Buffalo Bills moving to Canada! WTF??!!!

Chad · 02-13-2008, 05:20 PM

ok so they aren`t saying for sure that they are moving but all the signs point to it.

That is such bull$hit! Even if you dont like the Bills, most people who are into football know that Bills fans are real diehard fans through thick and thin, and its been pretty thin the last few years.

Jim Kelly has offerd to buy the team rather than see it move. thats a real stand up thing right there.

anyways i was pissed about this so i thought i would share.

Ripped1 · 02-13-2008, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad

ok so they aren`t saying for sure that they are moving but all the signs point to it.

That is such bull$hit! Even if you dont like the Bills, most people who are into football know that Bills fans are real diehard fans through thick and thin, and its been pretty thin the last few years.

Jim Kelly has offerd to buy the team rather than see it move. thats a real stand up thing right there.

anyways i was pissed about this so i thought i would share.

The Bills still have a team?

For real I remember when the Patriots were gonna move I was heated.

**Highlanda01602** · 02-13-2008, 06:48 PM

Wow, that is rediculous... I honestly hope that doesn't happen.

I have complete respect for Canada, but I just don't see what the purpose would be. I do see the reasoning though I suppose... since NY has the Giants, Jets, (pending Bills), and arguably the Patriots when considering shear geography.

The only other state that has a similiar situation that comes to mind is Florida, and I just don't see those teams leaving the comfortable tropical temperatures, for sure!

I seem to be drawing a blank on who Jim Kelly is - is he a Buffalo native? I would think that it would much more of a chance of the Bills landing in another American state before leaving the country. The west could use a few more teams I suppose!

liquid · 02-13-2008, 06:50 PM

Of all places, why Canada?

Chad · 02-14-2008, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Highlanda01602

Wow, that is rediculous... I honestly hope that doesn't happen.

I have complete respect for Canada, but I just don't see what the purpose would be. I do see the reasoning though I suppose... since NY has the Giants, Jets, (pending Bills), and arguably the Patriots when considering shear geography.

The only other state that has a similiar situation that comes to mind is Florida, and I just don't see those teams leaving the comfortable tropical temperatures, for sure!

I seem to be drawing a blank on who Jim Kelly is - is he a Buffalo native? I would think that it would much more of a chance of the Bills landing in another American state before leaving the country. The west could use a few more teams I suppose!

well the real reason is that Buffalo is a lower middle class city and the team dosen`t make enough money to get any good players to come and have enough to make a nice profit. plus Buffalo is so far from any other major city they cant really expand their fan base.
its very sad. i think it suck for any team to move.

**pmiller383** · 02-14-2008, 07:59 AM

I don't think they will move while Ralph Wilson is alive, but once he passes are only hope is Kelly and Thomas and some other old timers buying the team, or T.Galisano ( The Sabres Owner for you non buffalo folk) to pick up the team. Personally I don't mind the Bills playing a game or two in Toronto next year, but I don't think they are going to get the response that the NFL is expecting. With all that said, I will be a BUFFALO Bills fan forever, but I don't know if i could be a Toronto Bills fan.

motivator · 02-14-2008, 08:14 AM

The Bill's won't move. Even if they wanted to, the commission wouldn't let them. The decision isn't based off of what the Bill's want. If you want to know what I think will happen......absolutely nothing.

guitarjunkie420 · 02-14-2008, 10:47 AM

They could have an empty stadium just like the blue jays and the raptors. No fans means no money for great players which also means a losing team. nobody likes a loser.

IainDaniel · 02-14-2008, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitarjunkie420

They could have an empty stadium just like the blue jays and the raptors. No fans means no money for great players which also means a losing team. nobody likes a loser.

You don't think a good chunk of fans at the bills games are Canadian? There is a reason they are exploring this option. There is close to 8 million people in Ontario with in 2 hrs of Buffalo.

The only reason the Sabres are still alive is cause of Canadian fans.

Jays used to sell out every game (55,000+)and held the record until the strike in 94.

