Toronto Bills?

Bubba Wheels · 02-10-2008, 12:53 PM

I thought that 1. NFL and CFL had some kind of agreement to stay out of each other's backyards and 2. With revenue sharing having NFL teams in small markets was no problem, Buffalo and Western New York is certainly a bigger market than Green Bay. http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slu...v=ap&type=lgns

Wolfpack · 02-10-2008, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bubba Wheels

I thought that 1. NFL and CFL had some kind of agreement to stay out of each other's backyards and 2. With revenue sharing having NFL teams in small markets was no problem, Buffalo and Western New York is certainly a bigger market than Green Bay. http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slu...v=ap&type=lgns

Well, Ralph Wilson fought the last CBA because he didn't think it did enough for small market teams, so obviously, he thinks he's not doing well under any circumstance.

As for Green Bay, while the city itself is small, the fan base is pretty much the entire state of Wisconsin and western Upper Michigan, along with sizeable national revenues as a national fanbase team. That run during the 1960s (plus things like Vince Lombardi himself and getting the league's trophy named after him to boot) probably is what has kept Green Bay in Green Bay all these years.

Contrast that with western New York, which is in a fragmented market area with Pittsburgh and Cleveland to the south and the colossi of the New York and New England teams to the east. Pretty much the only fanbase available to the Bills is western New York and SE Ontario. Buffalo has been unfortunately shrinking for a number of years, exacerbating the the situation. The local fanbase continues to shrink and they don't have the national following to make up for it. I would say that had the Bills won any one of those Super Bowls in the early 1990s that that would have changed things a fair amount as they would have probably started earning a national following to make up for the struggling local market. Now? I wouldn't be surprised to see a team in Toronto before the middle of next decade and in any case at the expense of the Bills who will likely be done in Buffalo by then as well, whether they go to Toronto or elsewhere.

Young Drachma · 02-10-2008, 02:08 PM

In a league where the Browns, Oilers and both LA teams can move, anything is possible and probably will happen eventually. At least if they move to Toronto, they're not leaving the region and they can grow out their fan base better by becoming "Canada's team" for NFL fans who don't have allegiances already or even if they're not liked universally there, they get the media benefit of faking it.

Apathetic Lurker · 02-10-2008, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

Well, Ralph Wilson fought the last CBA because he didn't think it did enough for small market teams, so obviously, he thinks he's not doing well under any circumstance.

As for Green Bay, while the city itself is small, the fan base is pretty much the entire state of Wisconsin and western Upper Michigan, along with sizeable national revenues as a national fanbase team. That run during the 1960s (plus things like Vince Lombardi himself and getting the league's trophy named after him to boot) probably is what has kept Green Bay in Green Bay all these years.

That and the fact the Packers cannot be moved help keep them there

Apathetic Lurker · 02-10-2008, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

In a league where the Browns, Oilers and both LA teams can move, anything is possible and probably will happen eventually. At least if they move to Toronto, they're not leaving the region and they can grow out their fan base better by becoming "Canada's team" for NFL fans who don't have allegiances already or even if they're not liked universally there, they get the media benefit of faking it.

I for one will refuse to bend over and drop trou for anybody taking my team away then giving me the privledge of paying them for doing so.

I'd rather tattoo "ti-Cats" on my ass and wear a g-string backwards thru a mall anyday than give money to a vampire like Rogers

Young Drachma · 02-10-2008, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apathetic Lurker

I for one will refuse to bend over and drop trou for anybody taking my team away then giving me the privledge of paying them for doing so.

I'd rather tattoo "ti-Cats" on my ass and wear a g-string backwards thru a mall anyday than give money to a vampire like Rogers

There's an avatar.

Oilers9911 · 02-10-2008, 02:59 PM

I hope it doesn't happen because it will pretty much effectively mean the end of the Toronto Argonauts and the Canadian Football League. I enjoy the NFL but I love the CFL and i'd rather not have a century plus of Canadian football swallowed whole by the NFL.

Apathetic Lurker · 02-10-2008, 03:09 PM

me too. I've actually seen more hamilton games than buffalo games in the last 4 years even though i can get bills tix dirt cheap(free) for me and my wife.

Chubby · 02-10-2008, 03:46 PM

The fact that the Bills have sucked for years isn't helping their financial situation. If it ever got to the point that they were going to move, I believe there's a group ready to step in to buy them from Wilson (or when he dies) and keep them fin Buffalo (not Golisano either I don't think)

MacroGuru · 02-10-2008, 03:48 PM

I for one would be pissed, I finally am moving to an NFL market and a move would be to me....the equivalent of a gigantic atom bomb nipple twister with a big F-U stamped on my forhead.

Chubby · 02-10-2008, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

I for one would be pissed, I finally am moving to an NFL market and a move would be to me....the equivalent of a gigantic atom bomb nipple twister with a big F-U stamped on my forhead.

It's nothing that would happen right away. Any talk about moving to Toronto our someone/group buying out Wilson to keep themin Buffalo is longterm thinking.

