TBN : New stadium back and forth

[Mace]

NFL says the Bills should get moving. Interesting thing in here is what Jerry Jones says.


Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who was at The Ralph with his team last December, was impressed with how well the facility was maintained and would not characterize replacing it as a necessity. He also said he has not heard fellow NFL owners complaining about where the Bills play.


However, Jones believes the Pegulas recognize what it takes to keep pace competitively with the rest of the league and will figure out a long-term stadium solution.


“They walked in the room as one of the best owners in the NFL; I’d say top five,” Jones said. “And so once they assess it with a season or two, look at it, if there is any issue there, they won’t need (the rest of the league’s) ownership to tell them about it.”



http://bills.buffalonews.com/2016/03/23/nfl-executives-say-bills-should-get-moving-on-new-stadium/

[Night Train]

JJ can go **** himself. If it was up to him, the NFL would be 16 teams and Buffalo wouldn't be one of them.

I'm in the Ralph 10 times a year. It's fine. There's no hurry for a new stadium and it won't be downtown. If it's ever built, it will be across the street from the current Ralph.

[Scumbag College]

The Cowboys' new stadium is a microcosm of big money and Republican politics in the South. Lots of flash, no character, no substance, and only big money can partake.

The Ralph is a microcosm of the Rust Belt and WNY. Old-some would say outdated, regular people having a good time, and a familiarity of home without any pretense that caters to the average Joe.

The Ralph is everything Buffalo and the region. If the Bills' home field ever has an abstract art exhibit or serves sushi a part of me will die.

[OpIv37]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: the Bills are revenue sharing recipients. The Cowboys are revenue sharing payers. Owners like Jones only care about getting teams like Buffalo to make more money so they have to share less.

This was a very political statement: "Well I don't personally care what Buffalo does, but Pegula gets it and knows what's best..." Of course he personally cares, but he wants to shake this perception as the big-money old guard of the NFL telling the small market with a new owner what to do.

In the end it's completely irrelevant because Jones is going to get what he wants. The Ralph is a great venue for people who love football and want to come out and watch a game. But the NFL doesn't care about those people- people like most of us- because we are already invested. They have our money. They want to sell luxury boxes as a status symbol. They want to give casual fans a reason to go to games in freezing Buffalo winter when the team is 2-11. And it's going to happen regardless of what the true fans want, so we might as well start getting used to it.

[Scumbag College]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: the Bills are revenue sharing recipients. The Cowboys are revenue sharing payers. Owners like Jones only care about getting teams like Buffalo to make more money so they have to share less.

This was a very political statement: "Well I don't personally care what Buffalo does, but Pegula gets it and knows what's best..." Of course he personally cares, but he wants to shake this perception as the big-money old guard of the NFL telling the small market with a new owner what to do.

In the end it's completely irrelevant because Jones is going to get what he wants. The Ralph is a great venue for people who love football and want to come out and watch a game. But the NFL doesn't care about those people- people like most of us- because we are already invested. They have our money. They want to sell luxury boxes as a status symbol. They want to give casual fans a reason to go to games in freezing Buffalo winter when the team is 2-11. And it's going to happen regardless of what the true fans want, so we might as well start getting used to it.

Unfortunately, you are spot on Op.

I see a new Bills stadium in the not so distant future that leaves the rank and file average fan behind. Not so much from the doing of the Pegulas or even politicians, but the bigger machine that is the NFL. One of my fears is that a new stadium will be built that takes resources away from some of the much needed projects that's needed to keep the Albany-Buffalo area's head above water. For the sake of "progress" the Ralph will be replaced with some sort of monstrosity that the regular prison guard, school teacher, factory worker, or college student on break couldn't afford a ticket to go see a game.

And for what...competition? Who are the Bills competing against? Will any Bills fan from Rochester drive an extra four hours to a Steelers home game because their stadium is nicer and newer? Or drive across Ontario to the beautiful city of Detroit to see a game in a dome? Or sit in misery right on Lake Erie in Cleveland in their new stadium?

I don't get it. The stadium fits Buffalo. Buffalo fits the stadium. For the taxpayer to fund a new stadium to price themselves out of something they like to make multimillionaires a little bit richer is insane.

[Turf]

After going to a Sabre's game downtown and getting stuck in traffic for an hour, I can't imagine 76,000 people getting in there. The heck with mass transportation as well.

[more cowbell]

The stadium is a complete dump. Outside of San Diego and Oakland is it absolutely the worst in the league.

The tailgating is out of control, and is an absolutely embarrassing reflection on our city. I'm not saying we cant have fun, but when 21 year old kids who light themselves on fire can afford tickets to a game OR simply can pay to tailgate and not even go into the stadium....that's a problem.

It's about time this franchise gets with the times and builds a new stadium downtown. It doesn't have to be a palace with a mall like the Pats stadium, or Jerry World...but something similar to the Colts, Lions or Steelers.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm so fed up with everything about this franchise not being good enough, and never being on par with the rest of the NFL.

[more cowbell]

If a new stadium is built downtown, it will help the economy immensely because with it will come new restaurants/bars/hotels...entertainment.

There is absolutely no reason for the stadium to be in Orchard Park.

