No Shock: Bills in Toronto likely done?

[Argo]

Not sure it is recognized enough - what the Argos have been up against for so long: either anti-CFLers or those who ignore or show lack of respect for the CFL - in the media (McCown, Simmons, maybe Brunt (though he obviously has his supporters here) types and all the other snickering little wannabes there), Rogers and all the NFL for TO pushers, the "major league" / "world class" set in joe average sports fandom out there who look down their noses or mock the CFL/Argos. Now we're good with some corporate scum-bags to the rescue as Argo owner/saviours ?

Tough road, but ... shove it sideways to all those clowns and wannabes ... the Arrrrrgoooos = since 1873 - best football team out there and accept no substitutes !!!

The fact that these media drones / shills have jobs is the interesting phenomenon, i.e., our society should take a look in its cultural and intellectual mirror.

"The dogs bark, the caravan passes".

It's the Argos' responsibility to advance the team's agenda and be heard above the noise, even in unsympathetic or downright hostile territory.

(The recent cheerleaders' video was a good example of using an alternative marketing channel.)

[rdavies]

(The recent cheerleaders' video was a good example of using an alternative marketing channel.)

And that's one of the things to do in a hostile media marketplace. What we call media now is not what passed for media when I was in the biz 20 years ago. Actual news reporting is dying, there isn't enough actual news to cover the black on a 24 hour news channel, that's where the scourge of infotainment and the cult of celebrity has come in.

It's war for the Argos, and they have to stop being Chamberlains and start being Churchills. Screw the "mainstream media" and create your own "channels" because these guys ain't gonna help ya.

[rdavies]

AP source: Bills could identify owner within three months

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - The Buffalo Bills could identify a new owner within three months, leading Gov. Andrew Cuomo's stepping up the state's efforts to secure the franchise's long-term future in the region.

A person familiar with the sale process told The Associated Press on Saturday there is an anticipation that the Bills' could be sold by July, and the sale approved by NFL owners as early as the league's meetings in October. The same person and another person also told the AP that at least one prospective ownership group has already toured potential new stadium locations in Buffalo.

Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the sale process has not been made public.

The person would not identify which ownership group toured the city, what sites were viewed or who provided the tour.

The Bills' future in Buffalo is uncertain after team owner and founder Ralph Wilson died in March. Wilson's estate is in the process of hiring an investment banking firm that would oversee the sale of the team, which is expected to go to the highest bidder.

The updated timetable has led Cuomo to speed up the state's involvement in protecting its interests in preventing the Bills from relocating. The state intends to hire a consulting firm over the next week to produce a report within three months that would be issued to prospective owners. The report would identify potential stadium sites and outline public financing options that would be made available.

That firm would work with sports business attorney Irwin Raij, whose contract was extended last month, to represent the state during the sale process.

Raij specializes in stadium development projects and lease agreements. In 2012, he represented New York in negotiating the Bills' 10-year lease that included a strict non-relocation clause that makes it difficult for the team to move before the 2020 season.

The firm would produce its report ahead of the ''New Stadium Working Group,'' a committee made up of public and private leaders, including Bills executives. The group has already met twice over the past month and is responsible for making recommendations whether a new stadium or renovations to the team's current home best fit the franchise's needs to remain viable in Buffalo once the lease expires in 2023.

The working group is expected to take six months or longer before making its recommendations, well after the team could be sold.

Cuomo is intent on making sure a framework of a plan is in place much sooner, Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy told the AP during a visit through the region Friday.

''The governor wants to be prepared if there are any earlier offers to buy the team,'' Duffy said. ''Our team is looking at sites now in Erie County, Buffalo, Niagara County. We're just being prepared because we don't know who the next owner will be. We're not sure what the goals and the objectives of the next ownership team will be.''

[argotom]

I have been saying for quite some time, it is the political will in New York state and to include in Washington that will not allow the Bills to leave anywhere, much less to Toronto.

