RIP Ralph Wilson Bills Owner

mancrushoncb4 · Post #1 » by **mancrushoncb4** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:08 pm

As per ESPN, the owner of the Buffalo Bills died today. It's been common knowledge that when he passes the family will sell the team. Toronto may get an nfl franchise in the near future

TANKNATION · Post #2 » by **TANKNATION** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:17 pm

RIP one of, if not the greatest NFL owner.

Hopefully the NFL comes to Toronto. Leiweke, do ya thang.

J-Roc · Post #3 » by **J-Roc** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:19 pm

BIG news. It wasn't just that they'd sell the team, but he was always clear they would only sell to the highest bidder. He didn't care about keeping it in Buffalo. He didn't care about moving it to Toronto. So if MLSE wants to jump in, they need to pony up.

Unless Goodell has his own ideas and makes something happen our way.

Roland Brice · Post #4 » by **Roland Brice** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:22 pm

Apparently Jim Kelly's in the hospital too and he seemed like the main force keeping us from buying Buffalo because he loves the city so much. He said he would get a group together to purchase them, but if he's sick he might not be able to do so.

navyblue · Post #5 » by **navyblue** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:24 pm

that was the talk, but that was before the failure of bills in toronto. interesting what happens from here. NFL has rules that corporations cant own a team, so that leaves tanenbaum and with mlse as his partners if they are interested.
I dont see it happening, i see london england as a more likely spot than toronto. they already have a state of the art stadium, the whole global issue, and NFL has the best schedule options available to have teams on 2 continents. ie a team gets a bi week after or before playing in england. home team in england plays a minimum of 2 games at a time before going on the road. etc etc.

Wo1verine · Post #6 » by **Wo1verine** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:25 pm

Got to think when the family puts up the team for sell they will be looking for owners who want to keep the Bills in BUF first.

RIP, Ralph!

Roland Brice · Post #7 » by **Roland Brice** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:28 pm

Tanenbaum would have to give up his stake in MLSE in order to purchase the Bills. But word was that he and Jon Bon Jovi had that idea in mind, and now with Leiweke in their ear they might think hard about it.

TANKNATION · Post #8 » by **TANKNATION** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:30 pm

J-Roc wrote:BIG news. It wasn't just that they'd sell the team, but he was always clear they would only sell to the highest bidder. He didn't care about keeping it in Buffalo. He didn't care about moving it to Toronto. So if MLSE wants to jump in, they need to pony up.

Unless Goodell has his own ideas and makes something happen our way.

He didn't care about keeping it in Buffalo? STOP... he was the longest owner of any team in sports history and he single handily kept that team in western NY. He loved that team so damn much that he skipped his own hall of fame ceremony because he was scared of getting boo'ed from the fans because of the poor record that year

Lucky26 · Post #9 » by **Lucky26** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:36 pm

TANKNATION wrote:
J-Roc wrote:BIG news. It wasn't just that they'd sell the team, but he was always clear they would only sell to the highest bidder. He didn't care about keeping it in Buffalo. He didn't care about moving it to Toronto. So if MLSE wants to jump in, they need to pony up.

Unless Goodell has his own ideas and makes something happen our way.

He didn't care about keeping it in Buffalo? STOP... he was the longest owner of any team in sports history and he single handily kept that team in western NY. He loved that team so damn much that he skipped his own hall of fame ceremony because he was scared of getting boo'ed from the fans because of the poor record that year

That is sad.

dagger · Post #10 » by **dagger** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:42 pm

Aside from local interest in the fate of the Bills, it's worth remembering Ralph Wilson for other things. He cut a $25,000 cheque to loan Oakland's first owner $25,000 to keep the Raiders afloat when they were about to go bankrupt, and he was a founder of the old AFL. People are remembering him fondly in Buffalo for many small acts of kindness, consideration and generosity. He was a wealthy man, but humble.

Post #11 » by **Patman** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:42 pm

mancrushoncb4 wrote:As per ESPN, the owner of the Buffalo Bills died today. It's been common knowledge that when he passes the family will sell the team. Toronto may get an nfl franchise in the near future

It will be tough, but I think it's possible. With the combined powers of MLSE/Leiweke and Rogers/Bell media, it can happen. But we'd have to do major renos to the Skydome, or build a brand new stadium.

