Gov Cuomo: Bills are very important

[Fitzpatrick'sbeard]

2 On Your Side asked the Governor Cuomo while he was in town Tuesday about his thoughts on the state paying for some or all of the of the stadium improvements, as part of a new lease between Erie County and the Buffalo Bills.


"Well, look the Bills are very important," says Cuomo. "Not only to Western New York so I'm looking forward to working with the county and the entire community in finding way to make sure the Bills stay here."

http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/146014/37/Will-the-State-Ante-Up-For-Ralph-Wilson-Stadium-Improvements

[OpIv37]

The future of the Bills is up to Ralph and the NFL.

Not Cuomo. Not Schumer. Not Clinton. Not whatever crook is currently the Erie County executive. Not Jim Kelly.

I wish it were different, but stump speeches from politicians and good intentions from Jim Kelly will not keep the Bills in Buffalo on their own.

[BertSquirtgum]

The future of the Billls is up to the new owner when that greedy old man dies.

[better days]

The future of the Bills is up to Ralph and the NFL.

Not Cuomo. Not Schumer. Not Clinton. Not whatever crook is currently the Erie County executive. Not Jim Kelly.

I wish it were different, but stump speeches from politicians and good intentions from Jim Kelly will not keep the Bills in Buffalo on their own.

Well, it certainly doesn't hurt to have the Government supporting keeping the team & allocating funds to keep the stadium up.

Minnesota may lose the Vikings if that State can not get its act together about funding a new Stadium.

[PromoTheRobot]

The future of the Billls is up to the new owner when that greedy old man dies.

Let's make way for the greedy NEW man. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

PTR

[better days]

Let's make way for the greedy NEW man. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

PTR

Well, the NFL is a business. BIG business. Anyone not happy with that can follow College Football, but that is a business also.

[BertSquirtgum]

Well, it certainly doesn't hurt to have the Government supporting keeping the team & allocating funds to keep the stadium up.

Minnesota may lose the Vikings if that State can not get its act together about funding a new Stadium.
Minnesota supposedly has an 800 million dollar surplus and they're supposedly working out a deal.

[Historian]

The future of the Bills is up to Ralph and the NFL.

Not Cuomo. Not Schumer. Not Clinton. Not whatever crook is currently the Erie County executive. Not Jim Kelly.

I wish it were different, but stump speeches from politicians and good intentions from Jim Kelly will not keep the Bills in Buffalo on their own.

True enough OP, but it's worked so far, has it not?

Keep in mind Ralph wanted to move in 1970. Seattle if I'm not mistaken.

The politicos stepped in and built him a SOTA stadium. (for its time)

They did the same thing in 2000. He got his barn, his practice field, his cushy lease, etc.

Can it help this time? I don't know, but there are a lot of forces at work besides Jim Kelly trying to keep the team here.

I'm at least hopeful.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

Why does he want to subsidize a team that has done nothing but **** on its fans and its supporters almost every year since the last lease renewal?

Maybe this team was worth something back when it was competitive, but not anymore. It's time for people to just let go. It can't compete for free agents, it can't compete on the field, and it can't compete at the box office, especially in December. The Bills' days should be done here.

[OpIv37]

Why does he want to subsidize a team that has done nothing but **** on its fans and its supporters almost every year since the last lease renewal?

Maybe this team was worth something back when it was competitive, but not anymore. It's time for people to just let go. It can't compete for free agents, it can't compete on the field, and it can't compete at the box office, especially in December. The Bills' days should be done here.

There is a fair amount of reality to this post. If the Bills were to leave, the initial shock and sense of betrayal would be tough, but most of us would be happier, healthier people in the long run.

The problem is that there is nothing rational about the fan. We root for a team because of some reason that doesn't make sense in any other aspect of life: we grew up near where they play, our parents liked them, we saw them play a game as a kid or liked a player they had 20 years ago.... something like that. We root for them even when we know about the sport and know they stand a very slim chance of winning. And we keep rooting for them despite the fact that they constantly let us down.

From a logical perspective, it would make a lot of sense to put the Bills out of their misery. From a fan perspective, it would be devastating, and no politician wants that blood on their hands.

