Golisano stokes the fire on Bills' future

[sdbillsfan2]

The future of the Buffalo Bills, that age-old topic endlessly feared by the team's fans, was once again a topic of conversation this week after comments made by former Sabres owner Tom Golisano during an interview with a Virginia television station.


http://blogs.buffalonews.com/billboard/2011/07/golisano-stokes-the-fire-on-bills-future.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2Fbuffalonews%2Fbillboard+%28BillBoard%29

[better days]

The future of the Buffalo Bills, that age-old topic endlessly feared by the team's fans, was once again a topic of conversation this week after comments made by former Sabres owner Tom Golisano during an interview with a Virginia television station.


http://blogs.buffalonews.com/billboard/2011/07/golisano-stokes-the-fire-on-bills-future.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2Fbuffalonews%2Fbillboard+%28BillBoard%29


With people like Kelly & Golisano wanting to keep the Bills in Buffalo, I think the future of the Bills in Buffalo is much more assured than many people think.

[jamze132]

The Bills aren't going anywhere.

[Night Train]

I've had a lifelong friend that has told me constantly the Bills will be moving very soon. This has been going on for the last 25 years. ( I'm over 50 )

After yesterdays news that more revenue sharing was pushed through by Ralph, it looks like he'll have a longer wait, even if Ralph dies soon and the team has a new owner. There is little to no incentive to move the Bills within the next 10 years of this agreement, if the reports are true.

It must be killing him to read that news, further diminishing his chances to say " I called it " . :rolleyes:

[McBFLO]

I love what I'm hearing about thew new revenue sharing aspect with the new CBA: "top revenue teams" pay at 10% tax on "local revenue"(which I assume would be from luxury boxes, sponsorships, etc) and that $ would go to the "smaller revenue teams". That will also be a HUGE factor IMO in keeping the Bills in Buffalo.

[FlyingDutchman]

With people like Kelly & Golisano wanting to keep the Bills in Buffalo, I think the future of the Bills in Buffalo is much more assured than many people think.

even Pegula

[OpIv37]

With people like Kelly & Golisano wanting to keep the Bills in Buffalo, I think the future of the Bills in Buffalo is much more assured than many people think.

It's not up to them.

Kelly and Golisano don't have the money to buy the team. And even if they did, the decision is on Ralph and the NFL.

Having Kelly and Golisano on the side of keeping the Bills in Buffalo certainly doesn't hurt, but it's no guarantee either.

I don't know why people can't see this.

[better days]

It's not up to them.

Kelly and Golisano don't have the money to buy the team. And even if they did, the decision is on Ralph and the NFL.

Having Kelly and Golisano on the side of keeping the Bills in Buffalo certainly doesn't hurt, but it's no guarantee either.

I don't know why people can't see this.


Well, they both know people that do have money. Ralph will be dead when this goes down & not have any say unless he has already made plans.

[OpIv37]

Well, they both know people that do have money. Ralph will be dead when this goes down & not have any say unless he has already made plans.

If Ralph is dead, then his family has the say, which could be even worse as they have no interest in running the team or paying the taxes that it would take to keep the team.

[Mr. Pink]

If Ralph has no succession strategy then the team is going to go into his estate which will then be sold to the highest bidder. Why some people fail to see this baffles me.

It baffles me further that Ralph, as of today, has no succession plan.

[SabreEleven]

If Ralph has no succession strategy then the team is going to go into his estate which will then be sold to the highest bidder. Why some people fail to see this baffles me.

It baffles me further that Ralph, as of today, has no succession plan.

How do you know he doesn't? He doesn't have to make it public.

[Jan Reimers]

It's not up to them.

Kelly and Golisano don't have the money to buy the team. And even if they did, the decision is on Ralph and the NFL.

Having Kelly and Golisano on the side of keeping the Bills in Buffalo certainly doesn't hurt, but it's no guarantee either.

I don't know why people can't see this.
It's not a guarantee, Op, but with Golisano and Pegula showing interest, and Kelly trying to put a consortium together, it gives us a very good chance at a local group purchasing the team. And a favorable revenue sharing agreement makes our chances even better.

The flipside is an out of town owner moving the team at considerable cost - NFL relocation fees and very possibly a new stadium among them - which will not be factors if the team remains in Buffalo.

[OpIv37]

How do you know he doesn't? He doesn't have to make it public.

if he has one, why wouldn't he just make it public and make all this nonsense go away?

[Mr. Pink]

How do you know he doesn't? He doesn't have to make it public.


In this day and age, everything gets leaked.

