No Shock: Bills in Toronto likely done?

[Tau Ceti]

"Combine this with his equally uncritical repetition that the game would be freebies free" -- so what would you have had him do? Call Albrecht a liar? Manufacture evidence of papering before he had it?

I would have had him express the deep skepticism any attendance claims by Rogers (for this series, at least) warrant. You don't have to directly accuse someone of lying to indicate to your reader that you're not accepting his claims at face value. I emphasize the lowered capacity issue because I think it shows that the skeptic cap had fallen off his head.

But anyway, we've beaten this subject to death. I'll certainly take your word for it that he's a fine journalist otherwise.

[ArgoRavi]

I would have had him express the deep skepticism any attendance claims by Rogers (for this series, at least) warrant. You don't have to directly accuse someone of lying to indicate to your reader that you're not accepting his claims at face value. I emphasize the lowered capacity issue because I think it shows that the skeptic cap had fallen off his head.

Each and every year of this series, the person in charge for Rogers - Adrian Montgomery at first and Albrecht the last couple of years - has claimed no more freebies and every year that has been shown to be a lie. That is something that Kryk perhaps could have mentioned as well but, anyway, what is done is done.

[rdavies]

Didn't know where else to post this

Cuomo names first members to group tasked with exploring new Bills stadium
Gene Warner Buffalo News February 11, 2014

When the Buffalo Bills signed a new 10-year lease in December 2012 to stay in Orchard Park in exchange for $130 million in stadium renovations, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo promised to consider the idea of building a new stadium.

Monday, the governor made good on the first step in that promise.

In a letter to Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and Bills President and CEO Russ Brandon, the Cuomo administration announced it had appointed its first five members of the New Stadium Working Group “as part of the state’s unwavering commitment to keep the Buffalo Bills a thriving part of the Buffalo community.”

All three parties – New York State, Erie County and the Bills – can each appoint seven members to the board, which thus could have up to 21 members.

The governor appointed Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy, Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown, Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster, Buffalo Niagara Partnership CEO Dottie Gallagher-Cohen and Empire State Development President Kenneth Adams.

“The purpose of the group is to explore options for development and construction of a new stadium in Western New York to serve as a home for the Bills, a catalyst for economic growth and a premier sports and entertainment venue for the region,” stated the letter from Howard B. Glaser, director of state operations and senior policy adviser to the governor.

In the letter, dated Monday, Glaser also asked for a meeting “within the next two weeks” with the county’s and Bills’ representatives, to get the process started.

The news comes a little over a year after state, county and team negotiators struck a deal for a 10-year lease with a $400 million relocation penalty to keep the Bills in the area. The unusual agreement allowed for a one-time exception, after the seventh year, when the penalty would be lowered to $28.4 million, to give the team a single escape clause; team officials, though, stressed that they had no intention of leaving.

As part of the agreement, the state and county agreed to spend $54 million and $41 million, respectively, on renovations to the aging Ralph Wilson Stadium, along with $35 million from the team. Those renovations included new video display boards, a new west end plaza, a new team store, improved gate entrance and concession areas and other technological enhancements.

At the time, Cuomo said the three parties would explore the possibility of building a new stadium in the next 10 years, “if that is financially feasible and intelligent from a development point of view.”

A senior official with the Cuomo administration, who insisted on anonymity, explained the rationale for exploring a new stadium.

“We’re very pleased with the progress on the renovations at the stadium. It’ll be a better fan experience,” the official said. “But we need to ensure the Bills will be in Western New York for the long term, and it’s hard to see how that can happen without having a world-class facility for the Bills as well as other entertainment ideas.”

State officials want to “get going right away” with the first meeting and discussions.

“The administration official said that “all options are on the table,” noting the appointment of Brown and Dyster to the panel. He confirmed that those options include considering downtown Buffalo and the outer harbor, as well as suburban Erie County or Niagara Falls, for possible stadium locations.

The state has “no preset ideas,” he added, but it has to be a coordinated effort that spurs additional development, rather than just a stadium used a few times a year.

“The general experience is that a stadium just plopped down somewhere without sustainable development around it isn’t the best development,” he said.

Based on other new National Football League stadiums, the price tag could reach $800 million to $1 billion.

By the time the lease expires in 2023, Ralph Wilson Stadium would be 50 years old. That’s ancient in NFL circles.

In 2011, team owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr. admitted that the stadium needed a lot of work, as he lobbied for extensive renovations.

“We want the state and the county to put some substantial money into fixing this stadium up,” he said at the time. “It’s crumbling right now. But we don’t want a Taj Mahal. We just want a nice, clean place to watch a football game.”

In the most recent lease negotiations, the Bills asked for stadium renovations costing between $200 million and $220 million. That figure later was reduced to $130 million.

Some observers have claimed that up to $500 million in renovations might be needed to ensure the stadium’s long-term viability in the NFL. The Bills couldn’t be reached to comment.

[Argocister]

I wonder if Rogers group feels used ... And the Bills got money for using them!

[Argo57]

I wonder if Rogers group feels used ... And the Bills got money for using them!