MacroGuru · 02-10-2008, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chubby

It's nothing that would happen right away. Any talk about moving to Toronto our someone/group buying out Wilson to keep themin Buffalo is longterm thinking.

yeah. but still....it's the fact I would move there, and we do love it there...end up staying and then seeing them leave...

stevew · 02-10-2008, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

I for one would be pissed, I finally am moving to an NFL market and a move would be to me....the equivalent of a gigantic atom bomb nipple twister with a big F-U stamped on my forhead.

I would be down with an FOFC Bills game trip at some point. As long as it's before mid October(sometimes earlier in the year)

Apathetic Lurker · 02-10-2008, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chubby

It's nothing that would happen right away. Any talk about moving to Toronto our someone/group buying out Wilson to keep themin Buffalo is longterm thinking.

5 yrs max.. Wilson is ancient..lich type ancient... 5 years left on the lease with county. 5 year deal with Toronto...= Hmmmmm. The Walking cadaver that is Rogers was drooling and smacking his lips so loudly over the thought of the Bills in Toronto for a measly 8 games that it gets me thinking of Wilson and Rogers in a geriatric three-some with Tennenbaum. Plus who in Buffalo, or better yet what consortium in Buffalo can out-spend Rogers? It's got 4.3 billion ..... He lays out 1 billion to the greed infested renmants of the Wilson Clan. Yeah, I can see it now.."No, Sorry Mr Rogers, we decided to sell the Bills to a local group for 500 million. Please keep your Billion,". The NFL must be salivating over a Toronto team.

Thanks for letting me rant-n-rave
Even money on the base being 1 billion for the next team sold/formed.

Chubby · 02-10-2008, 08:31 PM

I know Jim Kelly has a group in place if and when the time is needed. Not sure on who or how much they have tho.

Maple Leafs · 02-10-2008, 08:38 PM

You Bills fans are like the high school A/V club president watching his girlfriend flirt with the quarterback, telling himself that there's nothing to worry about because she's been with you a long time and you're a nice boy who deserves a cute girlfriend.

We're taking your team. Move along.

SFL Cat · 02-10-2008, 08:39 PM

It still strikes me as hilarious that Jim Kelly is such a big Buffalo guy now. One of the reasons he went to the USFL's Houston Gamblers after leaving Miami-U was because he didn't want to play in Buffalo.

Crapshoot · 02-10-2008, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

You Bills fans are like the high school A/V club president watching his girlfriend flirt with the quarterback, telling himself that there's nothing to worry about because she's been with you a long time and you're a nice boy who deserves a cute girlfriend.

We're taking your team. Move along.

HEhehehehheheheheh.

As always, the best response is from ML.

Apathetic Lurker · 02-10-2008, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

You Bills fans are like the high school A/V club president watching his girlfriend flirt with the quarterback, telling himself that there's nothing to worry about because she's been with you a long time and you're a nice boy who deserves a cute girlfriend.

We're taking your team. Move along.

Damn 'nucks.... Wait till your money drops in value .... But thats all good...we will just keep taking your hockey teams!

02-10-2008, 03:48 PM	#10
MacroGuru Coordinator Join Date: May 2003 Location: Utah	I for one would be pissed, I finally am moving to an NFL market and a move would be to me....the equivalent of a gigantic atom bomb nipple twister with a big F-U stamped on my forhead. __________________ "forgetting what is in the past, I strive for the future"

02-10-2008, 08:38 PM	#16
Maple Leafs Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2002	You Bills fans are like the high school A/V club president watching his girlfriend flirt with the quarterback, telling himself that there's nothing to worry about because she's been with you a long time and you're a nice boy who deserves a cute girlfriend. We're taking your team. Move along. __________________ Down Goes Brown: Toronto Maple Leafs Humor and Analysis

02-10-2008, 02:08 PM	#3
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	In a league where the Browns, Oilers and both LA teams can move, anything is possible and probably will happen eventually. At least if they move to Toronto, they're not leaving the region and they can grow out their fan base better by becoming "Canada's team" for NFL fans who don't have allegiances already or even if they're not liked universally there, they get the media benefit of faking it.

02-10-2008, 02:59 PM	#7
Oilers9911 College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jan 2006	I hope it doesn't happen because it will pretty much effectively mean the end of the Toronto Argonauts and the Canadian Football League. I enjoy the NFL but I love the CFL and i'd rather not have a century plus of Canadian football swallowed whole by the NFL.

02-10-2008, 03:09 PM	#8
Apathetic Lurker College Prospect Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Buffalo,NY	me too. I've actually seen more hamilton games than buffalo games in the last 4 years even though i can get bills tix dirt cheap(free) for me and my wife.

02-10-2008, 03:46 PM	#9
Chubby Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Syracuse, NY	The fact that the Bills have sucked for years isn't helping their financial situation. If it ever got to the point that they were going to move, I believe there's a group ready to step in to buy them from Wilson (or when he dies) and keep them fin Buffalo (not Golisano either I don't think)

02-10-2008, 08:31 PM	#15
Chubby Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Syracuse, NY	I know Jim Kelly has a group in place if and when the time is needed. Not sure on who or how much they have tho.

02-10-2008, 08:39 PM	#17
SFL Cat College Starter Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: South Florida	It still strikes me as hilarious that Jim Kelly is such a big Buffalo guy now. One of the reasons he went to the USFL's Houston Gamblers after leaving Miami-U was because he didn't want to play in Buffalo.

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