[Cleve]

The taxpayers need to have more of a voice in how this team is run if public funds are being spent to subsidize a private enterprise.

There should be a committee of citizens and experts that can provide feedback on any decisions this Wilson character makes about the team - put Jim Kelly on it, put some knowledgeable football experts on it, put a lawmaker or two on it.

These poor decisions over the last 20 years by a man of 70+ years of age have had a negative impact on the team. When he fired Polian, he was already well past the average retirement age. Wilson is not equipped at his advanced old age and deteriorating physical condition to effective manage a complex 21st century business enterprise of such a magnitude.

This sort of condition should be tied to any monies - if Ralph Wilson Jr. doesn't like the condition, then he can simply elect to spend his own funds for any improvements he desires. But if he uses OUR money, WE get a say in how it's spent. Seems logical to me.

[THRILLHO]

"Well, look the Bills are very important," says Cuomo. "Not only to Western New York so I'm looking forward to working with the county and the entire community in finding way to make sure the Bills stay here."

Wow. Nothing gives me more confidence than a non-committal, pre-written sentence from a politician.

[Historian]

We already have Business Backs the Bills.

Unfortunately, their input is more from an outside looking in perspective.

[better days]

Why does he want to subsidize a team that has done nothing but **** on its fans and its supporters almost every year since the last lease renewal?

Maybe this team was worth something back when it was competitive, but not anymore. It's time for people to just let go. It can't compete for free agents, it can't compete on the field, and it can't compete at the box office, especially in December. The Bills' days should be done here.

Well, if you want to abandon ship, feel free. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

MANY teams have had blackout during the year or would have if the team did not purchase the remaining tickets at .34 on the dollar.

S.D. is looking at another blackout this Sunday NIGHT for their 2nd in a row. And that is for a game against the Ravens & coming off a win over Buffalo.

Tampa has been blacked out all year.

So to say the Bills can't compete at the box office is BS.

[better days]

The taxpayers need to have more of a voice in how this team is run if public funds are being spent to subsidize a private enterprise.

There should be a committee of citizens and experts that can provide feedback on any decisions this Wilson character makes about the team - put Jim Kelly on it, put some knowledgeable football experts on it, put a lawmaker or two on it.

These poor decisions over the last 20 years by a man of 70+ years of age have had a negative impact on the team. When he fired Polian, he was already well past the average retirement age. Wilson is not equipped at his advanced old age and deteriorating physical condition to effective manage a complex 21st century business enterprise of such a magnitude.

This sort of condition should be tied to any monies - if Ralph Wilson Jr. doesn't like the condition, then he can simply elect to spend his own funds for any improvements he desires. But if he uses OUR money, WE get a say in how it's spent. Seems logical to me.

Well, welcome to the REAL World. We have NO SAY in how the Bills are run.

I think people are losing sight of the big picture. Ralph won't be around much longer. We as Bills fans need to put pressure on the polititions to ensure the Bills will stay in Buffalo after Ralph dies & that entails an upgrade of the Stadium NOW.

[Cleve]

But any such expenditure should be tied to iron clad agreements that require the Bills to remain in Western NY for at least the next decade.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

Well, if you want to abandon ship, feel free. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

MANY teams have had blackout during the year or would have if the team did not purchase the remaining tickets at .34 on the dollar.

S.D. is looking at another blackout this Sunday NIGHT for their 2nd in a row. And that is for a game against the Ravens & coming off a win over Buffalo.

Tampa has been blacked out all year.

So to say the Bills can't compete at the box office is BS.
I never claimed to be a Bills fan, let's make something clear. Just an observer. Not a fan, not a troll. Just a guy who gives his opinions. Last I checked, as long as I'm respectful about it, that's still allowed here, and given the behavior of some people here, I don't have to even go that far.

We're talking about a league where half the teams have a waiting list-- some many years long-- for season tickets. A league where several teams haven't had a non-sellout in decades. San Diego is at or near the top of a lot of short lists for relocation to LA. If there's any team that is at or near the top for relocating to London, it's Tampa Bay, which is owned by the same guy that owns Manchester United. California and Florida are epicenters of the housing crisis, a statement that can't be said of Buffalo, whose problems are far more long-term. If the Bills are competing with these teams, they're competing at the bottom of the barrel. Possibly the only team in more precarious shape is Jacksonville.

