NFL Message to Ralph Wilson: Issue of Small Market Teams on the Front Burner

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

League spokesman Greg Aiello says the financial concerns of small market teams - like the Bills -are a front burner issue for the NFL.

"This is a real important issue. We want to ensure that the NFL continues as we know it, and that means that every team has a chance to compete for the Super Bowl," said Aiello.

Aiello says in the near future, Commissioner Paul Tagliabue will name a committee of both small and big market team owners to address the issue.

"A committee will be appointed which will include a cross-section of owners to ensure the new system works for all teams."

Aiello adds that the league is putting together a 'best practices' model that will give guideance to small market teams on ways to maximize the money they can make.

http://www.wgrz.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=37065

[Mr. Miyagi]

Re: NFL Message to Ralph Wilson: Issue of Small Market Teams on the Front Burner

There you go. Ralph's effort has not gone to waste afterall.

[ICE74129]

Re: NFL Message to Ralph Wilson: Issue of Small Market Teams on the Front Burner

There you go. Ralph's effort has not gone to waste afterall.

Sounds like lip service. Not only that is ralph going to follow 'best practices' and up the ticket prices, sell naming rights etc? Or sit there and say FU like he has been?

[FlyingDutchman]

Re: NFL Message to Ralph Wilson: Issue of Small Market Teams on the Front Burner

For all the people complaining about Ralph being crazy and whining, doyou still think that now? The old man wasnt going down without a fight and now he has put OUR situation in the spotlight. If he shut his mouth like so many people in the media and here suggested this issue would have never been brought up and dealt with so quickly. Bravo Ralphy...

[FlyingDutchman]

Re: NFL Message to Ralph Wilson: Issue of Small Market Teams on the Front Burner

Sounds like lip service. Not only that is ralph going to follow 'best practices' and up the ticket prices, sell naming rights etc? Or sit there and say FU like he has been?

dude.....give it a rest...

[Michael82]

Re: NFL Message to Ralph Wilson: Issue of Small Market Teams on the Front Burner

For all the people complaining about Ralph being crazy and whining, doyou still think that now? The old man wasnt going down without a fight and now he has put OUR situation in the spotlight. If he shut his mouth like so many people in the media and here suggested this issue would have never been brought up and dealt with so quickly. Bravo Ralphy...

Good post!

[The_Philster]

Re: NFL Message to Ralph Wilson: Issue of Small Market Teams on the Front Burner

Ralph's mouth did the work it needed to
knock it off with the raising the ticket prices BS, ICE WNYers can't afford the prices that DC people pay

[ICE74129]

Re: NFL Message to Ralph Wilson: Issue of Small Market Teams on the Front Burner

For all the people complaining about Ralph being crazy and whining, doyou still think that now? The old man wasnt going down without a fight and now he has put OUR situation in the spotlight. If he shut his mouth like so many people in the media and here suggested this issue would have never been brought up and dealt with so quickly. Bravo Ralphy...

Oh bull crap. that man has *****ed, whined and threatened the city, county and fans every time he hasn't gotten his way and this is no exception.

There is NO FRIGGIN WAY the Bills only had single digit profits last year. I can't wait until someone forces him and that inbred litman to open up the books.

[ICE74129]

Re: NFL Message to Ralph Wilson: Issue of Small Market Teams on the Front Burner

Ralph's mouth did the work it needed to
knock it off with the raising the ticket prices BS, ICE WNYers can't afford the prices that DC people pay

No one said raise them that far. and If WNY folks can't afford a raise in ticket prices then the Bills need to move. Sorry that is how it is. You can't be successful in buiness charging the lowest rates in the business you are in. The Bills can't keep sitting there year in, year out with the lowest ticket prices in the NFL, sorry it doesn't work that way.

And now WNY'ers are starting to see it. Whomever the owner is, CBA or no CBA changes, WILL have to sell naming rights, Increase ticket prices and God knows what else to make it work.

