NFL commissioner Roger Goodell ruffled some feathers in Buffalo earlier this month when, speaking at Jim Kelly‘s annual charity golf tournament, he said he believes that a new stadium is essential to the stability of the Bills’ franchise. He went on to say that team ownership will need to address the club’s stadium situation at some point in the near future to keep the Bills in Buffalo.
That is not the first time Goodell has made comments of that sort, but it still set off a few alarm bells. Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula, though, attempted to downplay the ominous nature of Goodell’s remarks. In an interview with the Associated Press (h/t Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk), Kim Pegula said, “Roger knows where we stand. We weren’t at all upset or thought that he was trying to say anything differently.”
The Pegulas are committed to keeping the Bills right where they are, but they also acknowledge that getting a new stadium to make good on that commitment won’t be easy. Kim Pegula said, “It’s a big, big nut to crack. It’s going to take some patience on everyone’s part.”
As Florio observes, it remains to be seen whether the Pegulas can secure enough private funding from the league and enough public money from the city to make a new stadium feasible, and whether the new stadium would even be a viable long-term investment. One factor that could have a major impact on the Bills’ fate could be stadium credits, a system in which revenue that would otherwise be shared by management and players would instead be funneled into the construction and renovation of stadiums. That issue is not being talked about much right now, but it is likely to become a key component of the upcoming CBA negotiations between the league and the union.
Florio also opines that the Pegulas’ commitment to Buffalo may not be the best way to maximize their leverage with the city, and if they want to get as much public funding as possible for a new stadium, they may need to threaten relocation and stop attempting to placate the fan base.
Buffalo has some of the most passionate fans in the world.
Threatening them would be
an insult…..
The real insult to football fans is that Goodell is still allowed to be commissioner.
Wow build us a stadium so spoiled brat athletes can get paid millions, put half if it on the fan base , then charge them an outrageous price to come and see a crap team that has been mismanaged for years and has ZERO chance of winning. Hmmm what is wrong with this picture.
Jealous much.
You need a state of the art stadium to compete in the NFL. (All sports really.)
You can ask the fans in Oakland if you need to.
It has ZERO to do with the athletes.
I’m a Jets fan. At least your team got to who knows how many SB’s in your life.
The need for state of the art stadiums only coincided with the need to secure big dollar commitments from the TV networks. The NFL is celebrating it’s 100th anniversary but for the first 4 decades before games were broadcast on TV, fans were quite content to support their teams in some venues that were even worse than the dump in Oakland.
Crybaby! Boo hoo millionaire athletes…blah blah blah!
If a city wants an NFL team, then they gota pay! That’s just the way it is. I’m sure as rabid as the Bills Mafia is, they would rather pay and keep the Bills.
I don’t really think this is a situation where any threats are needed. I think everyone wants the same thing and it will happen.
It’s the owners that get rich owning a franchise so they should be footing the bill for the stadium. The average fan could care less about overpriced luxury boxes that they will never enter unless they have some corporate connection.
“As Florio observes, it remains to be seen whether the Pegulas can secure enough private funding from the league and enough public money from the city…..” He’s a billionaire, probably can figure out private financing. But fully expecting them to leave.
No way Pegula ever leaves WNY.
No way they get a stadium built either.
Stop using public money for stadiums without sharing in the revenue. How about the city loans the money and is paid back with the revenue. The pegula’s have enough money to build their own stadium.
I don’t think the city should even be offering loans…that’s why there are banks. Unfortunately the NFL looks upon it’s fans as sports addicts who will allow themselves to be exploited to any extent in order to get their “fix”.
They can now reinvest that $12,000 they were spending on the women’s hockey team.
If they ever did move the Bills, they’d have to sell the Sabres, too as I imagine that fans would not be too happy with them.
Nfl, build your own stadium for your teams,