The reason why other teams are able to afford to buy out the rest of their seats and Buffalo doesn't is simple. Buffalo doesn't have the base of premium luxury seats to be able to afford to do that. Think about it. Buffalo has one of the lowest average ticket prices overall, but as I discussed earlier, their low-end ticket is only in the middle of the pack-- 17 teams have ticket prices lower than the Bills offer. So, a greater proportion of the Bills' revenue comes from those shared, non-premium seats. If Buffalo had a bigger corporate base, then maybe it could compete. Maybe it could buy out the remaining tickets for non-sellouts. Maybe it could lower some of those ticket prices at the low end like most of the NFL does.

On top of that, I don't need to remind you of the 12-year non-playoff streak, which, if Detroit holds on (and given the weakness of the NFC Wild Card race, it's looking good for them), will be the longest in the NFL. Assuming Detroit does, thanks to Houston clinching the AFC South, Buffalo will be the only team in the NFL that hasn't made the playoffs this millennium. This team is falling apart. Free agents will gladly go to San Diego, which is nearby LA, a glamour town. Florida has the same appeal. What NFL star in their right mind would want to come to Buffalo? The team's talent drought is obvious.

[better days]

I never claimed to be a Bills fan, let's make something clear. Just an observer. Not a fan, not a troll. Just a guy who gives his opinions. Last I checked, as long as I'm respectful about it, that's still allowed here, and given the behavior of some people here, I don't have to even go that far.

We're talking about a league where half the teams have a waiting list-- some many years long-- for season tickets. A league where several teams haven't had a non-sellout in decades. San Diego is at or near the top of a lot of short lists for relocation to LA. If there's any team that is at or near the top for relocating to London, it's Tampa Bay, which is owned by the same guy that owns Manchester United. California and Florida are epicenters of the housing crisis, a statement that can't be said of Buffalo, whose problems are far more long-term. If the Bills are competing with these teams, they're competing at the bottom of the barrel. Possibly the only team in more precarious shape is Jacksonville.

The reason why other teams are able to afford to buy out the rest of their seats and Buffalo doesn't is simple. Buffalo doesn't have the base of premium luxury seats to be able to afford to do that. Think about it. Buffalo has one of the lowest average ticket prices overall, but as I discussed earlier, their low-end ticket is only in the middle of the pack-- 17 teams have ticket prices lower than the Bills offer. So, a greater proportion of the Bills' revenue comes from those shared, non-premium seats. If Buffalo had a bigger corporate base, then maybe it could compete. Maybe it could buy out the remaining tickets for non-sellouts. Maybe it could lower some of those ticket prices at the low end like most of the NFL does.

On top of that, I don't need to remind you of the 12-year non-playoff streak, which, if Detroit holds on (and given the weakness of the NFC Wild Card race, it's looking good for them), will be the longest in the NFL. Assuming Detroit does, thanks to Houston clinching the AFC South, Buffalo will be the only team in the NFL that hasn't made the playoffs this millennium. This team is falling apart. Free agents will gladly go to San Diego, which is nearby LA, a glamour town. Florida has the same appeal. What NFL star in their right mind would want to come to Buffalo? The team's talent drought is obvious.

OK now I know where you are coming from. You are NOT a Bills fan. That explains a lot about your posting.

As a fan of the Bills, I have no problem with other Bills fans criticizing the team. But you have now identified yourself as an outsider, not a Bills fan.

I DO have a problem with OUTSIDERS criticizing the Bills. We don't need you to do that, we have plenty of FANS that can do that for us.

As far as I'm concerned, you can pound salt.

[Historian]

Free agents will gladly go to San Diego, which is nearby LA, a glamour town. Florida has the same appeal. What NFL star in their right mind would want to come to Buffalo? The team's talent drought is obvious.

Meh. If you think California and Florida are glamorous, I would suggest you try living there...it might change your perspective a little.