If Buffalo can't support the Bills, then it's time to move. That is Business.

[Mr B]

Re: NFL Message to Ralph Wilson: Issue of Small Market Teams on the Front Burner

For all the people complaining about Ralph being crazy and whining, doyou still think that now? The old man wasnt going down without a fight and now he has put OUR situation in the spotlight. If he shut his mouth like so many people in the media and here suggested this issue would have never been brought up and dealt with so quickly. Bravo Ralphy...

Great post...

[FlyingDutchman]

Re: NFL Message to Ralph Wilson: Issue of Small Market Teams on the Front Burner

Oh bull crap. that man has *****ed, whined and threatened the city, county and fans every time he hasn't gotten his way and this is no exception.

There is NO FRIGGIN WAY the Bills only had single digit profits last year. I can't wait until someone forces him and that inbred litman to open up the books.

So what exactly is it that bothers you? The whining? Or your conspiracy theories that Ralph is pulling an Enron or somthing? Call his whining what you will, it did the job of getting the leagues attention. What other means does he have to protest by? He was all alone in this matter. Nobody except New York State politicians caught his back. He did what he had to do for the benefit of the Buffalo Bills. I guess you see it a different way.

[G. Host]

Re: NFL Message to Ralph Wilson: Issue of Small Market Teams on the Front Burner

Ralph's mouth did the work it needed to
knock it off with the raising the ticket prices BS, ICE WNYers can't afford the prices that DC people pay

They can afford the price Oklahomans pay (none) but not what North Texans pay either!

And until you can show that there is someone willing to pay for stadium naming rights more than chump change, this is a moot point. What some other teams got is not a factor. Bills can not even sell all their in-stadium signs.

I have been watching Buffalo Business Journal and other sources. Not a lot of potential buyers at 10 games a year, very few nationally televised.

http://members.cox.net/billswatch/nflnamingrights.html

[ddaryl]

Re: NFL Message to Ralph Wilson: Issue of Small Market Teams on the Front Burner

Aiello says in the near future, Commissioner Paul Tagliabue will name a committee of both small and big market team owners to address the issue.

"A committee will be appointed which will include a cross-section of owners to ensure the new system works for all teams."

Aiello adds that the league is putting together a 'best practices' model that will give guideance to small market teams on ways to maximize the money they can make.

http://www.wgrz.com/news/news_articl...?storyid=37065

LMAO, when the big markets are involved nothing can be solved... IMO.


I forsee the big markets forcing small markets to do what they say if they want to survive, and of course large markets are only goin gback ideas that grease their bottom end.

Someone has to step in and tell the Big Markets... its your fault you over spent on your franchise and now you're going to have adjust your bottom end some.... too.

[Jan Reimers]

Re: NFL Message to Ralph Wilson: Issue of Small Market Teams on the Front Burner

I criticized Ralph at first for his whining and complaining, but it's now very clear that by getting the attention of the public, the press and, most importantly, some very influential politicians, he has gotten the attention of the NFL.

The league doesn't need a public relations black eye, a Congressional anti-trust investigation, or the loss of a storied franchise like the Bills.

Due mainly to Ralph's efforts, I believe that the NFL will adopt a revenue sharing plan that will allow the small market teams to survive, and even be somewhat profitable.

Go Ralph!

[G. Host]

Re: NFL Message to Ralph Wilson: Issue of Small Market Teams on the Front Burner

The problem comes with all of the single team deals. In certain markets like Washington they have lobbyiests, lawyer firms, etc who do not mind spending a fortune to have perks like tickets that can give to clients as part of wooing them but such opprotunities do not exist in every market. Even the name of a stadium is vastly different in Washington and other major markets and there is no way smaller market teams can match it.

Some are so clueless that they think it is just local prudence and poor marketing why they do not have those sweetheart deals.

Some CLAIM to be Bills fans and they just tell Bills to deal with it or move!
Will they be a "Bills" fan afterwards? No. They will just move on to another team.