[trapezeus]

I think the pegulas will balance the niceties of a new venue with what people can afford. the harbor center isn't a 5 star hotel, but a marriot. it's nice and it works for the area.

[Bill Cody]

If a new stadium is built downtown, it will help the economy immensely because with it will come new restaurants/bars/hotels...entertainment.

There is absolutely no reason for the stadium to be in Orchard Park.

I can think of one. You can get to OP. The devil is in the details. If there's a big commitment made to new infrastructure so people can get in and out of downtown for a game maybe, but only if the taxpayers are not paying for the building itself, that should be on Peg and the league. Short of that I would say the whole idea is a lot of sizzle and not much steak.

[Bill Cody]

JJ can go **** himself. If it was up to him, the NFL would be 16 teams and Buffalo wouldn't be one of them.


If we were it could be a solution to our playoff drought

[Mace]

It's kind of amusing that some people who say others twist what Rex says, are now twisting what Jones says, after he actually said it was no big deal and it was up to Pegula, which is as it should be.

Jones has no reason to be politically correct in this instance, and could have tactfully supported the NFL thought without any problem in any number of ways. I don't personally like Jurrah much, but he's not shy about saying what he means to.

[Famous Amos]

If a new stadium is built downtown, it will help the economy immensely because with it will come new restaurants/bars/hotels...entertainment.

There is absolutely no reason for the stadium to be in Orchard Park.

I don't agree that a new stadium will bring about economic prosperity to downtown buffalo.

If the Bills build a stadium downtown, it'll price out the average consumer. Whether it's personal seat licenses, high ticket prices and or limited tailgating, you'll get fewer younger fans. The older snow bird season ticket holders may be able to afford tickets but they'll soon be dead with no one to replace them.

So who is going to these new restaurants youre building downtown due to the new stadium? Certainly not the millennial that are priced out of tickets. The old folks who ate too afraid to go top the big bad city and be away from orchard park where it's safe and predictable? The non existent fortune five hundred companies?

I think you may see some Canadians fill the void but with an uneven dollar conversion, you'll see less Canadians stay overnight at those new hotels and more just do the normal bus charters.

If a new stadium is built downtown, you'll see a greater number of out of town fans which may look great to the pegulas but add zero to the stadiums atmosphere.

[more cowbell]

I don't agree that a new stadium will bring about economic prosperity to downtown buffalo.

If the Bills build a stadium downtown, it'll price out the average consumer. Whether it's personal seat licenses, high ticket prices and or limited tailgating, you'll get fewer younger fans. The older snow bird season ticket holders may be able to afford tickets but they'll soon be dead with no one to replace them.

So who is going to these new restaurants youre building downtown due to the new stadium? Certainly not the millennial that are priced out of tickets. The old folks who ate too afraid to go top the big bad city and be away from orchard park where it's safe and predictable? The non existent fortune five hundred companies?

I think you may see some Canadians fill the void but with an uneven dollar conversion, you'll see less Canadians stay overnight at those new hotels and more just do the normal bus charters.

If a new stadium is built downtown, you'll see a greater number of out of town fans which may look great to the pegulas but add zero to the stadiums atmosphere.

Your point is definitely valid IF they decide to go with PSL's. There is no rule that says they have to have a PSL agreement. Plenty of stadiums in the NFL operate without those.




Also, a price increase from a $75 ticket to $90 will not turn people away. Simply make the stadium smaller like Pittsburgh/Cleveland/Detroit/Indy....where it only holds around 60-65K...that's 10-15K less seats needed to fill
I don't agree that fans who are older will not want to go downtown because its not "safe" and Orchard Park is "safe". This couldn't be any further from the truth. If you ask any average fan, whether they are a snow bird or a mother/father, if they find the current stadium "safe"...they would say absolutely not. It's filled with 25 year old's who have been drinking since 6 am, falling over themselves, starting fights, getting arrested, throwing up, passing out. It's absolutely unacceptable that most families would decide against bringing their kids to a GAME. Go to ANY other city and this isn't the case. Hell, I was at the Eagles Bills game this past December, and all I hear about is how brutal those fans are....I didn't see ANY of the above happen...once.
For reference...I am a "Millennial"...I'm not a square. I love to party and have a good time. I've had season tickets since I was 4...I am 28 years old, and the game day experience at the Ralph has just flat out gotten out of control.

[DetDannyWilliams]

JJ can go **** himself. If it was up to him, the NFL would be 16 teams and Buffalo wouldn't be one of them.

I'm in the Ralph 10 times a year. It's fine. There's no hurry for a new stadium and it won't be downtown. If it's ever built, it will be across the street from the current Ralph.

no it won't! that parking lot is owned by Suny and is part of the E.C.C South Campus. and Suny and E.C.C has said in the past that they will not sell any of the land that the E.C.C South campus is on, The Bills also pay ECC to use the parking lot.

[stuckincincy]

The NFL is under attack from many angles. The concussion thing. Player conduct. Sketchy officiating. The arrogance and avarice of owners. Fan violence. The "darling" teams that somehow always seem to get into and go far in the playoffs because they pump up the ad revenues. Billion-dollar contracts with ESPN and others that may crash and burn if folks could opt out paying for sports programming in their cable and fiber-optic and satellite billings.

Be careful what you wish for.