Who'd wanna play in Minnesota, where it goes down to 32 below zero in the winter, and where the roof caves in on you?

Who'd want to play in New Orleans which is still below sea level?

Who'd wanna play in Cleveland, Kansas City Denver or any place else in the bible belt for that matter?

Money is a powerful motivator.

[better days]

Meh. If you think California and Florida are glamorous, I would suggest you try living there...it might change your perspective a little.

Who'd wanna play in Minnesota, where it goes down to 32 below zero in the winter, and where the roof caves in on you?

Who'd want to play in New Orleans which is still below sea level?

Who'd wanna play in Cleveland, Kansas City Denver or any place else in the bible belt for that matter?

Money is a powerful motivator.

Money is what Florida has going for it. NO State income tax & all other taxes are lower than in much of the Country.

[mysticsoto]

Money is what Florida has going for it. NO State income tax & all other taxes are lower than in much of the Country.

No fans attending the game either. Atleast Buffalo offers a serious fan base. Games may be getting blacked out, but if they can start winning again, that'll change quickly.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

the end is near.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

OK now I know where you are coming from. You are NOT a Bills fan. That explains a lot about your posting.

As a fan of the Bills, I have no problem with other Bills fans criticizing the team. But you have now identified yourself as an outsider, not a Bills fan.

I DO have a problem with OUTSIDERS criticizing the Bills. We don't need you to do that, we have plenty of FANS that can do that for us.

As far as I'm concerned, you can pound salt.
As far as I'm concerned, irrational, mindless "fans" who can't see their own team's faults can do the same. I hold a great deal of contempt for "fans." They get angry at "bandwagoners" when their team isn't doing what it takes to win. News flash: teams with bandwagon fans do better, because they're held accountable for their failures.

As for being called an "outsider" as if it's an epithet... welcome to my life. I've never been with the 'in' crowd on anything. So to me, it's nothing new.

[Historian]

Money is what Florida has going for it. NO State income tax & all other taxes are lower than in much of the Country.

Yea, and property values are inflated, health care costs twice as much, crime is rampant, illegals are running all over the place, and the educational system sucks.

Not to mention hurricane season.

I lived there for five years, and will probably go back to retire, but if you're looking for a sexy, happening place, Florida is NOT it.

In fact, one might even call it boring. The whole state is essentially one big trailer park.

[better days]

Yea, and property values are inflated, health care costs twice as much, crime is rampant, illegals are running all over the place, and the educational system sucks.

Not to mention hurricane season.

I lived there for five years, and will probably go back to retire, but if you're looking for a sexy, happening place, Florida is NOT it.

In fact, one might even call it boring. The whole state is essentially one big trailer park.

There are far fewer trailer parks on the coasts than there were years ago.

I agree Fla is not all that exciting but what State is? I have spent a lot of time in Cal & I can say it is very similar to Fla except it cost more & has earthquakes & mud slides instead of hurricanes. And Hurricane Parties are a lot more fun than Earthquake parties.

If you enjoy golfing or fishing you can't pick a better state than Fla.

The property values are DOWN NOW. Anyone with money, this is a great time to invest in Fla real estate.

There are illegals EVERYWHERE in this Country. I would expect there are far more in Cal & Texas than Fla.

[BillsFever21]

Even if he didn't support the team what do you think he is going to say when asked the question? I mean seriously. Do you think he's gonna say they are a horrible team and I'm unsure if they are worth spending precious taxpayer funds on that team when we already have a huge budget deficit in Buffalo, Erie County and New York State.

Of course he is going to be politically correct in his statements as any of them would. When the time actually comes then you will find out how willing they are to keep them in WNY. And even if they do if the new owner wants to leave then there isn't a damn thing him or anybody else can do about it.

[BertSquirtgum]

the end is near.

Good. I'm sick of watching garbage on Sundays.

[jamze132]

Winning make the owner rich. Winniner make the fans happy. Winning makes businesses spend more. Winning cures everything.

And to be completely honest, if Buffalo could figure out a way to win 9-10 games a year while playing meaninful football to the last week of the season, there would be no blackouts.

[Cleve]

^^^^^^ This