[Jan Reimers]

If Ralph is dead, then his family has the say, which could be even worse as they have no interest in running the team or paying the taxes that it would take to keep the team.
If Ralph's wife keeps the team, there will be no, or relatively low, estate taxes. If the team is sold - whether to locals or out-of-towners - there will be hefty estate taxes.

[justasportsfan]

During the Cobs Hill fest a few weeks ago here in Rochester, Senator Shumer was making his campaign rounds. As soon as he walked by I yelled" Senator, make sure the bills stay". He turns his head and walks up to me and says" I just as a matter of fact got off the phone with regards to the lockout. The bills and the smaller market teams are gettting taken care of in this CBA. "

I say " thanks" and then as he turns to walk away he turns back towards me and says "you know who the bills biggest backer is in keeping the bills in the area? ......Goddell" Then I reply, "if he is he isn't very public about it" Shummer, "believe me behind the scenes, he's backing the bills up to stay"

[trapezeus]

Impressive that Ralph was able to sneak this revenue sharing into the agreement. I'm speculating it was him. but Mike brown and him called this in 2006 and by 2009, other owners were also going cash to cap and saw what the old man saw.

i think this does help immensly and i think the bills got a shot of adreneline to stay in buffalo due to this deal.

Thanks Justa on that scoop with schumer. sounds very promising.

However, i still think Ralph is making it to 120 now and eventually outlives his wife and whoever else could inherit the team.

[OpIv37]

It goes like this:

The Toronto deal and stadium lease end after 2012. There is nothing keeping the Bills in Buffalo after that point. Ralph Wilson is 92 years old. There is nothing keeping the Bills in Buffalo after he croaks.

Other cities- LA, Toronto and San Antonio come immediately to mind- are clamoring for an NFL franchise. While it would make more sense to move Jacksonville, their stadium lease makes it much more difficult than moving us.

Feel-good statements by Jim Kelly, Chuck Schumer or Tom Golisano are nice. Speculation that Ralph may have some top-secret succession plan in place is nice. But until there is something concrete, on paper, to keep the Bills in Buffalo beyond 2012, there is legitimate reason for concern.

[Michael82]

The rumor is that the Bills were waiting until after the new CBA was signed before working on a new lease with Erie County. I have no doubt that they are going to sign a new lease sometime before the year is over, especially now that it's a solid 10-year CBA and it includes revenue sharing plans.

[Mr. Pink]

It goes like this:

The Toronto deal and stadium lease end after 2012. There is nothing keeping the Bills in Buffalo after that point. Ralph Wilson is 92 years old. There is nothing keeping the Bills in Buffalo after he croaks.

Other cities- LA, Toronto and San Antonio come immediately to mind- are clamoring for an NFL franchise. While it would make more sense to move Jacksonville, their stadium lease makes it much more difficult than moving us.

Feel-good statements by Jim Kelly, Chuck Schumer or Tom Golisano are nice. Speculation that Ralph may have some top-secret succession plan in place is nice. But until there is something concrete, on paper, to keep the Bills in Buffalo beyond 2012, there is legitimate reason for concern.


Even a lease is no big deal when it comes to a team that's moving. The Browns still had a lease til I believe 1998 when they left.

[BLeonard]

if he has one, why wouldn't he just make it public and make all this nonsense go away?

I've thought about this and, I think I have an answer...

We all know Ralph has complained about small market, not getting enough money and will need to move if the fans don't buy tickets and support the team...

Keep that in the back of your head, while I travel down another road here...

While I wouldn't consider Ralph a good owner, football-wise, he's a VERY good businessman... Obviously, any businessman worth his salt is going to have a succession plan, to continue business after his passing...

Now, the question was, why wouldn't he make it public???

Well, say Ralph came out tomorrow and said "There's a succession plan and the Bills will be in Buffalo forever." We'd all be elated, right?

BUT.........................

Now that we KNOW that there is a succession plan and that the Bills aren't in danger of moving, all of the complaining about small market, not having enough money and moving the team is GONE... I'd be willing to bet that, if everyone knew of a succession plan, they would be less tolerant with the losing and sucking that we have had for the past decade plus... They would demand results.

I really think, a lot of people are scared that, if they don't buy tickets, support the team, etc, that the Bills could leave Buffalo... Therefore, no matter how bad the product, the fans continue to buy... I mean, how many times have you heard people say "We should just be happy to have a team."

I honestly am thinking that a succession plan is in place and has been in place for a long time now... The reason it's not public knowledge? That would raise people's standards... Now that they know the team isn't going anywhere, they would expect results on the field.

Kinda simple, if you ask me.

-Bill