Bills' Wilson should sell stadium's naming rights

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

With the recent talks of the Buffalo Bills’ demise running rampant of late, many have begun to wonder how the small-market franchise can start pulling in more revenue. Bills owner and president Ralph Wilson has bickered about the NFL’s new collective bargaining agreement being awful for organizations such as his, but he’s yet to take any real action in trying to take the proverbial lemons and make lemonade out of them.

One way that comes to mind is selling his stadium’s naming rights. Currently, the Bills’ humble, 72,000 seat abode is known as Ralph Wilson Stadium, which is also the name of the practice facility sitting adjacent to it in Orchard Park, New York.
http://www.realfootball365.com/nfl/articles/Buffalo-Bills-stadium-060417.php

[McBFLO]

As much as I would hate to see the stadium become Independent Health Field, or whatever, it may be time to bite the bullet and do it. It'll always be Rich Stadium to me anyway...

[Michael82]

It'll always be Rich Stadium to me anyway...

Which is kinda ironic seeing how Rich Stadium was named that due to Rich Products buying the naming rights.

[The King]

I agree, You can even work with in limits. Something like Pepsi field at Ralph Wilson Stadium. But its def time.

[RedEyE]

Labatt's Blue Stadium has a nice ring to it.

[dolphan117]

I think if Ralph wants help from the NFL as far as the revenue sharing stipulations then selling the naming rights to the stadium would be an excellent place to start. I would imagine that high revenue teams that have done everything in their power to make money and become high revenue teams (including selling naming rights) have a hard time giving money to a team that is struggling financially when that team is unwilling to do something as simple as sell naming rights to their stadium. I know it wont come anywhere near to solving the Bills woes but you have to start somewere........

[ICE74129]

Which is kinda ironic seeing how Rich Stadium was named that due to Rich Products buying the naming rights.

I still call it rich stadium from time to time. I don't get what Ralphs deal is. He did it for years. hell call up the rich family and see if they want to do it again. Bring back 'the old days'

[Jan Reimers]

I think Rich Field at Paychex Park in Sportservice Stadium would be nice.

[Typ0]

what kind of buyer is going to give a decent price for naming rights to a stadium that will host a nationally televised game ONLY if the Bills make the playoffs?

[THATHURMANATOR]

Am I the only one who doesn't care what the name of the stadium is?

[THATHURMANATOR]

what kind of buyer is going to give a decent price for naming rights to a stadium that will host a nationally televised game ONLY if the Bills make the playoffs?
These naming rights are for multiple years.

[Typ0]

How many national games have we had in the past 5 years? Two? I remember Tennesee and Denver.

[THATHURMANATOR]

I don't think they would be paying for past years though so who cares?

[Typ0]

I don't think they would be paying for past years though so who cares?

because the past indicates what the future will be like. Do you really think there will be 5 national games held in Orchard Park over the next five years?

[dolphan117]

because the past indicates what the future will be like. Do you really think there will be 5 national games held in Orchard Park over the next five years?Well that all depends on how good the Bills are. If they are as bad as they were last year then no they wont get nationally televised. However we only had one prime-time game the year we went 4-12 and none last year. However since we went 9-7 last year and got Culpepper for this year we were given the season opener, Thanksgiving game, and I think a Monday nighter as well. If you start wining they will put you on TV.

[Typ0]

then if we want to sell the naming rights in the future we better start winning...the way things stand they aren't worth squat.

[Michael82]

what kind of buyer is going to give a decent price for naming rights to a stadium that will host a nationally televised game ONLY if the Bills make the playoffs?
it has nothing to do with that. It's still an NFL Stadium that all the stations name during the highlights. It's still an NFL stadium that gets national attention in any press releases about the game at "_______ Stadium" It's still a stadium in the best sports league in the country and you hear the names of the stadiums all the time when someone talks about the prior game or about the team. They may not get a national game, but the stadium will still get some national publicity.

[OpIv37]

And who says it has to be national? Even if the Bills did get more national coverage, there is no way they could ever get the same amount of money as, say, NE gets from Gillete or the Skins get from FedEx.

But it's a gesture to the league. It's Ralph saying "look, I'm doing my best to maximize revenue and this is all the community can bear"- then he may have a better case than saying "well, I'm just not going to do it".

[Jan Reimers]

And who says it has to be national? Even if the Bills did get more national coverage, there is no way they could ever get the same amount of money as, say, NE gets from Gillete or the Skins get from FedEx.

But it's a gesture to the league. It's Ralph saying "look, I'm doing my best to maximize revenue and this is all the community can bear"- then he may have a better case than saying "well, I'm just not going to do it".
Good point. It would be a good faith gesture, and if the Bills got even a Million, it's a Million more than they had before.

[G. Host]

I agree Bills ought to put it up for sale just so NFL greedy owners and their fans complain less and in fact make it an auction. Do it on ebay if they can to get all of the publicity but REQUIRE it be a front loaded deal so if it is a fly-by-night company which colapses as some of the deals have been the Bills can do it again later.

[Meathead]

sundowner field


shamelessly stolen from ee

[paladin warrior]

Am I the only one who doesn't care what the name of the stadium is? U said don't care what the name of stadium. Ooookkky how about New name is The Benchwarmers

[ddaryl]

The Bills HAVE TOO maximize their profit capabilites, outside of passing that expense onto the fans, before the rest of the league can possibly take our money concerns seriously.

I also feel that a $8 raise in ticket prices is necessary. Our ticket prices are too low, and $40 a ticket average is still low in this league