Heresy!!! Are you kidding? Russ Brandon as owner?

[WagonCircler]

Listening to WBEN, newscasters asks "How can Russ Brandon buy the Bills?" Followed by a sound bite about using the "revenue stream to pay the family back."

That will be my last day as a Bills fan.

But there's no freaking way the NFL will let this happen.

[justasportsfan]

there's a big chance the bills stay in buffalo if Russ becomes the owner.

[Ed]

It's my understanding that the NFL loves Russ Brandon and think highly of him.

[Skooby]

If Russ buys the team, the highest dollar will prevail because he's financial incapable of assuring anything.

[WagonCircler]

there's a big chance the bills stay in buffalo if Russ becomes the owner.

There's a big chance that they will suck forever, too. He would be the poorest owner in the league by a factor of 1,000,000,000,000,000,000.

There are at least four guys in this market who have a net worth of 2-3 BIL or more who would keep the team in town.

This scam artist bastard can go to hell.

[Novacane]

Unless he's a lot richer than we know it's nothing to worry about. The Wilson family is not going to take payments on the Bills lol

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Or is Brandon planning to marry Mary Wilson some day?

[GingerP]

Ownership rules don't allow this. To be the lead owner of an NFL franchise, you have to own 30% of the team. You can't finance that, you have to own it. You can't borrow it and pay it back, that money comes out of pocket.

So, if the Bills sold for $1B, Brandon would have to come up with $300M out of pocket, then have the ability to finance the rest or find a group willing to take smaller shares and have him own the thing. He doesn't have that kind of money, or connections.

- - - Updated - - -


Or is Brandon planning to marry Mary Wilson some day?

That is actually the one way he could do it.

[feldspar]

Unless he's a lot richer than we know it's nothing to worry about. The Wilson family is not going to take payments on the Bills lol

Yeah, this definitely won't happen. Zero chance Russ Brandon becomes owner.

[better days]

Listening to WBEN, newscasters asks "How can Russ Brandon buy the Bills?" Followed by a sound bite about using the "revenue stream to pay the family back."

That will be my last day as a Bills fan.

But there's no freaking way the NFL will let this happen.

Well, at one time Al Davis was nothing but a Head Coach of the Raiders.

He ended up owning the team.

[Victor7]

Nah man. That would be the long shot of long shots. Russ can't afford the team. Not even close to.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Well, at one time Al Davis was nothing but a Head Coach of the Raiders.

He ended up owning the team.

He was a tiny minority owner who practically swindled his partners out of their shares. If Brandon pulled a stunt like that he'd be reviled.

[better days]

He was a tiny minority owner who practically swindled his partners out of their shares. If Brandon pulled a stunt like that he'd be reviled.

BS was Davis reviled in Oakland?

Brandon is a WNY guy who would keep the Bills in Buffalo.

We could do a lot worse than Brandon owning the team IMO.

[Beebe's Kid]

Yeah...rent to own in probably no going to work with an NFL franchise...especially in a depressed area, where their ability to generate revenue would be tremendously hindered by any sort of substantial financial crisis...which people with a lot of money are acutely aware may happen.

I think the Wilson's will take their billions and cash out. I am sure they love the success that Brandon has brought to the team, but I doubt they want to roll the dice.

[Beebe's Kid]

BS was Davis reviled in Oakland?

Brandon is a WNY guy who would keep the Bills in Buffalo.

We could do a lot worse than Brandon owning the team IMO.


YES!!!! He WANTS to be in Buffalo, right?

When will you realize that the sentimental part of football is uniquely a fan perspective?

Anything that you hear out of somebody that is cashing million plus dollar checks is what is known as PR. This is where they work, and where they are trying to earn as much as they can.

[Pinkerton Security]

Everyone untwist your panties, this is pure speculation. Jesus H I swear every single person on here is bi-polar or simply prone to fits of rage.

[feldspar]

Everyone untwist your panties, this is pure speculation. Jesus H I swear every single person on here is bi-polar or simply prone to fits of rage.

This is just the beginning of crazy rumors that will continue to swirl until a new owner (or group of owners) is locked in. It's too easy to "report" anything that comes into your head. Won't be too hard of a sell for people to tune in, either.

Donald Trump, Bon Jovi, Russ Brandon...these things won't happen. Yet it gets people talking. Russ Brandon owning the team is so unrealistic as to be preposterous in this case.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

BS was Davis reviled in Oakland?

Before or after he jerked them around and moved the team to LA for a decade?

Davis came in as 10% owner and then wrote the majority owner out of control when he was out of the country.