Raptors are one of the upper attended teams in the NBA. with 20 sellouts this season.

Get your facts straight.

vision · 02-14-2008, 12:48 PM

The Bills have a huge fan base in Buffalo however since we haven't made the playoffs in ages its hard to get even the most die hard fans to come out in December to watch games that mean relatively nothing when they could enjoy them at home or at a local bar with satellite.

Its the start of the NFL trying to move into Canada. Its a move that some of the higher ups have wanted for some time. Toronto is a great city to expand because like the guy said above their fans support their teams. It helps the stadium has a roof that closes too.

They've already said that IF the Bills move to Toronto they can't keep the name and a new Buffalo team will be brought back within 5 years. The Bills have a huge history within the AFL and NFL and they won't let that disappear.

If the Bills move then when its time for the new team to start in Buffalo the divisions will be uneven and they'll have to make room for more teams. The best way to do this is to have a couple teams in Canada.

There is even talk about expanding the regular season by a couple games but I honestly don't see that happening due to the physical nature of the game and quite frankly I don't think the players union will go for it.

For all the times that Jim Kelly pissed me off growing up I've always loved him for all the times he and some other players would buy out the tickets so the game wouldn't be blacked out. Believe me they did this a lot and I truely respect that.

Also, we actually have a good team getting built right now. I think J.P. Losman can get us to a wild card game next year. Once we start making the playoffs again everything will be ok. However, if we have a really good year a lot of fans are going to pissed that a playoff deciding game might be held in Toronto. That would totally suck. GO BILLS!!

**pmiller383** · 02-14-2008, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vision

...

Also, we actually have a good team getting built right now. I think J.P. Losman can get us to a wild card game next year. Once we start making the playoffs again everything will be ok. However, if we have a really good year a lot of fans are going to pissed that a playoff deciding game might be held in Toronto. That would totally suck. GO BILLS!!

I would be surprised if JP is still on the roster next year. We do have a decent bunch of guys right now also, but hopefully we wont be so hard hit by injury this next year. Regardless of how the team does though, Buffalo fans will also be there and will always be extremely dedicated to the team, I could definitely imagine a fair amount of season ticket holders would have no problem trucking up to Canada to see a game if it was big enough. Hopefully with the games they do play in Canada we can create a little bigger fan base up there and get some money coming into buffalo from up north.

vision · 02-14-2008, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmiller383

I would be surprised if JP is still on the roster next year. We do have a decent bunch of guys right now also, but hopefully we wont be so hard hit by injury this next year. Regardless of how the team does though, Buffalo fans will also be there and will always be extremely dedicated to the team, I could definitely imagine a fair amount of season ticket holders would have no problem trucking up to Canada to see a game if it was big enough. Hopefully with the games they do play in Canada we can create a little bigger fan base up there and get some money coming into buffalo from up north.

Unfortunately, the games held in Toronto are not part of the season ticket packages...

**pmiller383** · 02-14-2008, 01:21 PM

Don't the season ticket holders get first dibs on them though?

vision · 02-14-2008, 01:24 PM

That I do not know, I know I would be upset at purchasing season tickets for only 7 games and not only have to buy my 8th home ticket but then drive to Toronto just to see the game. That game better be a blow out and put the Bills in the playoffs!!!

Preferably this game would be against the Pats or the Dolphins... my hatred runs very deep...

IainDaniel · 02-14-2008, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vision

Its the start of the NFL trying to move into Canada. Its a move that some of the higher ups have wanted for some time. Toronto is a great city to expand because like the guy said above their fans support their teams. It helps the stadium has a roof that closes too.

I was always under the impression, that the higher ups aren't too fond of the NFL coming to Toronto.

A) the agreement that they have with the CFL as a development league.

B) the fan base they will gain by having a team in Toronto or Canada is almost negligble.

However if an NFL team every came to Toronto, the Dome would not be a suitable stadium for an NFL team cause of restrictions on capacity. I think NFL stadiums must seat in excess of 70k.