The NFL wants Ralph to sell the naming rights

[ICE74129]

"Wilson said that he was aware that NFL owners were concerned about the team's gross receipts, which he called "the lowest in the league," but that he would not raise ticket prices beyond what the region could afford. He also said the league wants him to sell the naming rights to Ralph Wilson Stadium."

Let me see, he wants the leagues help but not willing to do what they ask? Sell the rights ralph. Its a give and take. If playing in Depends stadium at Viagra park keeps the Bills in Buffalo, who cares?
Also they want his ticket prices to be in or at 80% of the league average which we are not. Ralph is going to have to understand, he has to make consessions to get help.

[clumping platelets]

He should have already sold the naming rights....that's money lost

[Mitchy moo]

Or the Seneca Nation stadium.

[THATHURMANATOR]

It is just idiotic to me that he refuses to take millions of dollars to name the stadium. Who cares what the name of the stadium is?

[Mitchy moo]

It is just idiotic to me that he refuses to take millions of dollars to name the stadium. Who cares what the name of the stadium is?

I feel exactly the same way. How much did Rich products used to pay??

[Dr. Lecter]

I feel exactly the same way. How much did Rich products used to pay??

Not very much. They signed a 25 year deal in 1973. They were under a milllion, I know that.

I respect Ralph for trying to keep to stadium name non business related, as I am sick of stadium names that are named after a business. But reality is Ralph needs to change his ways and accept naming rights.

[THATHURMANATOR]

Not very much. They signed a 25 year deal in 1973. They were under a milllion, I know that.

I respect Ralph for trying to keep to stadium name non business related, as I am sick of stadium names that are named after a business. But reality is Ralph needs to change his ways and accept naming rights.
Why do you care what the name of the stadium is? I don't respect him for not selling the naming rights while complaining that he can't make ends meet. If the Bills where one of the richer teams and could afford it then it would be different.

[Dr. Lecter]

I respect his attempt to stand by tradition. Places like Veterans Stadium and Candlestick Park don't exist anymore because of corporate purchase of naming rights. 20+ years ago companies did not go nuts to buy naming rights.

But tradition is gone, so sell the naming rights and become Kodak Park (or whatever).

[THATHURMANATOR]

I respect his attempt to stand by tradition. Places like Veterans Stadium and Candlestick Park don't exist anymore because of corporate purchase of naming rights. 20+ years ago companies did not go nuts to buy naming rights.

But tradition is gone, so sell the naming rights and become Kodak Park (or whatever).
What tradition? It was named Rich stadium for 25 years. That is what I know the stadium as.

[Meathead]

a rich tradition

[Earthquake Enyart]

Sundowner Stadium has a nice ring to it.

[ICE74129]

And don't get me wrong, I am glad ralph tried to stay traditional. My issue is he now acts like some child and its his game or he will take the ball and go home.

Sorry Ralph, get with the times or get out. It's apperant the NFL wants him to do certain things. I know raising ticket prices pisses some off, but its either that, or LA / San Antonio bills.

Raise all tickets by $10.00 per game. Do that and sell stadium rights and I bet all of a sudden things start getting easier for ralph. but the NFL wont' help or even listen when he wont' do things that are reasonable.

[Meathead]

Sundowner Stadium has a nice ring to it.
team graphics would surely get a lift

[Mr. Pink]

Traditional? That's laughable. Ralph was the VERY first owner in any major sport to sell naming rights to the stadium. Go look it up if you don't believe me. But yeah, he's a traditionalist.

And with the gross receipts being lowest bit...The Bills sell out every game, the Cardinals have maybe an average of 25-30K per game...Yet the Bills are lowest? RIGHT. I might believe that one.

[OpIv37]

Also they want his ticket prices to be in or at 80% of the league average which we are not. Ralph is going to have to understand, he has to make consessions to get help.

You're right on the concessions but raising ticket prices should NOT be one of them. Buffalo is an economically depressed area and the Bills have not exactly been playing well. If you increase the price too much, demand decreases and you can actually LOSE revenue (this happens all the time with taxes).

