A 4-member Trust will decide who buys the Bills. GREAT news.

[WagonCircler]

A four person trust including Mary Wilson, Jeff Littmann will decide who buys the Bills. There of the four MUST APPROVE the sale.

http://www.wnypapers.com/news/article/current/2014/05/06/116007/allsportswny-prospective-bills-owner-needs-3-trustee-votes-for-winning-bid

AllSportsWNY.com, a website created and administered by WBBZ-TV Vice President and General Manager Bob Koshinski, reported a four-member voting trust was created by Ralph Wilson before his passing. That group will ultimately decide who has submitted the winning bid to purchase the Buffalo Bills.


This renders speculation about sealed bid process moot.

HUGE news.

Thank you, Ralph.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Re: A 4-member Trust will decide who buys the Bills. GREAT news.

Mary Wilson - "whoever gives the highest price";
Jeff Littman - "Whoever gives me the longest and rishest contract"
Mary Owen (Ralph's daughter I believe) - see Mary Wilson
Eugene Driker - "whoever retains me for the biggest fee"

[Saratoga Slim]

Re: A 4-member Trust will decide who buys the Bills. GREAT news.

Is Mary Owen really Ralph's daughter? Wouldn't that make her Mary, Jr.?

[Dr. Lecter]

Re: A 4-member Trust will decide who buys the Bills. GREAT news.

Is Mary Owen really Ralph's daughter? Wouldn't that make her Mary, Jr.?

Daughter from a previous marriage

[WagonCircler]

Re: A 4-member Trust will decide who buys the Bills. GREAT news.

Mary Wilson - "whoever gives the highest price";
Jeff Littman - "Whoever gives me the longest and rishest contract"
Mary Owen (Ralph's daughter I believe) - see Mary Wilson
Eugene Driker - "whoever retains me for the biggest fee"

If that were the case, there would be no need for a vote. They would simply have a sealed bid and the team would go to the highest bidder.

[BLeonard]

Re: A 4-member Trust will decide who buys the Bills. GREAT news.

I'm struggling to figure out how this is "great" news...

I'm pretty sure the NFL still has to approve the new owner as well... What if the Trust agrees to sell to someone, but the NFL owners don't approve them...? What happens then...?

Also, anything involving Jeff Littmann having a say doesn't exactly consume me with optimism.

Also curious that Russ Brandon isn't part of this group... Does that mean that Littmann outranks him in the Bills' Front Office hierarchy...?

Perhaps someone can explain why we should be taking this as "great" news...?

-Bill

[WagonCircler]

Re: A 4-member Trust will decide who buys the Bills. GREAT news.

I'm struggling to figure out how this is "great" news...

I'm pretty sure the NFL still has to approve the new owner as well... What if the Trust agrees to sell to someone, but the NFL owners don't approve them...? What happens then...?

Also, anything involving Jeff Littmann having a say doesn't exactly consume me with optimism.

Perhaps someone can explain why we should be taking this as "great" news...?

-Bill

At the risk of being repetitive, it's great news because it's further evidence that this is not simply a situation in which the estate has a responsibility to sell to the highest bidder, with no other recourse.

When you add this to several other factors, like the recent reports that clauses in the lease make it very, very difficult to move the team, and the fast moving political machinations, it's becoming clear that there's a plan in place that was set up by Ralph to ensure that the team is sold to an owner who will keep it in WNY.

I hope this helps, but it seems as though you have your heart set on waving goodbye to the team, so, beyond that, I got nothin'.

[bleve]

Re: A 4-member Trust will decide who buys the Bills. GREAT news.

Is Mary Owen really Ralph's daughter? Wouldn't that make her Mary, Jr.?

I believe she is Mary Wilson’s niece.

[BLeonard]

Re: A 4-member Trust will decide who buys the Bills. GREAT news.

At the risk of being repetitive, it's great news because it's further evidence that this is not simply a situation in which the estate has a responsibility to sell to the highest bidder, with no other recourse.

Fair enough...

When you add this to several other factors, like the recent reports that clauses in the lease make it very, very difficult to move the team, and the fast moving political machinations, it's becoming clear that there's a plan in place that was set up by Ralph to ensure that the team is sold to an owner who will keep it in WNY.

Well, we had the discussion in the other thread about how we don't know which side it was (The Bills, or Erie County/NYS) that wanted those clauses put in the lease, so I won't repeat them here, but who says that this four person Trust will definitely vote to sell to someone who will keep the team in WNY...?

On top of that, who says that the NFL owners will approve that sale? Regardless of what the 4 person Trust decides, the NFL can still nix it, unless I'm missing something.

I hope this helps, but it seems as though you have your heart set on waving goodbye to the team, so, beyond that, I got nothin'.

I just asked a question... I don't want the team to leave WNY and never have said that. I don't think any person on this board, or any Bills fan in the world wants them to leave. Why not just take my question at face value...?

Anyone who has studied Bills history probably doesn't hold the name Jeff Littmann in very high regards. Under this scenario, he holds a pretty valuable vote, as it would take all three of the other members to overrule him.

