Wilson questions the new NFL owners

[lechuza 0]

Bills owner Wilson questions NFL's new-guard owners

Associated Press

 

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Bills owner Ralph Wilson is questioning whether the NFL's high-revenue owners have the best interest of the league at heart, stepping up concerns that small-market franchises like his face an uncertain future under the new labor agreement.

 

"I just don't think they're as interested in the game as the old owners, I really don't," Wilson said Friday.

 

Singling out Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys, Daniel Snyder of the Washington Redskins and Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots, Wilson said: "They, to me, and this is just my opinion, don't have the same values about the league as the old guard did."

 

The Bills' sole owner since founding the team in 1960, Wilson also suggested the league's wealthier owners played too big a role when the league extended its collective bargaining agreement last month. The Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals cast the only votes against the agreement.

 

Wilson spoke after meeting with Erie County executive Joel Giambra, who implored Bills fans "to get active, to get angry" and write to Tagliabue, the league and elected officials on the team's behalf.

 

He first raised his concerns earlier this week in a meeting with New York Gov. George Pataki. Wilson told Pataki that he's committed to keep the Bills in Buffalo, but, "the long-term viability of our franchise may be in serious doubt."

 

The series of meetings were an attempt by Wilson to explain his concerns and generate political pressure on the NFL to ensure the viability of small-market teams.

 

Wilson, long one of the NFL's most outspoken owners, believes the new labor deal establishes an unequal playing field between large- and small-market teams because it produces an equal allocation of player costs with an unequal allocation of revenues.

 

While reiterating he has no intention to move or sell the team, Wilson said he's not sure how long the Bills can survive under the new deal.

 

"How long can it stay here? I don't know," Wilson said. "But I can tell you we're going to fight very, very hard to keep the team here to try to be competitive with the rest of the league."

 

Under the new deal, Wilson said it wouldn't make much difference whether the Bills built a new stadium because the team would unlikely be able to generate much more revenue in an economically troubled region such as western New York.

 

Wilson's concerns have been noted by the league, which is still determining how the newly expanded portion of revenue sharing will work.

 

"That has not been fleshed out yet," Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian told The Associated Press while visiting Buffalo this week. "The future is uncharted at this point, but having said that, we've always found a way to make it work and hopefully we will in the future."

 

Polian is a former Bills executive and member of the NFL's competition committee.

 

Bills cornerback Troy Vincent, president of the NFL Players Association, shares Wilson's concerns, but noted it's up to the owners to make revenue-sharing work.

 

"There has to be something in place," Vincent said. "But what we may think is enough or not enough, likewise the men and women running those organizations may say it's enough or not enough. ... Where's that happy balance?"

 

Any question of the Bills future sparks significant concerns in Buffalo and western New York, a rust-belt region with a fragile economy. Losing the Bills would be a major blow to the region's economy and psyche.

 

"The Bills are a very integral part of this community's fabric, socially, emotionally and economically," Giambra said.

 

Giambra added he was rooting for Roger Goodell, the NFL's chief operating officer and a western New York native, to succeed commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

 

"He is a person who understands football and he understands the importance of football to small markets like Buffalo and western New York," Giambra said.

 

In 1999, the Buffalo Niagara Partnership estimated the team's annual net economic impact to the region at $33 million.

[Portis26 0]

Thats why there are able to buy the team.... Its only about the money! I don't know how Wilson got his money to buy the team in the 60's - why doesn' the sell it then?

 

Synder turned the Skins into a revenue generating machine once he bought the team - u may not like him - but the Skins are now the highest revenue generating team in the league -

[Bill E. 666]

Thats why there are able to buy the team.... Its only about the money! I don't know how Wilson got his money to buy the team in the 60's - why doesn' the sell it then?

 

Synder turned the Skins into a revenue generating machine once he bought the team - u may not like him - but the Skins are now the highest revenue generating team in the league -

I think the team cost $12 back in the 60's. He has as a right to voice his opinion without being asked to sell the team, but since the vote was 30-2 Wilson does not have a leg to stand on. It would be interesting to see how many "smaller markets" there are or how many poorer owners voted for the deal.

