atmosphere isn't the same and apeople don't just change affliations overnight.

maybe if the bills keep sucking and toronto comes out hot. but that's unlikely.

One thing you're forgetting: 10 years of mediocrity from the Bills. Anyone who is roughly 20 years old or less has no recollection of the Bills actually being good. It's unlikely that they have the same allegiance to the team as people our age and older. And technology has made it far easier to follow out-of-market teams.

A team in Toronto could easily steal these "fans" away from the Bills.

[Thief]

Re: Toronto trying to get an NFL team, but not the Bills:

Anyone who thinks Jacksonville will move needs to Google the details of their stadium lease. It would cost millions to break.

Millions? OMG, not Millions!

[OpIv37]

Re: Toronto trying to get an NFL team, but not the Bills:

Millions? OMG, not Millions!

$60 Million

According to the terms of that extended lease, the Jaguars would need to demonstrate three consecutive years of financial losses in order to activate the "exit clause" required to move the team.

On top of that, they'd then owe the city of Jacksonville their remaining rent on the stadium—around $60 million—in addition to compensation for lost revenue from taxes, parking, and other sources of income dependant on the Jaguars.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/387483-moving-to-los-angeles-jacksonville-jaguars-bridled-by-ill-advised-lease

That's $60 million in addition to the cost of buying the team and building a new stadium. If you don't think that makes teams like the Bills and the Vikings instantly more attractive as candidates for relocation, you are sorely mistaken.

[cgbm]

Re: Toronto trying to get an NFL team, but not the Bills:

ok i can see wherre a toronto team would be bad for the bills. all the more reason for us to get a qb and start winning. hahhahahha....

[better days]

Re: Toronto trying to get an NFL team, but not the Bills:

An NFL team in Toronto would kill the Buffalo Bills. Sure the rivalry would be nice, but it would take a lot of the canadian fans out of Orchard Park and have them stay home in Toronto and become fans of that team instead.

I disagree with you about this Michael. The Sabres have plenty of Canadian fans & I think the Bills would lose a few to Toronto but not all that many. I could be wrong but I think many more of the Canadian fans come from the Falls area & other small towns closer to Buffalo than from Toronto.

Because of Canadian law, no team in Toronto will ever have the game day experience that Canadian Bills fans enjoy in Buffalo.

What do you Canadian Bills fans have to say? Agree with me or Michael?

[trapezeus]

Re: Toronto trying to get an NFL team, but not the Bills:

One thing you're forgetting: 10 years of mediocrity from the Bills. Anyone who is roughly 20 years old or less has no recollection of the Bills actually being good. It's unlikely that they have the same allegiance to the team as people our age and older. And technology has made it far easier to follow out-of-market teams.

A team in Toronto could easily steal these "fans" away from the Bills.

Those 20 something normally would choose cheap beers and a drinking bonanza, than a stuffy environment at expensive seats. on average.

i did take into account that the team continuing to suck will have toronto people more likely to follow their own hometown team.

i'm a koolaid drinker. i think the bills are finally on the right path, which is why someone will steal our team when the tide finally turns.

The owners can't be this obtuse to the PR. They are in a fight where fans think they are being greedy. now is not the time to move a team with history for a quick payday to an area that shows that it isn't really a football town. That would go over like a lead balloon.

I really dont care what happens to jax because they simply don't have the history.

but moving the bills, vikings, chargers, saints...that's just a bad play to try and juice revenues that don't exist.

LA and toronto are markets that won't work. It's destined to be a harvard case review in 10 years if they remain hell bent on moving teams. They are missing out on the fact that the NFL ticket has kept people fans of their original teams no matter where they live. You can move me anywhere in the world, i'm always rooting for the bills and sabres. if i live in toronto, i'm not buying toronto whatever season tickets. and i sure as hell won't go to a single game if they move the bills out of buffalo. I don't think i'm unique in my feeling.

I'm pretty sure the same is true for sandiego fans. In the last couple years, i find it awful that owners continue to ask municipalities to pick up their tab and then pay them extra. these owners are a bit too removed from reality if you ask me.