[DanoT]

I have been saying for quite some time, it is the political will in New York state and to include in Washington that will not allow the Bills to leave anywhere, much less to Toronto.

AND since the Bills in Toronto Series has firmly established Southern Ontario as part of the Buffalo Bills fan base/operating tertitory, as long as there is a NFL team in Buffalo then that team will have a major say (franchise veto vote) before any NFL team can set up shop in Toronto.

Thank you Ralph Wilson for outsmarting Ted Rogers and thus playing a major role before passing away of keeping the NFL in Buffalo and not Toronto in the future. Mr. Wilson was helped in part by appathetic football fans in Toronto who proved that interest in the NFL in TO is a mile wide but only an inch deep.

At this point only a very wealthy guy with more money than brains would invest billions to get a NFL team in TO. The concern is that there are a few of those wealthy, foolish, big ego guys around, but the Bills have at least made it more difficult for TO rich guys to get their way.

[zontar]

NFL to TOR idea has been around how long and they're just now getting around to tour potential sites ? Right.

[Downtownfan]

I think we need to prepare ourselves for the bitterness that the NFL in Toronto/anti-Argos crowd is going to be undoubtedly exhibiting in the next little while. As things develop, there will likely be an announcement by May 15 that the Argos will be moving into BMO; then, likely an announcement by July of a new owner for the Bills who will keep the team in Buffalo (and with TO as Bills territory, little chance for NFL expansion here); then, a good season attendance wise for the Argos (owing to a much better schedule), followed by the move to move to an expanded BMO which will be real shot in the arm for the franchise; then, eventually, MLSE buying the Argos and securing their future, and likely announcing dates for the a future Grey Cup at BMO.

The anti-Argos crowd will have gone from a "Bills are coming to Toronto! Its inevitable!" to facing the reality that MLSE owns the Argos, they are successful at BMO, and the NFL won't be coming to Toronto for years to come. There will be a lot of hatred and hateful comments spewed the Argos way by the dead-enders.

[DanoT]

I think we need to prepare ourselves for the bitterness that the NFL in Toronto/anti-Argos crowd is going to be undoubtedly exhibiting in the next little while. As things develop, there will likely be an announcement by May 15 that the Argos will be moving into BMO; then, likely an announcement by July of a new owner for the Bills who will keep the team in Buffalo (and with TO as Bills territory, little chance for NFL expansion here); then, a good season attendance wise for the Argos (owing to a much better schedule), followed by the move to move to an expanded BMO which will be real shot in the arm for the franchise; then, eventually, MLSE buying the Argos and securing their future, and likely announcing dates for the a future Grey Cup at BMO.

The anti-Argos crowd will have gone from a "Bills are coming to Toronto! Its inevitable!" to facing the reality that MLSE owns the Argos, they are successful at BMO, and the NFL won't be coming to Toronto for years to come. There will be a lot of hatred and hateful comments spewed the Argos way by the dead-enders.

I wouldn't worry about a few disgruntled NFL fans because they proved that there really are too few NFL fans in TO. The Bills in Toronto Series was a market research test and Toronto's NFL fans failed miserably.

[zontar]

Difficult to imagine NFL pulling the rug out from underneath the efforts of NY govt with a heavyweight like Cuomo and Schumer and aproving sale to Rogers etc. so soon.

If a CDN group doesnt win the apologies will be along the lines of "the fix was in", "anti-CDA bias", "NFL's arm was twisted by gov't" "we had the best bid but process was biased". Book it.

[jerrym]

At this point only a very wealthy guy with more money than brains would invest billions to get a NFL team in TO. The concern is that there are a few of those wealthy, foolish, big ego guys around, but the Bills have at least made it more difficult for TO rich guys to get their way.

Fortunately, we have already seen a wealthy guy (or more accurately corporation) with more money than brains lose a major investment in trying to do this. It would take even less brains to try it again, but this doesn't mean it won't happen.

