Bills CEO determined to keep team viable-10 year lease?

[YardRat]

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bills-nfl/article811353.ece

As the Bills' top businessman, Brandon has shepherded the team through a hugely successful past dozen years off the field.

The Bills filled a greater percentage of seats at Ralph Wilson Stadium in the decade of the 2000s than they did in the decade of the 1990s, when the team went to four Super Bowls and made the playoffs eight of 10 years. Of course, that's particularly amazing since the Bills have been wandering through the desert of NFL futility since 2000, failing to make the playoffs 12 straight years.

Brandon, 44, now takes on his next great challenge. He is the point man for team owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr. in negotiating a new lease with New York State and Erie County. He aims to oversee major renovations to Ralph Wilson Stadium that the team thinks will keep the franchise viable and in Buffalo for at least the next decade, the expected term of the new lease.

[Skooby]

Re: Bills CEO determined to keep team viable-10 year lease?

GO RUSS !!

[Extremebillsfan247]

Re: Bills CEO determined to keep team viable-10 year lease?

In fantasy, I'd love to see what Brandon could do as an Owner of this team. I just wouldn't know if it's realistic, but I think he'd be great at it.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

Re: Bills CEO determined to keep team viable-10 year lease?

The Bills filled a greater percentage of seats at Ralph Wilson Stadium in the decade of the 2000s than they did in the decade of the 1990s, when the team went to four Super Bowls and made the playoffs eight of 10 years. Of course, that's particularly amazing since the Bills have been wandering through the desert of NFL futility since 2000, failing to make the playoffs 12 straight years.

Wow, talk about spin. What they don't mention is that capacity has gone from 80,000 to 73,000 between those two eras. While it's still fairly impressive (after all, the decline in capacity almost exactly mirrors the decline in population in Erie County the past 10 years, so it's a net push), it's not as impressive as they're making it out to be. Attendance is on a downward trend

[JCBills]

Re: Bills CEO determined to keep team viable-10 year lease?

Wow, talk about spin. What they don't mention is that capacity has gone from 80,000 to 73,000 between those two eras. While it's still fairly impressive (after all, the decline in capacity almost exactly mirrors the decline in population in Erie County the past 10 years, so it's a net push), it's not as impressive as they're making it out to be. Attendance is on a downward trend

Understandably so, but what he has managed to do has been impressive considering the product on the field.

[YardRat]

Re: Bills CEO determined to keep team viable-10 year lease?

I'd feel a little better if they were going for 15 again instead of 10.

[Don't Panic]

Re: Bills CEO determined to keep team viable-10 year lease?

I'd feel a little better if they were going for 15 again instead of 10.

Me too, but it'll be a nice 10 year sigh of relief when the ink dries.

[BLeonard]

Re: Bills CEO determined to keep team viable-10 year lease?

I'd feel a little better if they were going for 15 again instead of 10.

The NFL CBA is 10 years, which is why they are probably eyeing that as the length.

This is also why I'm not totally against the idea of building an entirely new stadium, as opposed to renovatng RWS. Just look at the numbers:

If they are wanting $200 Million for renovations, that means, in a 10 year lease, NYS must get at least $20 million out of the Bills annualy, otherwise, NYS is losing money. Pretty sure NYS isn't gonna want to make a deal that isn't making them money.

While a new stadium would cost, for argument's sake, $500 million. You'd then be looking at a lease that lasts in the ballpark of 30 years. That's $16.6 million a year that NYS would need to get out of the Bills.

Combine that with stadium naming rights and jobs that would be created (people needed to do the construction and I assume there would need to be more gameday staff) and the number that they need out of the Bills goes down further.

If you add in the possibility of using it as a multi-purpose stadium (assuming the new stadium has a retractable or even non-retractable roof) hosting more events would bring in more money, which means NYS would need even less out of the Bills in order to turn a profit, or at the very least break even.

Even if you set the cost of a new stadium at $800 million... Assuming a 30 year lease, you'd still only need $26.6 million out of the Bills annualy in order for it to make financial sense. That's only $6.6 million more than you'd need under a 10 year, $200 million deal, with the new stadium being able to attract more money in the form of stadium naming rights, additional jobs (and the extra tax revenue that those jobs bring) and the ability to have additional attractions in the facility to generate revenues during the 357 days that the Bills aren't using it.

Also, keep in mind that, if they continue the Toronto Series, that $20 million per season is then needed while only having 7 home games, as opposed to 8.

-Bill

[BLeonard]

Re: Bills CEO determined to keep team viable-10 year lease?

Me too, but it'll be a nice 10 year sigh of relief when the ink dries.

I wouldn't breathe too easily, if the new lease is anything like the current lease.

The current lease has pretty low termination fees, that the Bills could pay and get out of the lease, if they wanted to. This year, the termination fee was only $2 million... Hell, in 2008, the Bills could have gotten out of their lease by paying $10 million.

If an owner is willing to pay nearly a billion dollars for a team and would be willing to pay relocation fees, etc, I highly doubt a $10 million fee to break the lease would be much of an issue.

I've said this many times before. regardless of whether they agree to a new lease and renovations (which I think will happen) or went the "new stadium" route, NYS needs to get more security in this lease thn they did in the 1998 lease... A LOT more security.

I have to also assume that, by the time the Bills are looking at their next lease (in 10 years or whatnot) they will be under new ownership. That new owner could very easily demand a new stadium in order to keep the Bills in Buffalo... Which would pretty much mean that the $200 million that is being discussed now would ultimately be money down the drain.

-Bill

[stuckincincy]

Re: Bills CEO determined to keep team viable-10 year lease?

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bi...icle811353.ece

As the Bills' top businessman, Brandon has shepherded the team through a hugely successful past dozen years off the field.

The Bills filled a greater percentage of seats at Ralph Wilson Stadium in the decade of the 2000s than they did in the decade of the 1990s, when the team went to four Super Bowls and made the playoffs eight of 10 years. Of course, that's particularly amazing since the Bills have been wandering through the desert of NFL futility since 2000, failing to make the playoffs 12 straight years.

Brandon, 44, now takes on his next great challenge. He is the point man for team owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr. in negotiating a new lease with New York State and Erie County. He aims to oversee major renovations to Ralph Wilson Stadium that the team thinks will keep the franchise viable and in Buffalo for at least the next decade, the expected term of the new lease.

Raise ticket prices by 40, 50% - let those that want it pay for it, pay for it...not the general public.