Picture this analogy: Russ Brandon talks Terry Pegula into being the money man behind him. Then, Brandon waits until Pegula takes the Mrs. to the Riviera for a week, and fcks him out of his $950 million investment.

You telling me you would support him after that?

Davis' sins are unremembered because he pulled that stunt over 40 years ago and then promptly started winning Super Bowls.

[better days]

YES!!!! He WANTS to be in Buffalo, right?

When will you realize that the sentimental part of football is uniquely a fan perspective?

Anything that you hear out of somebody that is cashing million plus dollar checks is what is known as PR. This is where they work, and where they are trying to earn as much as they can.

Here is what you don't understand.................people with money can be fans as well.

When will you realize that? And they can be fans of the team &/or the Buffalo area.

Pegula is a NHL hockey fan. That is the reason he bought the Sabres.

Since buying them, he has invested a lot of money in Buffalo.

He knows the Bills are an important part of Buffalo as does Robert Rich a MANY other RICH people with ties to Buffalo.

I read Pegula has more money than 28 NFL owners.

[better days]

Before or after he jerked them around and moved the team to LA for a decade?

Davis came in as 10% owner and then wrote the majority owner out of control when he was out of the country.

Picture this analogy: Russ Brandon talks Terry Pegula into being the money man behind him. Then, Brandon waits until Pegula takes the Mrs. to the Riviera for a week, and fcks him out of his $950 million investment.

You telling me you would support him after that?

Davis' sins are unremembered because he pulled that stunt over 40 years ago and then promptly started winning Super Bowls.

Do you have a link or any proof about that? And yes as long as the Bills are kept in WNY, I think people would forgive many sins.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Do you have a link or any proof about that?

This isn't a secret or a big revelation. People have known about this for decades.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/11/sports/football/brash-style-and-power-plays-let-al-davis-wrest-control-of-raiders.html?_r=0

In 1972, Davis staged what looked like a coup d’état. With Valley at the Summer Olympics in Munich, Davis drew up a contract that he and McGah had signed to pay Davis $100,000 for 20 years and further consolidate his power as managing general partner. Once aware of it, Valley sued to nullify it.
But Valley lost the suit, and in 1976, he sold out to Davis, said Jack Brooks, a former Raiders partner.

...

By 2003, McGah had been dead for two decades and his family held his 31 percent of the team. McGah’s daughter-in-law and great-grandson sued to dismiss Davis (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?id=1638214) as the managing general partner because he was denying them full access to the team’s financial records. They said that Davis and the company he created to run the team “conducted themselves as if they were the sole owners of the Raiders.”
Here was an unusual turn of events: Davis was being sued by the family of the man who ushered him into the seat of total power with the Raiders. But the lawsuit ended well for Davis. After it was settled, Davis reportedly acquired the McGah stake, raising his share of the team to an estimated 67 percent.
At the time, Valley’s son, Mike, saw something familiar in the McGah family’s battle against Davis.
“The power that is being exercised against the McGahs today is the same power that was used to pry my dad away from the team,” Mike Valley told The Contra Costa Times. “I wish them all the luck in the world.”

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2006/0918/112.html

He signed on as general manager and received a 10% stake for the bargain price of $18,000. Then, in 1972, he made his big move. While Valley, the more powerful of the two owners, was away at the Munich Olympics, Davis persuaded McGah to sign a contract that gave Davis complete control, though not ownership, of the team, according to Michael Valley, the late Wayne’s son. Enraged, Valley sued Davis and lost. In 1976 Valley sold his 15% chunk to Davis, who later upped his share to a current 54%.


And yes as long as the Bills are kept in WNY, I think people would forgive many sins.

Would you?

[trapezeus]

BS was Davis reviled in Oakland?

Brandon is a WNY guy who would keep the Bills in Buffalo.

We could do a lot worse than Brandon owning the team IMO.

Not by much. but i guess an army of aliens could come to earth, land in buffalo, and take over the team and destroy the planet. if that's the case, i am curious if our warlords are willing to keep the team in buffalo.

That is perhaps the only worse story than brandon staying involved. This guy needs to be out of footabll. thanks for helping ralph cash in and get further way from a superbowl than he had ever been, russ. And thanks for following his wishes to ensure the long term lease was signed, but football acumen and ability to know when his time is up, fails him big time.

[jimmifli]

From a finance perspective that's impossible.

The selling price is calculated using the net present value of future cash flows. So all the future estimated income gets added up to a present day value. The longer the buyer has to wait to collect the future cash flows the less those cash flows are worth, because of inflation (time value of money) and the certainty of collecting that cash flow declines.

