bills game(s) in toronto

[primetime3]

i realize what i am about to say might make some people mad, but before you get all pissed off and start trashing me, just think about it and maybe it will change some minds. first off, i am not one of those guys that says the bills don't have a future in buffalo. the city has supported the bills for 40+ years now. maybe ralphy boy should sell the team to someone willing to invest more money into them, but there is no way in you know where that they would lose money. NO NFL OWNER(S) IS LOSING MONEY!!! the nfl as a whole makes BILLIONS every year, and that number is growing. when the product gets better they will make even more money, and it is a testament to all bills fans for being so loyal for the past 10 years or so. anyway, now to my point... i think that the season ticket holders and bills fans of buffalo in general should not go to the game or games in toronto. this is not some sort of protest, i just think that if this expirement is going to work then they need to get the most people possible in that stadium that are casual bills fans or just fans not of a particular nfl team. i am in an economics class right now, and in the middle of the test i started to think about this. the opportunity cost for all of us is one real bills game. thats it. its not even that you cant watch the game, you just cant be there. if what many canadians on here say is true, they are going to sell out, and when they do, i hope to God that the team can pull as many fans as possible to the team that weren't there before. in this case, the opportunity benefit is much greater than the opportunity cost. this game(s) away will also help those of you who keep whining about how you can't afford season tickets. now, you can knock off the cost of one or two games. at the worst, the game won't go as well as planned for the organization, and they won't go there to play next year, and that would pretty much eliminate them from ever getting an nfl team (hellooooo los angeles threads). so what i am saying is, stop your petitions, sit back whenever that game is, and enjoy the fact that either your team is gaining a $hit load of more fans or the bills are eliminating a potential destination for themselves should a new owner wish to move them there.

[chrstph48]

I think Ralph was smart to have this game in Toronto..The way I look at it is that every team is gonna eventually have to play a game across sea's.Well instead of the Bills traveling 4000 miles anywhere they just have to cross a bridge to get to their game in which it favors us with the crowd factor and it's still a home game..It's a win,win situation....

[Renegade23]

I understand what you're trying to show us. It makes sense somewhat to me. However, what happens if the experiment fails AND the Bills don't have homefield advantage in Toronto?

Anyways, I do understand what you're saying about the opportunity cost and benefit of the scenario. But being a Bills fan, one has to wonder what happens if the experiment succeeds across the board and the new owner of the Bills (whoever that may be), decides to move them to Toronto for good? What happens to existing season ticket holders? IF the organization is willing to reserve a certain number of tickets for ST holders, it would at least show the commitment to us that they will not leave us out in the dust.

Aside from completely abandoning the people of WNY, in general the pre-game and in-game experience for the fans will not match up to that of the Ralph's. No tail-gating, and about 25,000 less seats. It'll be like watching the game from the press-box. Much of being at the Ralph is about tailgating with a bunch of blue-collar people who all love the Bills more than anything else. I'm afraid that experience will be severly hindered at the Rogers Centre or whatever it's called.

[primetime3]

Aside from completely abandoning the people of WNY, in general the pre-game and in-game experience for the fans will not match up to that of the Ralph's. No tail-gating, and about 25,000 less seats. It'll be like watching the game from the press-box. Much of being at the Ralph is about tailgating with a bunch of blue-collar people who all love the Bills more than anything else. I'm afraid that experience will be severly hindered at the Rogers Centre or whatever it's called.

i agree that the game in toronto wont be anywhere near the level it is in buffalo, and that is why what i would consider a success there still won't be enough to move the team to toronto. if they get rid of their no tailgating law and the cfl collapses i could see it, but there is not very many other places in the nfl with an atmosphere like the bills have and thats why they will stay.

[nopabillsbacker]

i agree that the game in toronto wont be anywhere near the level it is in buffalo, and that is why what i would consider a success there still won't be enough to move the team to toronto. if they get rid of their no tailgating law and the cfl collapses i could see it, but there is not very many other places in the nfl with an atmosphere like the bills have and thats why they will stay.

god i hope your right cuz there is no experience like a sunday at the Ralph.... espec for the night games.... the Pats game this year ... i had so much fun tailgating...game itself sucked but that made up for it...

