Forbes Magazine: Bills most "troubled" franchise

[ServoBillieves]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000059374/article/forbes-buffalo-bills-are-nfls-most-troubled-franchise?module=HP11_headline_stack

Hmm... I see where they're coming from with the financial aspect. Otherwise the roster doesn't look so bad.

[OpIv37]

aging stadium with no lease? 93 year old owner in poor health? Lower revenue than most of the league?

Makes perfect sense.

[jamze132]

Well duh.

[HAMMER]

You guys are like a ray of sunshine.

[OpIv37]

You guys are like a ray of sunshine.

what do you want us to say? It's all true- sometimes reality sucks.

[Ed]

Well once they get the new lease and stadium improvements worked out that should help.

[ParanoidAndroid]

It's okay. Oakland is going to be moved to LA. Buffalo is safe for a while.

[Ed]

It's okay. Oakland is going to be moved to LA. Buffalo is safe for a while.
I think the Chargers and the Rams make a lot of sense for LA.

[Pinkerton Security]

This article is just dumb....one snippet and no details whatsoever. Yes, we arent doing as well as most teams....but what about teams like the Jags? They cant even fill half their stadium and are in even worse condition financially. If we had a more solid situation with the stadium this would be a different story.

[OpIv37]

This article is just dumb....one snippet and no details whatsoever. Yes, we arent doing as well as most teams....but what about teams like the Jags? They cant even fill half their stadium and are in even worse condition financially. If we had a more solid situation with the stadium this would be a different story.


Um, duh.

Part of the reason they ranked the team so low was because of the stadium situation. The Jags have a much newer stadium with an ironclad lease and an owner who just bought the team. Granted, they have attendance and revenue issues that surpass ours, but the people who wrote this article clearly think the instability surrounding the ownership and stadium situations trumps the revenue issues.

[Ed]

I think "most troubled" is a relative term. Realistically, no nfl franchise is in trouble. The Bills just have some important issues to resolve and will always be a small market team.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

Well once they get the new lease and stadium improvements worked out that should help. Yeah, because Erie County is SO going to want to hand over $200 million dollars to a team that, upon the last time they handed them $125 million dollars, proceeded to tank and not make the playoffs twelve years running. Let's be blunt: the only way this deal makes any financial sense is if the Bills start making the playoffs. The idea of the county giving out hundreds of millions to a team that hasn't made the playoffs since Rob Johnson and Doug Flutie were battling for the starting quarterback position is an embarrassment. And you can forget the state of New York chipping in-- Silver blocked the last attempt to build a football stadium in this state, and the Senate GOP has basically said no to pork. Believe me, by the time the end of this season rolls around, this town will practically be saying "Good riddance!"

As for the Raiders, they have Santa Clara and can move in with the 49ers without having to deal with the LA developers. Buffalo obviously doesn't have that option unless the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' new stadium is built a LOT bigger than planned.

[Ed]

Yeah, because Erie County is SO going to want to hand over $200 million dollars to a team that, upon the last time they handed them $125 million dollars, proceeded to tank and not make the playoffs twelve years running. Let's be blunt: the only way this deal makes any financial sense is if the Bills start making the playoffs. The idea of the county giving out hundreds of millions to a team that hasn't made the playoffs since Rob Johnson and Doug Flutie were battling for the starting quarterback position is an embarrassment. And you can forget the state of New York chipping in-- Silver blocked the last attempt to build a football stadium in this state, and the Senate GOP has basically said no to pork. Believe me, by the time the end of this season rolls around, this town will practically be saying "Good riddance!"

As for the Raiders, they have Santa Clara and can move in with the 49ers without having to deal with the LA developers. Buffalo obviously doesn't have that option unless the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' new stadium is built a LOT bigger than planned.
I'm pretty sure the Bills still pay millions in taxes every year regardless of what their record is.

[OpIv37]

I'm pretty sure the Bills still pay millions in taxes every year regardless of what their record is.

This is true, but he still has a point. The team is going to be more popular (and hence profitable) when they are winning. A good team is a better investment for the county than a bad one because a bad one is more likely to move.

[Jan Reimers]

Why don't we stop all this crap and enjoy opening day?

I know all of you gloom and doomers just can't wait to tell us all how bad everything is, but you know what? The Bills are still in Buffalo, Ralph is still alive, the relevant parties are working on a plan for stadium renovations and a long term lease, and we have a game against the Jets on Sunday.

Let's enjoy what we have.

[Northern Stampede]

Bills moving = Not happening.... jmo..

[djjimkelly]

one simple solution........


start winning!!!

[Ed]

This is true, but he still has a point. The team is going to be more popular (and hence profitable) when they are winning. A good team is a better investment for the county than a bad one because a bad one is more likely to move.
Absolutely, but I don't see the County backing out of negotiations because the team hasn't been good enough.

[OpIv37]

Why don't we stop all this crap and enjoy opening day?

I know all of you gloom and doomers just can't wait to tell us all how bad everything is, but you know what? The Bills are still in Buffalo, Ralph is still alive, the relevant parties are working on a plan for stadium renovations and a long term lease, and we have a game against the Jets on Sunday.

Let's enjoy what we have.
We didn't write the article. Forbes did, and then ESPN covered it. I know you love to label us "doom and gloomers" but all we are doing is talking about articles related to the team on a message board devoted to the team.

Sometimes, reality sucks. Just deal with it.

[OpIv37]

Bills moving = Not happening.... jmo..

Until there is a stadium lease and something concrete about the post-Ralph ownership situation, nothing is definite. As much as I hate the Toronto deal, renewing it was a good thing in terms of keeping the team in Buffalo because it creates one more financial hurdle for a potential move, but it is not enough to keep the team in Buffalo on it's own.