[D-Gap-Willie]

I think we need to prepare ourselves for the bitterness that the NFL in Toronto/anti-Argos crowd is going to be undoubtedly exhibiting in the next little while. As things develop, there will likely be an announcement by May 15 that the Argos will be moving into BMO; then, likely an announcement by July of a new owner for the Bills who will keep the team in Buffalo (and with TO as Bills territory, little chance for NFL expansion here); then, a good season attendance wise for the Argos (owing to a much better schedule), followed by the move to move to an expanded BMO which will be real shot in the arm for the franchise; then, eventually, MLSE buying the Argos and securing their future, and likely announcing dates for the a future Grey Cup at BMO.

The anti-Argos crowd will have gone from a "Bills are coming to Toronto! Its inevitable!" to facing the reality that MLSE owns the Argos, they are successful at BMO, and the NFL won't be coming to Toronto for years to come. There will be a lot of hatred and hateful comments spewed the Argos way by the dead-enders.

Of course, the only way to overcome the animosity of the spurned NFL wannabees is to convince them of the truth. However that truth is far too unpalatable; the truth is that the NFL does not want to be in Toronto, and has never wanted to be in Toronto. The NFL has never in any way encouraged the thought of a team in Toronto. They have also not discouraged the thought, since to do so would be a public relations nightmare.
But think about it. Would you want a team where.
1) Television revenues would actually be reduced by adding that team, unless no games are broadcast from TO and no games are broadcast where TO is a participant. Americans do not want to watch a team from Canada, as affirmed by Blue Jays stats.
2) Gate revenues where a Toronto team plays in a US city would be weakened, similar to television revenues.
3) There would be no incremental gain from merchandise sales in the USA.
4) The Toronto team would be operating in CDN dollars which are at the mercy of broad market fluctuations.
5) Any team playing in Toronto needs to clear customs (twice) with all its gear. This is nowhere near as simple as clearing a few bags of bats, gloves and balls as for a Blue Jays visitor.
6) The NFL would no longer be operating under the umbrella of Washington, with its fragile anti- trust protection.
I could go on -- the point is that there is absolutely no upside for the NFL to expand to Toronto or to allow a team to move to Toronto. The wannabees should realize that they are unwanted.

[AngeloV]

the truth is that the NFL does not want to be in Toronto, and has never wanted to be in Toronto.

I have been saying this for a long time. Toronto didn't just become a big market recently. If the NFL wanted to be here, they would have been here long ago.

[mac_davy]

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/05/07...stern-new-york

Do you think this will sink into the TO media, how much clearer can this be.

[DanoT]

EXTRA BONUS: NFL comish Godell is from Western N.Y. So the Bills won't be leaving during his watch.

[LLB997]

EXTRA BONUS: NFL comish Godell is from Western N.Y. So the Bills won't be leaving during his watch.

yes, and the bills situation will be all bundled up nicely under Godells watch. Good legacy to end his tenure.

[Argo]

http://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/bon-jov...ills-1.1920642

[Qman]

http://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/bon-jov...ills-1.1920642

Even the biggest NFL cheerleaders in the city believe this it will not happen:
- NFL doesn't favour group bids, they want one rich guy - Strike one
- A bunch of these super rich guys are from New York state and want to keep it in western NY - Strike Two
- state has indicated it will bend over and lube up for anyone who will keep the team in new york state, no public money in TO - Strike Three

[VANRIDERFAN]

I just cannot imagine your Premier or whomever the mayor will be trying to sell the idea to the good people of Toronto and Ontario that they need to pony up money to build a shrine to one of the richest leagues on the planet. I cannot see that happening at all.

[1argoholic]

I"M F'ING FED UP AND SICK OF THE 25 PLUS YEARS OF NFL IN TO BULLSHITE! I could care less and just another swift kick in the bag to Argo fans when we're at such a low point in the teams history. Oh and Braley you SUCK you greedy piece of crap.

[argotom]

When a story is not a story.
Two New York state billionaires as well as the NFL commish and politicians in general will not let this happen.
Let's blow up this thread.