Rogers was so blind with greed heading into this thing, have to say looks good on them!!

[mac_davy]

http://business.financialpost.com/20..._lsa=7c44-b131

Overall rogers missed their forecast by 10%, cant say i don't enjoy watching them lose money. Personally i avoid all rogers products like the plague and will continue to do so, unfortunately next year if I'm forced to watch an NHL game on rogers, i will change the channel during all commercial breaks and flip to TSN or the radio for any post game comments.

[argotom]

Except for going to the Rogers crap dome, we should all boycott that company big time.

[jerrym]

Except for going to the Rogers crap dome, we should all boycott that company big time.

I already am.

[Neely2005]

http://business.financialpost.com/20..._lsa=7c44-b131

Overall rogers missed their forecast by 10%, cant say i don't enjoy watching them lose money. Personally i avoid all rogers products like the plague and will continue to do so, unfortunately next year if I'm forced to watch an NHL game on rogers, i will change the channel during all commercial breaks and flip to TSN or the radio for any post game comments.

So you want to see people lose their jobs?

Just an FYI but Rogers is named one of the top employers in Canada almost every year and they employee about 30,000 Canadians.

Except for going to the Rogers crap dome, we should all boycott that company big time.

Why? So more good paying Canadian jobs can disappear?

[Ron]

Except for going to the Rogers crap dome, we should all boycott that company big time.

If your stance had any balls ... you'd not go to the crap dome either.

[mac_davy]

So you want to see people lose their jobs?

Just an FYI but Rogers is named one of the top employers in Canada almost every year and they employee about 30,000 Canadians.



Why? So more good paying Canadian jobs can disappear?

The CFL entertains millions of people, its employees thousands, indirectly tens of thousands, and its championship game is a cultural institution. Rogers and their Media allies in Toronto have been on a deliberate campaign to see it removed or pushed to a corner, and for what, so Phil Lind and a hand full of media personalities who suffer with inferiority complexes can say they are part of the "biggest league in the world", this wasn't money driven, lets be real here, it would have been a decade or more before an NFL franchise in Toronto made its money back after all the costs are factored, it was all personal ego. Did they give a crap about the thousands, tens of thousands, and millions of people across this country that could have been deeply affected. So no i don't give a crap about rogers, their greedy monopolistic agenda, and any employee who happens to make a living off their crooked agenda. You know what I'm celebrating now, they lost, there a few bitter personalities who will continue to tell themselves MLSE is buying the Argos to lay the ground work for and NFL team, This is laughable, MSLE is buying them because they can see the profits and the CFL over then next decade will continue to grow get stronger with bigger ratings, bigger corporate sponsorship, with stability in Ontario on the horizon and expansion to Atlantic Canada and beyond the CFL with cement its self even more tightly in the fabric of Canada, this is why MLSE is buying them.

[Skinny G]

So you want to see people lose their jobs?

Just an FYI but Rogers is named one of the top employers in Canada almost every year and they employee about 30,000 Canadians.



Why? So more good paying Canadian jobs can disappear?

Not sure if you know how many jobs they have outsourced to other countries.... when Ted was alive... it wasn't as bad but knowing from an immediate family member that worked there... they had jobs in the US and got rid of them here... luckily he got out before they took it further and basically wiped out whole departments and sent them to other countries. You MAY want to take that into consideration too

[Neely2005]

Except for going to the Rogers crap dome, we should all boycott that company big time.

If your stance had any balls ... you'd not go to the crap dome either.

Good point. A boycott is pointless if you're not boycotting everything. And if MLSE buys the Argonauts then Rogers will become part owners of the Argonauts.

Also you'd better boycott all CBC programing as Rogers carries all of their transmission traffic. Same thing for the LCBO & the OLG.

The CFL entertains millions of people, its employees thousands, indirectly tens of thousands, and its championship game is a cultural institution. Rogers and their Media allies in Toronto have been on a deliberate campaign to see it removed or pushed to a corner, and for what, so Phil Lind and a hand full of media personalities who suffer with inferiority complexes can say they are part of the "biggest league in the world", this wasn't money driven, lets be real here, it would have been a decade or more before an NFL franchise in Toronto made its money back after all the costs are factored, it was all personal ego. Did they give a crap about the thousands, tens of thousands, and millions of people across this country that could have been deeply affected. So no i don't give a crap about rogers, their greedy monopolistic agenda, and any employee who happens to make a living off their crooked agenda. You know what I'm celebrating now, they lost, there a few bitter personalities who will continue to tell themselves MLSE is buying the Argos to lay the ground work for and NFL team, This is laughable, MSLE is buying them because they can see the profits and the CFL over then next decade will continue to grow get stronger with bigger ratings, bigger corporate sponsorship, with stability in Ontario on the horizon and expansion to Atlantic Canada and beyond the CFL with cement its self even more tightly in the fabric of Canada, this is why MLSE is buying them.

Uh you do know that Rogers owns MSLE right?

If Rogers really wanted to hurt the CFL they would have thrown the Argonauts out onto the street instead of renewing their lease at the Rogers Centre multiple times. Rogers also gave the Argonauts a very favourable (cheap) lease at the Rogers Centre.