720 · Post #12 » by **720** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:50 pm

Patman wrote:
mancrushoncb4 wrote:As per ESPN, the owner of the Buffalo Bills died today. It's been common knowledge that when he passes the family will sell the team. Toronto may get an nfl franchise in the near future

It will be tough, but I think it's possible. With the combined powers of MLSE/Leiweke and Rogers/Bell media, it can happen. But we'd have to do major renos to the Skydome, or build a brand new stadium.

I'm pretty sure the NFL doesn't allow corporations to own teams and it can only be done by having a wealthy person purchase the team.

mancrushoncb4 · Post #13 » by **mancrushoncb4** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:53 pm

They could buy the team now, and leave it in buffalo until a new stadium is built in toronto. As far as whether or not the nfl will work in Toronto, I feel you can't judge this based on the bills in toronto experiment. Reason number #1 why it failed, the Bills aren't our team. There is no loyalty to the Bills. They aren't the Toronto Bills. I fully expect a team that belonged to Toronto, would be supported just like our other major sports teams. Reason #2, the Rogers Center sucks to watch football in. If a stadium was built at downsview or in the port lands, the fans would love the experience.

kidr1211 · Post #14 » by **kidr1211** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:56 pm

Wasn't it rumored that bon jovi had interest in purchasing the team with MLSE backing and funding a stadium? Either way i hope an NFL team is in torontos future :pray:

Post #15 » by **Patman** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:58 pm

mancrushoncb4 wrote:They could buy the team now, and leave it in buffalo until a new stadium is built in toronto. As far as whether or not the nfl will work in Toronto, I feel you can't judge this based on the bills in toronto experiment. Reason number #1 why it failed, the Bills aren't our team. There is no loyalty to the Bills. They aren't the Toronto Bills. I fully expect a team that belonged to Toronto, would be supported just like our other major sports teams. Reason #2, the Rogers Center sucks to watch football in. If a stadium was built at downsview or in the port lands, the fans would love the experience.

Those are exactly the locations I was thinking of for a new stadium.

Post #16 » by **Patman** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 8:01 pm

VC720 wrote:
Patman wrote:
mancrushoncb4 wrote:As per ESPN, the owner of the Buffalo Bills died today. It's been common knowledge that when he passes the family will sell the team. Toronto may get an nfl franchise in the near future

It will be tough, but I think it's possible. With the combined powers of MLSE/Leiweke and Rogers/Bell media, it can happen. But we'd have to do major renos to the Skydome, or build a brand new stadium.

I'm pretty sure the NFL doesn't allow corporations to own teams and it can only be done by having a wealthy person purchase the team.

I guess it's up to David Thomson, Galen Weston, or Edward Rogers.

J-Roc · Post #17 » by **J-Roc** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 8:09 pm

TANKNATION wrote:
J-Roc wrote:BIG news. It wasn't just that they'd sell the team, but he was always clear they would only sell to the highest bidder. He didn't care about keeping it in Buffalo. He didn't care about moving it to Toronto. So if MLSE wants to jump in, they need to pony up.

Unless Goodell has his own ideas and makes something happen our way.

He didn't care about keeping it in Buffalo? STOP... he was the longest owner of any team in sports history and he single handily kept that team in western NY. He loved that team so damn much that he skipped his own hall of fame ceremony because he was scared of getting boo'ed from the fans because of the poor record that year

Okay maybe a part of him wished the highest bidder would be from Buffalo. But he always said it would be the highest bidder, Buffalo or not.

kidr1211 · Post #18 » by **kidr1211** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 8:11 pm

“Jon and I are very good friends,” Leiweke said Sunday. “We talk weekly about his NFL ambitions. And so we’re actively engaged, but I think it’s still a work in progress.”

If TL pulls this off and brings an NFL team to toronto, i will tattoo his name on my ass. I'm a huge NFL fan and if a team were to come here it would mean more to me than any other team in our city.

720 · Post #19 » by **720** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 8:12 pm

i just can't see 60,000 people coming to watch football in Toronto. Then again, if we do get a team the culture will grow. But its just hard imagining it at the moment.

VC-INJURY · Post #20 » by **VC-INJURY** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 8:14 pm

Patman wrote:
VC720 wrote:
Patman wrote:
It will be tough, but I think it's possible. With the combined powers of MLSE/Leiweke and Rogers/Bell media, it can happen. But we'd have to do major renos to the Skydome, or build a brand new stadium.

I'm pretty sure the NFL doesn't allow corporations to own teams and it can only be done by having a wealthy person purchase the team.

I guess it's up to David Thomson, Galen Weston, or Edward Rogers.