Vic Carucci: Bills Have No Desire For A New Downtown Stadium In Foreseeable Future

[BillsImpossible]

I think this will make Deadspin, and most Bills fans very happy.

http://bills.buffalonews.com/2016/02/14/bills-politicians-on-same-page-with-new-stadium-talk/

But from every indication I've received from those at the top of the Bills' organization, there is virtually no desire to move forward at any time in the foreseeable future with plans to build a downtown palace of their own. Despite considerable speculation on that front, the idea hasn't been met with a whole lot of enthusiasm from the Pegulas -- league pressure or not.

[coastal]

Re: Vic Carucci: Bills Have No Desire For A New Downtown Stadium In Foreseeable Futur

I guess oil prices bottoming out has put some pressures on their liquidity.

[Victor7]

Re: Vic Carucci: Bills Have No Desire For A New Downtown Stadium In Foreseeable Futur

The Ralph isn't that bad at all. I keep reading how its ****ty and what not. I mean its not like Jerry's monstrosity or Lucas Oil in Indy but its not bad at all. I've been to plenty of stadiums around the league and the difference, while existent, is not that big a deal.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Re: Vic Carucci: Bills Have No Desire For A New Downtown Stadium In Foreseeable Futur

The Ralph isn't that bad at all. I keep reading how its ****ty and what not. I mean its not like Jerry's monstrosity or Lucas Oil in Indy but its not bad at all. I've been to plenty of stadiums around the league and the difference, while existent, is not that big a deal.

It had better be. Didn't they just finish a 9 figure renovation a few years ago?

[OpIv37]

Re: Vic Carucci: Bills Have No Desire For A New Downtown Stadium In Foreseeable Futur

The Ralph isn't that bad at all. I keep reading how its ****ty and what not. I mean its not like Jerry's monstrosity or Lucas Oil in Indy but its not bad at all. I've been to plenty of stadiums around the league and the difference, while existent, is not that big a deal.

I've said this before and I'll say it again:

The Ralph is a good stadium for true fans. It's cheap (by NFL standards), it's accessible, it has good sight lines, it's great for tailgating. But the NFL doesn't care about the die hard fans precisely because we are die hard. They know we are going to be there no matter what. They already have our money. They want the casual fans. They want to give people who aren't as into football a reason to go watch a game in mid-December when the team is 5-9.

The way to do that is to build a stadium with a lot of amenities that is close to bars, restaurants and shopping, so that's what the league cares about.

[Bill Cody]

Re: Vic Carucci: Bills Have No Desire For A New Downtown Stadium In Foreseeable Futur

The NFL could literally care less about the average fan. It's 110% about revenue streams and luxury boxes and the like. My personal feeling is the game experience is better at the Ralph than it would be in a new building downtown, tailgating is part of the game experience and that would be worse or non existent downtown. Traffic could be a lot worse depending on what infrastructure is added. It's tiresome to be honest to hear talk of how "dated" the Ralph is. It's a ****ing football stadium. It's like saying we have to tear down the Holiday Inn so we can put up the Ritz Carlton. Really?

[trapezeus]

Re: Vic Carucci: Bills Have No Desire For A New Downtown Stadium In Foreseeable Futur

I guess oil prices bottoming out has put some pressures on their liquidity.

why? he sold his reserves to be cash rich. he shouldn't be all natural gas reserve wealth now. Shell bought him out.

[more cowbell]

Re: Vic Carucci: Bills Have No Desire For A New Downtown Stadium In Foreseeable Futur

Ralph Wilson Stadium is a 100% accurate reflection of the Bills franchise.

Not the worst, but not even in the conversation when it comes to "very good" or "elite". It just exists, much like the football team. They just exist.

[BillsImpossible]

Re: Vic Carucci: Bills Have No Desire For A New Downtown Stadium In Foreseeable Futur

Ralph Wilson Stadium is a 100% accurate reflection of the Bills franchise.

Not the worst, but not even in the conversation when it comes to "very good" or "elite". It just exists, much like the football team. They just exist.

What more do you want out of a football stadium?

What makes other stadiums better?

[OpIv37]

Re: Vic Carucci: Bills Have No Desire For A New Downtown Stadium In Foreseeable Futur

Ralph Wilson Stadium is a 100% accurate reflection of the Bills franchise.

Not the worst, but not even in the conversation when it comes to "very good" or "elite". It just exists, much like the football team. They just exist.

I don't disagree with your assessment of the franchise.

But the "very good" or "elite" stadiums don't cater to true fans. They cater to casual fans with distractions that have nothing to do with the game on the field and to the wealthy who can afford luxury boxes and care more about showing off their wealth than the game on the field.

Give me good sight lines, decent audio, a good replay board and reasonable pisser lines. Everything else is just bull****.

[Night Train]

Re: Vic Carucci: Bills Have No Desire For A New Downtown Stadium In Foreseeable Futur

The Ralph is excellent. Non issue for now.

[YardRat]

Re: Vic Carucci: Bills Have No Desire For A New Downtown Stadium In Foreseeable Futur

I like the Ralph, personally. Not a bad seat in the house, and IMO the amenities aren't nearly as bad as some would like to make them out to be. But, then again, when I attend I go to watch a football game, I couldn't care less about higher end food options, a personal bidet, and valet parking.

[pmoon6]

Re: Vic Carucci: Bills Have No Desire For A New Downtown Stadium In Foreseeable Futur

I've said this before and I'll say it again:

The Ralph is a good stadium for true fans. It's cheap (by NFL standards), it's accessible, it has good sight lines, it's great for tailgating. But the NFL doesn't care about the die hard fans precisely because we are die hard. They know we are going to be there no matter what. They already have our money. They want the casual fans. They want to give people who aren't as into football a reason to go watch a game in mid-December when the team is 5-9.

The way to do that is to build a stadium with a lot of amenities that is close to bars, restaurants and shopping, so that's what the league cares about.

Another reason the NFL loves the casual football "fan". They know little about the true game and are easily duped. When you see the systematic engineering that goes on or maybe just ultra incompetent officiating if you don't believe in such stuff, huge time gaps for injuries, replay and TV timeouts the game has become unwatchable unless you DVR it. I can cook a full blown dinner just going to the kitchen during commercial breaks. Maybe that's a good thing to some, but it takes the enjoyment out of it for me.

[Mace]

Re: Vic Carucci: Bills Have No Desire For A New Downtown Stadium In Foreseeable Futur

I like the Ralph, personally. Not a bad seat in the house, and IMO the amenities aren't nearly as bad as some would like to make them out to be. But, then again, when I attend I go to watch a football game, I couldn't care less about higher end food options, a personal bidet, and valet parking.

Top end stadiums offer personal grooming stations for those with luxurious locks.

And I have to disagree with you about personal bidets. I don't know what to do with them but they're cool and shoot water all over the place. Hold a waterproof light in there and you have personal dancing fountains like Las Vegas or something, though you get wet amusing yourself with them. If I could get some decent crepes while getting wet monkeying with a bidet knowing my bicycle was safe with a valet that would be the shiznit. I don't like them personal grooming stations though, unless maybe they had some of them free horse doovers and a free budweiser tall boy.

[YardRat]

Re: Vic Carucci: Bills Have No Desire For A New Downtown Stadium In Foreseeable Futur

Well, personal grooming stations for luxurious locks aren't an extravagance, they are a basic necessity.