The same is true for seller though. The longer it takes the buyer to pay, the less that payment is worth, for the same reasons.

Essentially, you can't buy a future stream of income with that future stream of income. That would be giving them away for $0.

[Meathead]

great story on als raider shenanigans. i didnt know that

personally im impressed with brandons work over the last decade. other than being concerned his relative youth might doom him to some early mistakes, id be fine with him as owner as long as he keeps the team here

still id rather it was bobby richie rich or pegula. golisano eh but if hes next on the list fine. donald only if theres no other choice yuk

[feldspar]

Picture this analogy: Russ Brandon talks Terry Pegula into being the money man behind him. Then, Brandon waits until Pegula takes the Mrs. to the Riviera for a week, and fcks him out of his $950 million investment.


Picture this analogy: Carrot Top does the same thing.

I wouldn't go around citing what Al Davis did 40 years ago as some kind of indication of what's possible today, either. It's an entirely different situation altogether. Adjusting for inflation, Ralph Wilson bought the team for $200,000 in today's money. Now it's worth about $870 million according to Forbes.

The NFL is a monster that it was not previously, and there is no way anybody is going to sneak in the backdoor and pull a fast one to gain ownership of a team, even by slow steps. Whoever buys this team (or gains majority share) has to be absolutely loaded and also needs the approval of a lot of pretty smart guys.

[BidsJr]

Russ Brandon buying the Bills? Hahahahahahahahaaahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahaahhaahahahahahahhaahahhahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!~

[GingerP]

I wouldn't go around citing what Al Davis did 40 years ago as some kind of indication of what's possible today, either. It's an entirely different situation altogether. Adjusting for inflation, Ralph Wilson bought the team for $200,000 in today's money. Now it's worth about $870 million according to Forbes. s.

Plus, Davis was a different animal. He was a real football guy, where Brandon is a salesman. Al Davis was a college cooach, NFL coach, NFL GM and even league commissioner before he had any ownership in the Raiders. He had the chops to run a team.

[better days]

Plus, Davis was a different animal. He was a real football guy, where Brandon is a salesman. Al Davis was a college cooach, NFL coach, NFL GM and even league commissioner before he had any ownership in the Raiders. He had the chops to run a team.

I agree with this, but Brandon has financial chops.

If anyone will little money has the ability to get control of an NFL team today, it is Brandon.

[trapezeus]

I agree with this, but Brandon has financial chops.

If anyone will little money has the ability to get control of an NFL team today, it is Brandon.

any one of us can do what the bills of the last 15-20 years have done. make you live in fear the team is moving, sell some games elsewhere, panic the public, and then leach off the state of ny the parking revenues for events that aren't even bills games (sold out winter classic, the bills collected a part of total revenue). This whole talk about cheapest tickets in the NFL is part of the lease. the state of NY subsidizes part of the cost so long as the prices are below a certain level.

so he's decided its better to have a cheap team with limited front office know how and collected a guaranteed stream, than paying for a top notch organization and run the risk that the pricing outstrips the area.

people want a winner, and he wants to just game the system down to line his pockets. he's clearly been somewhat helpful in the last lease and the poison pill language for 7 years, but he's a football fool, and we're the ones paying everyday he's the head of the bills.

[GingerP]

I agree with this, but Brandon has financial chops.

If anyone will little money has the ability to get control of an NFL team today, it is Brandon.

Nobody with little money can get control of an NFL team today. The rule is, the primary owner has to have 30% equity. That means not borrowed or financed.

And Brandon isn't a finance guy, that is Littman & Overdorf. Brandon's background is marketing, he is a salesman. He sells the tickets.

[better days]

Nobody with little money can get control of an NFL team today. The rule is, the primary owner has to have 30% equity. That means not borrowed or financed.

And Brandon isn't a finance guy, that is Littman & Overdorf. Brandon's background is marketing, he is a salesman. He sells the tickets.

I realize Brandon is a salesman, but he is not stupid about finances.

Davis did not get control of the Radiers overnight either. He acquired that control over time & I think Brandon could as well.

But I really think this is all a pipe dream. I think Pegula or Trump or Jacobs or Rich or a combination of them will own the Bills.

[GingerP]

But I really think this is all a pipe dream.

I'd consider it more of a pipe-nightmare.

From the sound of it, there are a number of people who will be trying to buy the Bills and keep them here, so I don't think that is a worry right now. It could be down the road, but really that comes down to the stadium. Even if a local guy buys the team, he is going to want a new stadium. That will be what keeps the team here.