 

When Snyder entered the league I thought he was a whiney ######. If I were a Skins fan I would probably love the guy. He has put his heart and soul (oh.. and wallet) into turning them around.

[DaveJ 0]

An owner crying poor is almost as bad as a player claiming he can't feed his family on his salary.....

 

If he was interested in increasing his revenue, he wouldn't have put a rook behind center last year and lost all those games.

 

I have no sympathy... none....

[LunaTick 29]

The strenght of the NFL versus either the MLB, NHL, NBA is that the league offers each of its cities more than just the opportunity to host a game featuring the yankees.

But the reality that any team has the ability to improve and get to the SB. At the least be competitive. Which is more than can be said of the NBA (with the smaller rosters, ironically, has to poorest quality of overall play of any league today).

 

Question has been, with the issue of Media markets in any league. Is what value is there in having a team in such locations like Los Angeles. Clearly there is short term money to be had in a team launching in LA. Huge numbers in jersey's etc. Box seats can be sold for an obscene amount, and if the product is competitive. For a long time.

But the strength of an NFL franchise though is long term commitment of its fans to the organization. Why, in a sense, that Green Bay value is greater than that of say Seatle or Arizona in many respects.

 

It is always better for the host city for the team based there be locally owned.

So the question in Buffalo will the teams next owner be local.

 

While Vikings have long been the rumored mark for moving to LA.

They are not the only franchise in this position. The ESPN's will through out the Colts. Saints, post Katrina, is in an uncertainty about its near term viability. Rome wasn't built in a day, and New Orleans is going to take a few years to recover.

Chiefs don't have a stadium deal just yet, but does have a local owner.

Bills now, have a concern with market viability. Which has to be vocallized due to concerns of ownership transition.

 

Which gets me to bring up Al Davis in Oakland.

What is to be expected post Davis in Oakland?

[lechuza 0]

The thing is that Wilson isn't crying poor. He is trying to warn the city and the other smaller NFL teams about the trouble that will be coming ahead. The NFL is only about the $, and historic franchises like the Bills and others are in danger because the big market teams own paul tagliabue

[Portis26 0]

If the Bills build a dome Stadium - they can host the SB

 

Ralph Wilson should sell the naming rights to the stadium --- that will help bring in revenue.

 

VERY EASY 1st STEP

[Grigs Allmoon 0]

If the Bills build a dome Stadium - they can host the SB

 

Ralph Wilson should sell the naming rights to the stadium --- that will help bring in revenue.

 

VERY EASY 1st STEP

 

Read lechuza's post just above yours...

[DaveJ 0]

The thing is that Wilson isn't crying poor. He is trying to warn the city and the other smaller NFL teams about the trouble that will be coming ahead. The NFL is only about the $, and historic franchises like the Bills and others are in danger because the big market teams own paul tagliabue

 

Historic?? You mean pathetic.... their claims to fame are these..

 

1. Coldest games in the NFL.

2. A murderer was formerly a star RB.

3. The best bridesmaids in NFL history.

 

That's not historic, thats just sad. What he is doing is preparing an out when he relocates or sells to the team and he can say it wasn't his fault. Bottom line is that if he wanted to put together a winner, he could, he just chooses not to pay for it. Green Bay did okay until they stopped spending... Buffalo never started...

[lechuza 0]

Historic?? You mean pathetic.... their claims to fame are these..

 

1. Coldest games in the NFL.

2. A murderer was formerly a star RB.

3. The best bridesmaids in NFL history.

 

That's not historic, thats just sad. What he is doing is preparing an out when he relocates or sells to the team and he can say it wasn't his fault. Bottom line is that if he wanted to put together a winner, he could, he just chooses not to pay for it. Green Bay did okay until they stopped spending... Buffalo never started...

