Mary Wilson has been announced as controlling owner of Bills.

[OpIv37]

Re: Mary Wilson has been announced as controlling owner of Bills.

Without reading through this whole thread, I just have one thought on this.

If there is a quick sale, the new owner will have to keep the team in Buffalo through 2020, which means it has to be someone who either won't move the team or someone who is really, really good at hiding their intentions.

The only thing that will ever cause Bills fans to give up on the team is moving them, and if people know the new owner is going to move, the team will basically get no revenue until it happens. NO ONE can afford to lay out the $2 billion or so that it'll cost to buy and relocate the team and build a stadium while seeing no return on that investment for 6 years or so.

I think a quick sale increases the chances that the team stays.

[Mace]

Re: Mary Wilson has been announced as controlling owner of Bills.

I think a quick sale increases the chances that the team stays.

Without reading the rest of the post, this.

[Mace]

Re: Mary Wilson has been announced as controlling owner of Bills.

LMAO at the pseudo Bills fans, who in reality want the Bills to move & are clinging to the last hope they have of that happening.

Spiked won't even argue with me that he wants to cry like a baby just as desperately as I do the day they bring home a Super Bowl. In fact, there will be such a a party in his house the day they play it. Tissues will be free. I'd like to be there and weep along with him. Keep stocking those fish Spiked, even if they are in the dining room snifter up in the north. Or maybe the party will be at Victor7's in Mexico. Won't be at the King's villa's, he's snooty.

Sure hope we can all weep like babies soon though. Until then, Mary is a very good thing not being Littman.

[Bill Cody]

Re: Mary Wilson has been announced as controlling owner of Bills.

It was not Ralph's responsibility to sell the Bills before his death.

Ralph LOVED the Bills & wanted to own them & keep them in Buffalo as long as he lived.

He made provisions to keep the Bills in Buffalo an additional 10 years as well.

Why do you people not understand Ralph could have died with the Bills having no lease to keep them in Buffalo until 2020?

If that's true then it's not Mary's responsibility to sell to anyone other than the highest bidder either.

Ralph probably thought he'd live to see to near the end of the lease. It's not like he signed it on his death bed. And the lease was a good deal for him financially.

[better days]

Re: Mary Wilson has been announced as controlling owner of Bills.

If that's true then it's not Mary's responsibility to sell to anyone other than the highest bidder either.

Ralph probably thought he'd live to see to near the end of the lease. It's not like he signed it on his death bed. And the lease was a good deal for him financially.

NO, the lease was NOT a good deal financially for Ralph.

The Bills would be worth much more on the open market with no lease.

And we have no Idea about what Ralph knew about his health when he signed the lease.

He may have thought he was going to live to 100 or the doctors may have told him his time was limited.

It is not Mary's responsibility to sell to anyone other than the highest bidder.

On the other hand, it is very likely she wants to honor her husbands legacy and keep the Bills in Buffalo as Ralph did.

[Bill Cody]

Re: Mary Wilson has been announced as controlling owner of Bills.

NO, the lease was NOT a good deal financially for Ralph.

The Bills would be worth much more on the open market with no lease.

Ralph got money while he was alive to sign the lease. That was a bird in hand. Living to the end was a gamble he chose to take.

And we have no Idea about what Ralph knew about his health when he signed the lease.

True so why speculate that he did the city a favor by signing it? It just worked out that way.

it is very likely she wants to honor her husbands legacy and keep the Bills in Buffalo as Ralph did.

Ralph could have secured the Bills future in Buffalo but chose not to. If the Bills move it will be Ralph's legacy. And 6 years is not really a long time to wait for a new owner looking to relocate, especially if there is a need for a new stadium at the new locale. I'm not wishing it to happen but we shouldn't need to be having this discussion. I have little patience for billionaire's tax problems.

[better days]

Re: Mary Wilson has been announced as controlling owner of Bills.

Ralph got money while he was alive to sign the lease. That was a bird in hand. Living to the end was a gamble he chose to take.



True so why speculate that he did the city a favor by signing it? It just worked out that way.




Ralph could have secured the Bills future in Buffalo but chose not to. If the Bills move it will be Ralph's legacy. And 6 years is not really a long time to wait for a new owner looking to relocate, especially if there is a need for a new stadium at the new locale. I'm not wishing it to happen but we shouldn't need to be having this discussion. I have little patience for billionaire's tax problems.

The money Ralph got for the lease is PEANUTS compared to the worth of the team.

With the money Ralph had, he did not need that pittance what ever it was.

How much did Ralph get for the lease anyway Cody?

It did not just work out that way. Ralph could have signed a year to year lease, or a lease very easy to break at any time.

Ralph PURPOSELY signed a lease to keep the Bills in Buffalo until at least 2020.

That time will allow an ownership group that wants to keep the Bills in Buffalo time to get its ducks in a row.

The next owner of the Bills will not be looking to relocate the team period.

[Bill Cody]

Re: Mary Wilson has been announced as controlling owner of Bills.

The money Ralph got for the lease is PEANUTS compared to the worth of the team.

With the money Ralph had, he did not need that pittance what ever it was.

How much did Ralph get for the lease anyway Cody?

It did not just work out that way. Ralph could have signed a year to year lease, or a lease very easy to break at any time.

Ralph PURPOSELY signed a lease to keep the Bills in Buffalo until at least 2020.

That time will allow an ownership group that wants to keep the Bills in Buffalo time to get its ducks in a row.

The next owner of the Bills will not be looking to relocate the team period.

I hope you're right. But what you're saying is pure speculation, nothing more. 6 years simply is not very long a time period. Ralph could have avoided the angina for Bills fans but chose not to. Case closed.

[better days]

Re: Mary Wilson has been announced as controlling owner of Bills.

I hope you're right. But what you're saying is pure speculation, nothing more. 6 years simply is not very long a time period. Ralph could have avoided the angina for Bills fans but chose not to. Case closed.

It is long enough time to put ownership in place that wants to keep the Bills in Buffalo.

Case Closed.

[trapezeus]

Re: Mary Wilson has been announced as controlling owner of Bills.

mary being in buffalo was kind of a huge deal. she just lost her husband. if she was some money only person, she would have wiped her hands clean of this, done nothing to be part of the bills as owner situation and just became owner because that's what the will said. She could have said, "who cares about those people. let's sell this team!"

but she put in effort days after her husband died. so that's kind of telling that she respected his passion and willing to carry it forward in his honor.
of course, maybe there is a PR effort, but the money only focus that people want to paint her in seems to be the opposite of her graciousness to the fans and wanting to feel the warmth that the fans have given about her husband.

[better days]

Re: Mary Wilson has been announced as controlling owner of Bills.

BUMP

[Mace]

Re: Mary Wilson has been announced as controlling owner of Bills.

Not being a legal expert I have no clue. I'm still not seeing Mary being in charge of the trust as opposed to the accountant, as being a bad thing. I am still having a great deal of trouble figuring out what it all means, probably like everyone I've argued with.

None of it matters though because it is not looking so bad atm and so, we all seem to be winning.