[better days]

any one of us can do what the bills of the last 15-20 years have done. make you live in fear the team is moving, sell some games elsewhere, panic the public, and then leach off the state of ny the parking revenues for events that aren't even bills games (sold out winter classic, the bills collected a part of total revenue). This whole talk about cheapest tickets in the NFL is part of the lease. the state of NY subsidizes part of the cost so long as the prices are below a certain level.

so he's decided its better to have a cheap team with limited front office know how and collected a guaranteed stream, than paying for a top notch organization and run the risk that the pricing outstrips the area.

people want a winner, and he wants to just game the system down to line his pockets. he's clearly been somewhat helpful in the last lease and the poison pill language for 7 years, but he's a football fool, and we're the ones paying everyday he's the head of the bills.

Brandon did not have control of the Bills until this past year.

[better days]

I'd consider it more of a pipe-nightmare.

From the sound of it, there are a number of people who will be trying to buy the Bills and keep them here, so I don't think that is a worry right now. It could be down the road, but really that comes down to the stadium. Even if a local guy buys the team, he is going to want a new stadium. That will be what keeps the team here.

And I read if Trump invests in as little as 20% of the Bills, he could use them as a tax write off & save a fortune in taxes.

The Bills do not need to make money for the next owner, they can be used as a tax write off & save that owner a fortune on taxes on his other holdings.

[WagonCircler]

I realize Brandon is a salesman, but he is not stupid about finances.

I don't think you realize anything, Rainbow Man. You're talking about a Thousandaire vs. several Billionaires.

No way the other owners let this fly. It devalues every NFL team.

[BidsJr]

Russ Brandon buying the Bills? Hahahahahahahahaaahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahaahhaahahahahahahhaahahhahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!~

I repeat.

Not in a million years.

[THRILLHO]

Lets get a Kickstart going and outbid him!

[feldspar]

No way the other owners let this fly.

No way this should even be talking about, really. It's not even a remote possibility.

[WagonCircler]

No way this should even be talking about, really. It's not even a remote possibility.


I was just taken aback hearing it on WBEN news. Not even a sports station. Rare you hear something this absurd outside of the Twitterverse.

[feldspar]

I was just taken aback hearing it on WBEN news. Not even a sports station. Rare you hear something this absurd outside of the Twitterverse.

Ha, ha.

You've made no secret about your feelings about Russ Brandon.

Rest easy. Those guys were talking out of their ass.

[better days]

I don't think you realize anything, Rainbow Man. You're talking about a Thousandaire vs. several Billionaires.

No way the other owners let this fly. It devalues every NFL team.

I said Brandon was a pipe dream.

I would rather be a rainbow man than the dark cloud man some of you are.

[gebobs]

there's a big chance the bills stay in buffalo if Russ becomes the owner.
Great. Just what we need. Another owner committed to keeping the team in Buffalo, that being the only goal in mind.

[cookie G]

I don't think you realize anything, Rainbow Man. You're talking about a Thousandaire vs. several Billionaires.

No way the other owners let this fly. It devalues every NFL team.

The whole idea is wrong on so many levels. The Al Davis example is crazy. An NFL franchise wasn't worth anything close to what it is now, in 1972 dollars or 2014 dollars. Besides, he was really a minority owner with total control. From what I understand, it was due to a glitch in the Calif. partnership code at the time.

If Brandon has anything close to the NFL equity requirements, it means, A) he's been taking huge chunks of money from the organization "Oh..we're $20 million below the cap? I'm keeping it" or B) he convinced Ralph is was his love child and got a share of his inheritance...

In either event, justice would require that he be strung up like Mussolini and have Bills fans throw rocks at him.

[better days]

The whole idea is wrong on so many levels. The Al Davis example is crazy. An NFL franchise wasn't worth anything close to what it is now, in 1972 dollars or 2014 dollars. Besides, he was really a minority owner with total control. From what I understand, it was due to a glitch in the Calif. partnership code at the time.

If Brandon has anything close to the NFL equity requirements, it means, A) he's been taking huge chunks of money from the organization "Oh..we're $20 million below the cap? I'm keeping it" or B) he convinced Ralph is was his love child and got a share of his inheritance...

In either event, justice would require that he be strung up like Mussolini and have Bills fans throw rocks at him.

Yes it is crazy talk.

But I would rather read crazy talk about Russ buying the team than crazy talk about the Bills moving.

We have had to read the Bills are moving from pseudo Bills fans for far too long.

[The Jokeman]

Where's Mark Hamister when we need him?

[BertSquirtgum]

Unless he's a lot richer than we know it's nothing to worry about. The Wilson family is not going to take payments on the Bills lol

Yupp. I don't know how anyone could have believed this for one second. Let alone make a thread about it. Never going to happen.