[madness]

I respect his attempt to stand by tradition. Places like Veterans Stadium and Candlestick Park don't exist anymore because of corporate purchase of naming rights. 20+ years ago companies did not go nuts to buy naming rights.

But tradition is gone, so sell the naming rights and become Kodak Park (or whatever).

I respect him as an owner but not at his feeble attempt to stand by "tradition". I'm all for traditional names like you mentioned but FunTimes is right. Ralph is one of the first owners to "sell out" and he sold out to his own name. How convenient. If you really want to help this team, stop being selfish and sell the naming rights already, Ralph.

[Michael82]

I still say that I want to see Verizon Stadium....and maybe the deal could include a new JumboTron. :pray:


Or free wireless internet service all throughout the stadium. :D

[TacklingDummy]

Raise all tickets by $10.00 per game. Do that and sell stadium rights and I bet all of a sudden things start getting easier for ralph. but the NFL wont' help or even listen when he wont' do things that are reasonable.

$10 is not much. Say the average attendence is 70,000, thats only $700,000 a game more. Times 8 games its $5,600,000 more a year if the Bills average 70k fans. They should raise the prices $30. That would give the Bills a addition $16.8 million and would be plenty of money to afford the signing bonus that some fans complain Ralph is cheap on.

And how much could Ralph get for selling the staduim rights? The Mets are try trying to get $10 million for the rights of their new staduim and they are in a large market and have more then 8 gams.

[THATHURMANATOR]

I have read in another thread today that if the revenues of the team are at a certain point the Bills won't qualify for revenue sharing. If that is the case I can see why he wouldn't sell the rights.

[TacklingDummy]

You're right on the concessions but raising ticket prices should NOT be one of them.

Ahhh so people complain Ralph is cheap for not spending million. But you have a problem with say $10-30 more a ticket? Who's cheap?

Damn, good Yankee tickets are between 98-115 dollars a seat if you can even find them since they are sold out. And they have 82 games and not only 8.

[OpIv37]

Ahhh so people complain Ralph is cheap for not spending million. But you have a problem with say $10-30 more a ticket? Who's cheap?

Damn, good Yankee tickets are between 98-115 dollars a seat if you can even find them since they are sold out. And they have 82 games and not only 8.

for me personally, I don't care. We only go to 1-2 games a year anyway, so an extra $60-120 a year isn't going to break the bank for me. I'm talking about the people who buy seasons or the working class people in Buffalo and Southern Ontario, where $30 x 4 for their family may easily be the difference in not being able to go at all.

[chernobylwraiths]

With the naming rights thing, I say who cares? Sure let him sell it and make an extra million, maybe two tops. Huge money there. As to the seat prices raising though, raise them much more and you can bet your ass a lot of people will drop them. Maybe that is the whole idea behind telling Ralph to raise prices, so he HAS to move the team to a bigger market.

How ironic that Ralph is a cheap bastard that cares nothing for this area, yet he won't raise ticket prices so that the average fan can afford them. Some of you people ***** just to *****. :cynic:

[TedMock]

It's still Rich Stadium to me anyway. I haven't been able to stop referring to it that way! Anyway, I couldn't care less what they call the stadium. Just keep my team in town.

[Saratoga Slim]

I have read in another thread today that if the revenues of the team are at a certain point the Bills won't qualify for revenue sharing. If that is the case I can see why he wouldn't sell the rights.

I thinkyou're right, this plays into those "qualifiers" for revenue sharing that Ralph is worried about right now.

[TacklingDummy]

With the naming rights thing, I say who cares? Sure let him sell it and make an extra million, maybe two tops.

Exactly.

If the Mets are only trying to get $10 million a year for naming rights of their NEW staduim in a large market. What could Ralph actually get for the Bills staduim, 1-3 million a year? Wow, thats alot. It wouldn't even pay Josh Reeds salary.

[Demon]

sell it to Red Bull. They seem to be buying anything and everything in NYC. lol

Red Bull Arena has a nice sound to it. lol

[socalfan]

"Wilson said that he was aware that NFL owners were concerned about the team's gross receipts, which he called "the lowest in the league," but that he would not raise ticket prices beyond what the region could afford. He also said the league wants him to sell the naming rights to Ralph Wilson Stadium."