Finally, just because the trust isn't required to sell to the highest bidder, that doesn't mean that, in the end, they won't vote to do exactly that.

-Bill

[Woodman]

Re: A 4-member Trust will decide who buys the Bills. GREAT news.

The planning that's been done by Ralph in advance tends to make a much stronger case for the Bills to stay put. It leaves me at the very least pretty optimistic for the future of the franchise staying in Buffalo. I certainly couldn't take it negatively in any manner.

Debby Downer doesn't live here anymore.

- - - Updated - - -

[trapezeus]

Re: A 4-member Trust will decide who buys the Bills. GREAT news.

that super restrictive lease was approved by the NFL. they had to know what was in the lease. and to me that shows there is a sentiment to keep the team in the area.

i don't think the 4 man trust is going to take a lesser deal, but i think thye will work within the confines of the lease agreement and find an owner who wants to keep in buffalo.

but anything that involves lawyers and investment bankers is subject to change until everything is executed.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Re: A 4-member Trust will decide who buys the Bills. GREAT news.

I'm struggling to figure out how this is "great" news...

I'm pretty sure the NFL still has to approve the new owner as well... What if the Trust agrees to sell to someone, but the NFL owners don't approve them...? What happens then...?

Also, anything involving Jeff Littmann having a say doesn't exactly consume me with optimism.

Also curious that Russ Brandon isn't part of this group... Does that mean that Littmann outranks him in the Bills' Front Office hierarchy...?

Perhaps someone can explain why we should be taking this as "great" news...?

-Bill

Won't say its good news or bad news. But any bid has to go through these 4 people first. In other words, these 4 will decide which bid to accept. Then they submit it to NFL for approval.

[WagonCircler]

Re: A 4-member Trust will decide who buys the Bills. GREAT news.

Fair enough...



Well, we had the discussion in the other thread about how we don't know which side it was (The Bills, or Erie County/NYS) that wanted those clauses put in the lease, so I won't repeat them here, but who says that this four person Trust will definitely vote to sell to someone who will keep the team in WNY...?

On top of that, who says that the NFL owners will approve that sale? Regardless of what the 4 person Trust decides, the NFL can still nix it, unless I'm missing something.



I just asked a question... I don't want the team to leave WNY and never have said that. I don't think any person on this board, or any Bills fan in the world wants them to leave. Why not just take my question at face value...?

Anyone who has studied Bills history probably doesn't hold the name Jeff Littmann in very high regards. Under this scenario, he holds a pretty valuable vote, as it would take all three of the other members to overrule him.

Finally, just because the trust isn't required to sell to the highest bidder, that doesn't mean that, in the end, they won't vote to do exactly that.

-Bill

I don't know, Bill. It just seems like you're relentless in your pursuit of convincing people that the Bills are leaving, despite mounting evidence that they will not be, which you seem to disregard.

I don't think there's one person here, even the most hardcore optimist (something I certainly have never been accused of) who maintains that the Bills are guaranteed to stay, but it's clear to me, anyway, that the evidence of a coordinated plan to force the situation toward a local buyer has been created.

There are just too many forces working in concert for me to believe it's all coincidental, and I think that after all is said and done, we'll get the whole story.

Until then, I'm more than cautiously optimistic, and for very good reason.

Sure, just because they're not required to sell to the highest bidder doesn't mean they won't, but that doesn't answer my question, which is "What's the point of creating the trust, then?"

And more importantly, regardless of what they may or may not do, the fact that they exist at all as a trust totally debunks the idea that the estate's hands are tied. They're not. This is now an establish fact. It is no longer in the arsenal of those who said that the Bills have no choice but to sell to the highest bidder.

It's now a matter of record that the do have a choice. And there's no good reason to have established the trust other than to see to it that the team remains local.

[BuffaloRedleg]

Re: A 4-member Trust will decide who buys the Bills. GREAT news.

Mary Wilson - "whoever gives the highest price";
Jeff Littman - "Whoever gives me the longest and rishest contract"
Mary Owen (Ralph's daughter I believe) - see Mary Wilson
Eugene Driker - "whoever retains me for the biggest fee"

I'd groan you if we could. This is just idiotic.

[better days]

Re: A 4-member Trust will decide who buys the Bills. GREAT news.

I'm struggling to figure out how this is "great" news...

I'm pretty sure the NFL still has to approve the new owner as well... What if the Trust agrees to sell to someone, but the NFL owners don't approve them...? What happens then...?

Also, anything involving Jeff Littmann having a say doesn't exactly consume me with optimism.

Also curious that Russ Brandon isn't part of this group... Does that mean that Littmann outranks him in the Bills' Front Office hierarchy...?

Perhaps someone can explain why we should be taking this as "great" news...?

-Bill

Yes the NFL has to approve a new owner.

Owners likely to not be approved:

A) Prospective Owners with shaky financing

B) Prospective Owners with a shady background

C) Protective Owners that intend to move the team out of Buffalo.


I have no doubt that whoever is approved by the trust will also be approved by the NFL Owners.