[clumping platelets]

Listening to WBEN

First mistake

[trapezeus]

Brandon did not have control of the Bills until this past year.

If you believe that, i got a bridge to sell you. The whole thing is and has been run by committee and as ralph got sicker and older to step away, the small group of money-only guys just assumed a little more power. but make no mistake that their decisions over the last 15-20 years have been driving this. and that's why people leave or get fired....when good talent threatens their position, they get rid of them.

[better days]

If you believe that, i got a bridge to sell you. The whole thing is and has been run by committee and as ralph got sicker and older to step away, the small group of money-only guys just assumed a little more power. but make no mistake that their decisions over the last 15-20 years have been driving this. and that's why people leave or get fired....when good talent threatens their position, they get rid of them.

Which is it Russ or the money people that were in charge the last 15-20 years?

[trapezeus]

russ, littman and overdorf are the committee by idiots. they run the team. when marv failed, they wanted to just consolidate power. when that didn't work, ralph had them go to another guy he remembered working with. then as he didn't work, they decided to stay in house. they are an insular bunch

[better days]

russ, littman and overdorf are the committee by idiots. they run the team. when marv failed, they wanted to just consolidate power. when that didn't work, ralph had them go to another guy he remembered working with. then as he didn't work, they decided to stay in house. they are an insular bunch

Well, as of this past year, Russ has Total control of the Bills.

Littman & Overdorf are under Russ & report to him.

As of the time Ralph turned the keys over to him, you can credit Russ for the Good & Bad & him alone.

So far, I like what he has done, hired Whaley & Marrone & suspended the Toronto series.

[WagonCircler]

So far, I like what he has done, hired Whaley & Marrone & suspended the Toronto series.

If the Bills hired Jerry Sandusky you'd still puke rainbows and lollipops.

Please explain what makes Russ Freaking Brandon qualified for his job.

[better days]

If the Bills hired Jerry Sandusky you'd still puke rainbows and lollipops.

Please explain what makes Russ Freaking Brandon qualified for his job.

He is a SUCCESSFUL marketing man & was that when Ralph hired him.

As the defacto owner now, he is as qualified as any owner in the NFL except the Rooney family in Pittsburgh.

[WagonCircler]

He is a SUCCESSFUL marketing man & was that when Ralph hired him.

As the defacto owner now, he is as qualified as any owner in the NFL except the Rooney family in Pittsburgh.

He was in charge of ticket sales for a failing baseball franchise (horrible attendance), and marketing an NFL team to Buffalo NY and environs is probably the easiest job in the world. And even if it's not, marketing in NO WAY qualifies him to be CEO of an NFL team.

By the way, your boyfriend is NOT defacto owner, unless he has changed his name to Mary Wilson.

Dead career walking.

[better days]

He was in charge of ticket sales for a failing baseball franchise (horrible attendance), and marketing an NFL team to Buffalo NY and environs is probably the easiest job in the world. And even if it's not, marketing in NO WAY qualifies him to be CEO of an NFL team.

By the way, your boyfriend is NOT defacto owner, unless he has changed his name to Mary Wilson.

Dead career walking.

Unlike you, I am Hetro, but good point Mary is the owner & Russ answers to her now.

So I guess you & the other idiots on this board can now call Mary cheap.

If Russ sucks, the new owner will replace him, time will tell.

[Historian]

I laugh.

[THATHURMANATOR]

WHO GIVES A **** YOU WHINERS?

He isn't going to be the owner.

If by some way he was and kept the team here AWESOME.

You people are so dismal.

[WagonCircler]

WHO GIVES A **** YOU WHINERS?

He isn't going to be the owner.

If by some way he was and kept the team here AWESOME.

You people are so dismal.

There's no more dismal thought than a Russ Brandon run team here in perpetuity. It's a Faustian bargain. "You can keep your team, but you have no hope of making the playoffs. Ever."

[gebobs]

There's no more dismal thought than a Russ Brandon run team here in perpetuity. It's a Faustian bargain. "You can keep your team, but you have no hope of making the playoffs. Ever."

Devil: "In exchange for your soul, you get to bang the bejesus out of Taryn Manning."

BuffaloFan: "Um, who?" *looks her up on the googlez*

16828

BuffaloFan: "Sign me up!"

Devil: "As Pennsatucky."

http://img.answcdn.com/view:feature/cew/4c14875a/c97974a4540916019359810e665e56ff99c2842a.png

Devil: "Bwahahahahahahaha!"

BuffaloFan: "Yeah, that's cool. Same difference."

Devil: "Curse you, Buffalofan!"