Let me see, he wants the leagues help but not willing to do what they ask? Sell the rights ralph. Its a give and take. If playing in Depends stadium at Viagra park keeps the Bills in Buffalo, who cares?
Also they want his ticket prices to be in or at 80% of the league average which we are not. Ralph is going to have to understand, he has to make consessions to get help.

I think he should sell too. But, if you think about it...doesn't a stadium look like a giant condom from a dirigible. Maybe we can get Trojan as a sponsor....nickname the stadium 'The Ribbed'.:whistling

[Mr. Pink]

I think he should sell too. But, if you think about it...doesn't a stadium look like a giant condom from a dirigible. Maybe we can get Trojan as a sponsor....nickname the stadium 'The Ribbed'.:whistling


Come on now! What's wrong with Magnum!

[The_Philster]

With the naming rights thing, I say who cares? Sure let him sell it and make an extra million, maybe two tops. Huge money there. As to the seat prices raising though, raise them much more and you can bet your ass a lot of people will drop them. Maybe that is the whole idea behind telling Ralph to raise prices, so he HAS to move the team to a bigger market.

How ironic that Ralph is a cheap bastard that cares nothing for this area, yet he won't raise ticket prices so that the average fan can afford them. Some of you people ***** just to *****. :cynic:
agreed :bf1: I respect Ralph for sticking to his guns on the stadium-naming rights...but maybe it's time to sell them. As far as ticket prices, anyone who thinks they should be raised obviously has no clue what the WNY economy is like. :cynic:

[TacklingDummy]

As far as ticket prices, anyone who thinks they should be raised obviously has no clue what the WNY economy is like. :cynic:

Cheap fans. To go along with a cheap owner. :)

[The_Philster]

Cheap fans. To go along with a cheap owner. :)
You don't live in WNY, do you? Thanks for reverting to form :negrep: for going back to the stupidity-laced posts.

[chernobylwraiths]

You don't live in WNY, do you? Thanks for reverting to form :negrep: for going back to the stupidity-laced posts.

I thought it was sarcasm. :idunno:

[TacklingDummy]

You don't live in WNY, do you? Thanks for reverting to form :negrep: for going back to the stupidity-laced posts.

I live in Central NY which is in just as bad of shape as WNY if not worse.

Saying fans were cheap was just a joke to the fans who are calling Ralph cheap.

[The_Philster]

I live in Central NY which is in just as bad of shape as WNY if not worse.

Saying fans were cheap was just a joke to the fans who are calling Ralph cheap.
Ok..my bad :peace: luckily I had to spread it around so I hadn't negged ya yet :lol:

[TacklingDummy]

That's ok. My sarcasm button was stuck. And for some reason I can't get the smiles to come up.

I like bad rep. I was King till Skooby and Pat came along. Now im just a troll.

My latest unsigned rep. "You are without a doubt the SECOND biggest idiot on these boards, next to Skooby."

[The_Philster]

That's ok. My sarcasm button was stuck. And for some reason I can't get the smiles to come up.

I like bad rep. I was King till Skooby and Pat came along. Now im just a troll.

My latest unsigned rep. "You are without a doubt the SECOND biggest idiot on these boards, next to Skooby."
I've got a few I would put ahead of you lately :gag:

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

I respect his attempt to stand by tradition. Places like Veterans Stadium and Candlestick Park don't exist anymore because of corporate purchase of naming rights. 20+ years ago companies did not go nuts to buy naming rights.

But tradition is gone, so sell the naming rights and become Kodak Park (or whatever).

Marine Midland Arena ---> HSBC Arena
Pilot Field ---> North Americare Park (stupidist name for a ballpark) ---> Dunn Tire Park
Rich Stadium ---> RWS

[BAM]

Prozac Park.

Fits well.

http://mzone.mweb.co.za/residents/dugeot/prozac.jpg

They could hand out samples and stuff at the gates.