[The Loner]

I understand what you're trying to show us. It makes sense somewhat to me. However, what happens if the experiment fails AND the Bills don't have homefield advantage in Toronto?

I've said before, Toronto is not neccesarily a Bills town. There are as many Steeler, Browns, Giants, Cowboys etc. fans in Toronto as Bills fans.

The geographic location of Toronto to Buffalo does not mean they are Bills fans.

If the tickets for the Toronto game are not made available 1st and foremost to current Bills seasons ticket holders, I would not consider this a home game for the Bills.

[chrstph48]

I understand what you're trying to show us. It makes sense somewhat to me. However, what happens if the experiment fails AND the Bills don't have homefield advantage in Toronto?

Anyways, I do understand what you're saying about the opportunity cost and benefit of the scenario. But being a Bills fan, one has to wonder what happens if the experiment succeeds across the board and the new owner of the Bills (whoever that may be), decides to move them to Toronto for good? What happens to existing season ticket holders? IF the organization is willing to reserve a certain number of tickets for ST holders, it would at least show the commitment to us that they will not leave us out in the dust.

Aside from completely abandoning the people of WNY, in general the pre-game and in-game experience for the fans will not match up to that of the Ralph's. No tail-gating, and about 25,000 less seats. It'll be like watching the game from the press-box. Much of being at the Ralph is about tailgating with a bunch of blue-collar people who all love the Bills more than anything else. I'm afraid that experience will be severly hindered at the Rogers Centre or whatever it's called.

Look at the Chargers and Saints,they will probably be going to Wembley stadium in the 08 season.What I'm trying to say is it is easier to go to toronto..I know it sucks but hey its better playing without jetlag..

[Rockpile]

I understand what you're trying to show us. It makes sense somewhat to me. However, what happens if the experiment fails AND the Bills don't have homefield advantage in Toronto?

Anyways, I do understand what you're saying about the opportunity cost and benefit of the scenario. But being a Bills fan, one has to wonder what happens if the experiment succeeds across the board and the new owner of the Bills (whoever that may be), decides to move them to Toronto for good? What happens to existing season ticket holders? IF the organization is willing to reserve a certain number of tickets for ST holders, it would at least show the commitment to us that they will not leave us out in the dust.

Aside from completely abandoning the people of WNY, in general the pre-game and in-game experience for the fans will not match up to that of the Ralph's. No tail-gating, and about 25,000 less seats. It'll be like watching the game from the press-box. Much of being at the Ralph is about tailgating with a bunch of blue-collar people who all love the Bills more than anything else. I'm afraid that experience will be severly hindered at the Rogers Centre or whatever it's called.


I've just had season tickets for 3 years but if the Toronto game is late in the season I'll be OK with that. I certainly wouldn't drive to Toronto. I think the ticket prices will be pretty high in Toronto to cover the lower attendance.

[BehindEnemyLines]

Look at the Chargers and Saints,they will probably be going to Wembley stadium in the 08 season.What I'm trying to say is it is easier to go to toronto..I know it sucks but hey its better playing without jetlag..

You will still have the home field advantage. On a side note, I think it would suck if the Bills moved. It would be like tearing the Browns away from Cleveland. I love to hate the Bills.

[MarshawnLynch#23]

While I dont like the Toronto game I knew this would happen but it took awhile I remember the Bills playing the Cowboys in a preseason game in 1995 in the skydome in Toronto

[BillsFanOntario]

I honestly don't believe NFL owners make that much money. They bring in a lot of revenue, but right off the bat they have to give about 60% of it to the players, and have to pay for players expenses in terms of stadium/transportation etc.

They have assets that are valued in the Billions of dollars, but with that much equity tied up, they aren't very good business choices in terms of making money. The people that usually make money off these things are the ones that own media in the area so they can get the rights for cheap and sell high revenue. Those are the ones that appear to lose money, but make the media companies more.