The FAN590 regularly has interviews with CFL players and coaches & guess what they're owned by Rogers.

This whole Rogers anti CFL conspiracy theory is ridiculous and quite frankly it's disgusting that you're rooting for ordinary hard working Canadians to lose their jobs.

Another thing to consider is that the Canada Pension Plan holds a lot of Rogers stock so if Rogers does poorly so does your CPP retirement payouts.

Not sure if you know how many jobs they have outsourced to other countries.... when Ted was alive... it wasn't as bad but knowing from an immediate family member that worked there... they had jobs in the US and got rid of them here... luckily he got out before they took it further and basically wiped out whole departments and sent them to other countries. You MAY want to take that into consideration too

I know people who work at Rogers and they've done the opposite. They brought back all of their call centres to Canada years ago which is the opposite of Bell.

[argonaut11xx]

The unusual agreement allowed for a one-time exception, after the seventh year, when the penalty would be lowered to $28.4 million, to give the team a single escape clause;

For what its worth, on "The Team 1040" with Bro Jake, and David Pratt (who by the way takes every opportunity to slam anything Toronto) spoke about the "out clause" in the 7th year for a few hours. Pratt seemed to have some inside info that this buyout will be used by a Tim Leiweke lead bid to bring the NFL to Toronto by 2020.

The strange part is that Pratt talked about this issue for almost the entire morning show, as if its a done deal.

As an aside...sports radio out here on the left coast sucks bigtime, its barely on the college level...barely...a severe lack of on air talent.

[argotom]

If your stance had any balls ... you'd not go to the crap dome either.

I do practice what I preach, as I have been boycotting all Rogers products for years.
As for the crap dome, no chance as having been a season ticket holder for 20 years and don't forget, then it was the Skydome not owned by the crooks.

[doubleblue]

It's still the SkyDome in my books. Maybe it's not the best place for football except when it's too hot, too cold or too wet. That takes in about 75% of the games. lol

[Neely2005]

I do practice what I preach, as I have been boycotting all Rogers products for years.
As for the crap dome, no chance as having been a season ticket holder for 20 years and don't forget, then it was the Skydome not owned by the crooks.

So you don't watch anything on CBC or Sportsnet?

So you don't ever buy a lottery ticket or proline ticket?

So you don't ever buy anything at the LCBO?

So you don't ever buy anything at the Rogers Centre including Argonauts tickets?

It's still the SkyDome in my books. Maybe it's not the best place for football except when it's too hot, too cold or too wet. That takes in about 75% of the games. lol

Yeah I'm going to miss the Rogers Centre for those October and November games.

[mac_davy]

I don't wish for any good people to lose there jobs, but i do not support a greedy, aggressive company that seek to monopolize markets, ( the NHL rights is a perfect example of them attempting to monopolize ) i resent that business practice, because companies with that attitude do not try to provide the best products and services, they attempt to force you to use them because they have driven the competition out.

As for jobs, where and for who a person chooses to make there living isn't my concern, but i will not be hijacked into paying for or over paying for a product by a company that has done its fair share of wiping other peoples jobs out, just to line their pockets, regardless if some good people make a living off them. Like i said some good people made a living off of companies Rogers gleefully crushed.

I guarantee Rogers pulled its call centers because it made better business sense not for any compassionate reasons, if you think other wise your a deluded. I work in the entertainment business, and were closing our Animation outsourcing in India, not because the industry or management cares, but because the service we got was a nightmare and we had to redo most of the work becasue the quality just wasn't there

My CPP retirement, LOL what when i'm 67 now LOL, i'm well invested, I'm really not leaving my future in anyone else hands, especially rogers LOL.

[Ron]

I don't wish for any good people to lose there jobs, but i do not support a greedy, aggressive company that seek to monopolize markets, ( the NHL rights is a perfect example of them attempting to monopolize ) i resent that business practice, because companies with that attitude do not try to provide the best products and services, they attempt to force you to use them because they have driven the competition out.

As for jobs, where and for who a person chooses to make there living isn't my concern, but i will not be hijacked into paying for or over paying for a product by a company that has done its fair share of wiping other peoples jobs out, just to line their pockets, regardless if some good people make a living off them. Like i said some good people made a living off of companies Rogers gleefully crushed.

I guarantee Rogers pulled its call centers because it made better business sense not for any compassionate reasons, if you think other wise your a deluded. I work in the entertainment business, and were closing our Animation outsourcing in India, not because the industry or management cares, but because the service we got was a nightmare and we had to redo most of the work becasue the quality just wasn't there

My CPP retirement, LOL what when i'm 67 now LOL, i'm well invested, I'm really not leaving my future in anyone else hands, especially rogers LOL.

So you don't have a phone? No cable? Because EVERY company in the space is just like Rogers ... or would be if they got the chance.

[mac_davy]

So you don't have a phone? No cable? Because EVERY company in the space is just like Rogers ... or would be if they got the chance.

All companies have an agenda, some are much much more aggressive. rogers is on the hyper aggressive end of the spectrum