 

so many false statements i don't know where to begin

 

bu to those who have been giving real opinions, something that most aren't aware is that Wilson is worried about what happens after him. He is 87 years old and only has so long to live. When he dies his daughters will have to sell the team. in the new CBA, any new owners DON'T get any revenue sharing. That's huge because why would any owner keep a team in a smaller maket without any revenue sharing?

[Bill E. 666]

Wilson is worried about what happens after him. He is 87 years old and only has so long to live. When he dies his daughters will have to sell the team. in the new CBA, any new owners DON'T get any revenue sharing. That's huge because why would any owner keep a team in a smaller maket without any revenue sharing?

I did not know that new owners were excluded from revenue sharing. Like you said, that IS huge and kills the value of his team if a new owner wants to keep the team in Buffalo. No wonder he is not happy with the new arrangement.

 

edit to ask. So a new owner in Buffalo gets no revenue sharing and moves to LA. He makes a mint and a half because he has a huge market to himself. Does he have to share his revenue with the poorer teams now?

[TimmySmith 2,782]

As sad as it is, perhaps such a depressed area of the country really cannot afford an NFL franchise anymore. The Bills still make money, but the new owners are trying to take the NFL to new heights, they probably feel that the small markets are really holding the NFL down.

[Eriadoc 4]

edit to ask. So a new owner in Buffalo gets no revenue sharing and moves to LA. He makes a mint and a half because he has a huge market to himself. Does he have to share his revenue with the poorer teams now?

 

Yes, I believe that's the way it's currently structured.

[lechuza 0]

As sad as it is, perhaps such a depressed area of the country really cannot afford an NFL franchise anymore. The Bills still make money, but the new owners are trying to take the NFL to new heights, they probably feel that the small markets are really holding the NFL down.

 

I agree, i think the NFL is trying to make it so its only big market teams only. I mean theyre even trying to get Toronto and Mexico city involved. I still don't understand why more smaller market teams aren't standing up for themselves instead of being the puppets of the top market teams.

 

I guess the NFL didn't learn the first time from the NFL in LA. But i guess they would rather have a team in a big city where the team means nothing, rather than having it in a small city where the team means everything.

[DaveJ 0]

so many false statements i don't know where to begin

 

bu to those who have been giving real opinions, something that most aren't aware is that Wilson is worried about what happens after him. He is 87 years old and only has so long to live. When he dies his daughters will have to sell the team. in the new CBA, any new owners DON'T get any revenue sharing. That's huge because why would any owner keep a team in a smaller maket without any revenue sharing?

 

Please.. what else has buffalo offered to the NFL other than a stomping ground since its inception? All those I included are true... you may have other accomplishments you deem worthy of listing, but those are accurate.

 

The NFL isn't a social program for the disadvantaged.. if a team can't make money, won't spend to succeed, then they have no right to continue to exist. The owner and the area needs to step up if they want to continue to have a team.

[BrownsWon 0]

Yes, I believe that's the way it's currently structured.

 

I live in Western NY and from what I have heard on the radio, there is no verification that the collective bargaining is structured this way. The only person stating this is Ralph Wilson so it may or may not be true. There is talk in the area that Ralph Wilson has "lost it." That being said, most folks agree that the NFL would rather have a team in LA rather than Buffalo.

 

As depressed as the economy in Western NY is, Buffalo is still an hour from Rochester, home to several major corporations, and two hours from Toronto. The founder of PayChex, who already stepped in to keep the Sabres in Buffalo, has offered to help keep the Bills in the area. I personally do not believe Wilson has the business savvy to generate additional revenue in this market. I moved to western NY from Cleveland and other than the outrageous taxes New Yorkers pay, I do not think the economy is any more depressed that Northeastern Ohio. What the Bills need to stay in the area is a new owner with fresh ideas, a stadium located closer to Rochester, and perhaps playing a couple of games a year in Toronto like Green Bay used to do in Milwaukee.