The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

Bills owner Ralph Wilson died today.

The team can't move because they just signed a new 10 year lease with the city a year or so ago. But there are loopholes there so its not totally cut and dry. Bon Jovi wants to buy the team so he might jump in now and buy it. I expect every billionaire who wants an NFL team to be working the phones this afternoon

opps wrong area of the message board. Could a MOD move it to the "AROUND THE NFL" section of the site. Thanks

My prayers go out to his family. But more uncertainty surrounds the team than his family

One of the best NFL owners out there.  RIP.  Buffalo taking some hits with Jim Kelly facing aggressive oral cancer.

His wife has control of the team and has them for sale. And big changes are coming. Vic Carucci this morning on SIRIUS NFL Radio said the following of the situation

-Team could be sold by October
-Terry Pegula and Tom Golisano have been "rumored" as potential buyers but neither seem eager at this point to spend over $1 billion for a team with a poor stadium situation
-Team won't stay in Orchard Park beyond this current lease (2020 or 2022..can't remember), they are moving somewhere
-New owner will either move to a new city or get a new stadium built in Downtown Buffalo, Niagara Falls (American side), or Bativia, NY
-Three separate plans/blueprints for a NEW stadium in Downtown Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Bativia are complete. Just a matter of getting the money and which spot a potentially new owner would want if they want to stay in the region

^^^ All just speculation.  I could probably come up with 20 other items just as reasonable.  I would say its highly unlikely that the team would be sold within a year, just too much work to be done to effect a sale.  I would say the only fact is that the Bills are not leaving their current stadium within the next 6 seasons, it would not be feasible given their current lease.

not really. It's coming from an NFL reporter with sources and actually facts. He said 3 separate blueprint plans for new stadiums in Downtown Buffalo, Batavia, and Niagara Falls are complete and have been for a while as Ralph Wilson started the ball rolling on that a few years before his death. That's more than just speculation, that's a fact!  He said this sale could go down in the same time frame as the Browns sale which took place in under a year, so it is not unheard of for a team to be sold in under a year. And October is the NFL Owners meetings where they could approve a new owner and that is the time-frame Ralph's wife has put on this sale...again that's  a fact as that is her intention 

http://nypost.com/2014/05/21/why-buffalo-is-trying-to-ban-bon-jovi-music/

This is funny some people in Buffalo started an online petition to BAN Bon Jovi music in local bars and clubs. Because they know Bon Jovi wants to buy the Bills and move them to Toronto. So far 42 Buffalo establishments have banned his music.

I've heard that Donald Trump wants to do the same thing

Trump won't move them out of NY, but he won't buy them anyway. Trump is flirting with the running for Governor of NY and he has 0% of the support of the Upstate and Western NY people (ie Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, Utica..etc) and only said that to come off looking like a good guy and a hero to those people. He has no intention of buying them nor will the NFL sell to him. Just to get his name out there in the media is the only reason he was talking about it

You don't know for sure.  He owned a USFL team at one point.

And he bankrupted the USFL and he led a charge that took the NFL to court and beat the NFL in court. The NFL league office has never forgot and hates his guts there is a ton of bad blood there. They would never approve him as an owner.

I'll stop short of any absolutes, only because I'm still waiting on Ancestry.com to 100% confirm that I am a direct descendent of the original Oracle of Delphi... But the fact that Trump has seriously pissed off the NFL in the past is pretty obvious, and since new owners have to be voted in, I think it is epically improbable that they approve him for ownership any time soon.

I could see Bon Jovi becoming a part owner of the team, but the Bills are not leaving Western New York.

Donald Trump pissed off the NFL in the 80's. How many people are still around do you figure? Who holds grudges on things that predate them? I don't see Trump buying the team either but suggesting it is because of that isn't accurate I don't think.

Oh, a lot of grudges are held there. Trump can't be trusted that's the issue. Even if you saw the ESPN 30for30 a couple years back on the USFL he was still poking at the NFL and didn't think he did anything wrong. There is no chance in hell the NFL owners would approve him as an owner. Goodell doesn't want on his watch to let in Trump something the last 2 people who had his job had to deal with (Rozelle and Tagliabue.) Tagliabue was a lawyer on the case itself and he and Goodell are very close, no way Goodell lets that happen. He doesn't want that as part of his legacy to let this guy who made the leagues life hell for years just walk in the league and own a team.

The Middle East.  ;D

Rumors are coming out everywhere that he is putting together a bid to buy the team but wants to keep them in Buffalo

The owner of the Boston Bruins Jeremy Jacobs is going to put the Bruins in his son's name and hand that over to him and then buy the Bills. He was born in Buffalo NY has businesses in Western, NY and is loved by the people in that area. He will probably be the next Bills owner. The Trump and Bon Jovi stuff make sexy headlines for newspaper but is unrealistic in every way.

Little tidbit on the Sale of the Bills front...

One of the leading candidates to buy them Tom Golisaino who is believed to be one of the 2 or 3 serious bidders to buy the franchise said if he buys them he will build a new stadium and it will be a Dome or retractable roof. So that would be good for the Fins if they in the near future when travel to Buffalo never have to worry about playing in the cold and snow ever again. He even said even if he doesn't end up buying them he thinks any new owner will build a dome or retractable roof, just makes too much sense in Buffalo.

The question is, will he renovate Ralph Wilson Stadium or tear it down and build a whole new facility?

They are renovating Ralph Wilson now which is a waste of money since the NFL won't approve any sale without a new stadium condition as part of the deal. New stadium might be in Niagara Falls or a piece of land not far from Ralph Wilson now.

It's not that big of a renovation, "only" about $150 million.  They are adding a large bar and new store to sell merchandise.  New video scoreboards.  Some larger entrances and concourse work.  Their current lease deal has them locked in to The Ralph for another six years, so the improvements are really minimal considering the age of the stadium.  Whoever the new owner is, financially the best route would be to keep the new stadium in Erie County.  I could see them building the stadium alongside the old one, just like they did in Foxboro.

Well the Bills' sale is moving along, the lawyers for Wilson's Estate sent out a 7 page non-disclosure agreement to potential bidders.  Who received the material was not officially disclosed, but the following acknowledged they received it: Buffalo Sabers owner Terry Pegula, Donald Trump, and Tom Golisano.  Also, rumored to have received it were Toronto Businessmen Larry Tanenbaum (Maple Leaf Sports) and Edward Rogers (Rogers Communications).  Once the signed disclosure agreements are returned, then the prospective bidders would have full access to the Bills' financial records to prepare their bids.  The bids are to be submitted to Morgan Stanley, which will vet the bidders background and their finances before making recommendations to the NFL.

^^Pegula and Golisano are the favorites. I would bet on Pegula to get it if he wants it. He has the biggest bank account

Agreed 100%.  Pegula has the cash and he has said publicly that the Bills should stay in Western NY.

Well the first non-binding bid by the Toronto/Bon Jovi group was rejected by Morgan Stanley.  Money was low, financials were weak, and they did not have a clear plan laid out to keep the Bills in Buffalo.  It is now obvious that the Wilson Estate wants to insure that the Bills will stay in the Buffalo area.  Selling price is a minimum of $1 Billion.

If Pegula doesn't get the team I would be shocked

No need to be shocked.  The Wilson Estate has agreed to terms with The Pegula's.