The Bills are currently pushing New York officials to approve a $1.5 billion plan to build a brand new stadium and renovate the Buffalo Sabres’ arena. At the same time, they’re looking to ramp up the pressure. One owner of the Bills tells Seth Wickersham of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that Austin, Texas is a possible destination if things don’t work out. Beyond Austin, the Bills could ponder “other cities elsewhere that desire an NFL franchise and would pay handsomely for it.”
Of course, this is standard operating procedure for professional sports teams seeking taxpayer dollars. Even the Yankees threatened to move to New Jersey before the new Yankee Stadium was built in the Bronx. However, Austin would hold lots of appeal for an NFL franchise. For starters, the lack of state tax in Texas would enable the Bills to keep more of their money. That would also be a huge selling point for free agents, who could save seven figures per year.
The Bills aren’t the first team to threaten a Texas move. Before the Raiders got their shiny new stadium in Las Vegas, they told Oakland that they were considering San Antonio. But, if the Bills actually want to move to Austin, they’ll have to duke it out with the Cowboys and Texans. Those clubs may have the right to veto — getting them to waive it would probably require sizable checks to both teams.
The Bills’ most recent proposal asks New York State and Erie County to pay the entire $1.5 billion cost.
I don’t even get a move to Austin? There would be minimal fan interest in Cowboy country. Not to mention I can’t imagine the Cowboys would okay it anyway. There are markets they could go to though.
All the new Austin transplants get a new team to call their own.
Every fan will have their own podcast.
I don’t see any reason why the Texans would okay it either. They may be incompetent as far as football operations go, but they probably care about the business side enough to not want a third team joining their market. But other then the Cowboys and Texans presence, it’s as good of a political pawn city as any.
I doubt the Bills would attempt to follow through, relocation threats are just the go to tactic.
When the Raiders were mulling San Antonio, they did a deposit survey and sold out San Antonio. The issue, however is the TV revenue.
Austin, however is a different story. It’s the new tech center and almost every major tech company has a presence there. It also has a large influx of people relocating from California to Austin. Austin would be a slam dunk based on the way companies and people are moving there.
I’ll trade the Bengals for the Bills
I hope they don’t move but territorial rights make me think San Antonio and west Texas would be easier to do than Austin.
I hope the State of New York stands tall. No corporate f***** handouts!
I’m sure many other corporations get a handout from the state of New York already. I’m you on the mindset, it’s ridiculous the amount of taxes that go towards new stadiums.
When the state gave billions to the Mets and Yankees for new stadiums 10 years ago they can do it for upstate too
Fans keep throwing your money at these pro teams. They could care less about you. I love sports but won’t pay $400+ to take my family to a game (tickets, parking, food, et al), ridiculous.
Plus with TV coverage vastly improving over the past few decades, watching a game from home can be just as enjoyable. Have a bunch of friends over, get some pizzas, it’s great.
Watching at home has long been the better method of sports viewing.
I might go to $400 every once in a while if that were possible. But unfortunately for my family of 5 it’s more like like $900-$1000 when it’s all said and done.
I think you might be underestimating it in all honesty, ruckus. Unfortunately. Hey, if you manage to swing it, you should qualify as Dad of the Year for the kids in my mind. Games aren’t a wholesome family affair today…at least not for most families.
I’m with you guys-especially you, rct. I can fire up the grill or have a pork butt/ribs in the smoker and have a lot better time than squinting to see in my $400 seat.
As soon as the Bills become viable again, the Vax wars, and now this take all the magic out of it. They really can’t try harder to make it less fun.
Wish the Bills would come to St. Louis!!
St. Louis would be a better idea. They have an empty stadium ready to go. I don’t know if the Longhorns would share their stadium and if they did they are so money hungry they would probably take all the in game revenue. Wear and tear you know…..
Pretty sure STL isn’t an option given the lawsuit currently against the NFL. It would have to be like here have the bills and drop the suit. I don’t think STL will have another NFL for a long time.
F it. As a Buffalonian I say take em. 100% is too much.
And as usual the billionaire owners have the families over a barrel forcing them to pay up to build a stadium for the millionaire players to play in. Then once built you can’t afford to take your family to see them but once a season if you’re lucky.
But, they will tell you the stadium belongs to the people.
Nope
Tell the bills to take a hike. What a joke of an ownership. See ya.
Pay for your own stadium you rich a-holes. The Bills not in Buffalo would be a disgrace.
I wish cities were smart enough to quit lining up to stuff money in billionaires’ pockets. I guess there is a sucker born or elected every minute…
Called a politician looking to place feather in cap while duping the uninformed masses.
Insane that the Bills expect 100% to be paid by the taxpayers………The value of the franchise is gonna explode with a new stadium so why the hell can’t they pay for at least 75% of it.
God damn handouts for billionaires to own and millionaires to play in……..When the hell is it gonna be enough.
You called it there. The new complex will drive the franchise’s value up significantly. The owners are the ones who will use the new stadium’s value for their own gain, and yet the franchise won’t be paying for it.
The Pegula’s keep insulting Buffalo. Where ever they go, their poor management practices will doom them.
Let them pay for their own stadium.
if it did happen, would they dare call themselves the austin buffalos?
As greedy, unscrupulous, and self-interested as the NFL is, there’s no way they’d let the Bills move this abruptly and for this poor a reason.
Kroenke planned his slimy exit for years, but the Rams were a team that had already moved, which made that even easier (not to mention his own powerful connections outside of the league). The Chargers and Raiders had both moved in their history, and the Spanos family had completely destroyed the Chargers’ fan base to the point that most people were happy to be rid of them. The Raiders have moved several times. But the Bills are different-they are currently successful and have never been based anywhere else. A move out of nowhere would be too much, especially when three-three!-teams have moved in the last few years.
The Pegulas can pay for their renovations, which although probably necessary, are also probably not as urgent as they’d like us to believe. They can afford it, it’s just “bad business practice” to pay for everything when you can cajole someone else into doing it. If they won’t, then the NFL needs to do it. Too many teams have moved recently and the Bills Mafia is arguably the most passionate in the league. Letting the Bills move and losing that fanbase would be incredibly stupid.
Banish ’em to Anchorage. They think the winters are bad in Buffalo, they ain’t seen nothin’ yet.
I love Anchorage, ironically. You have a point though lol
I love it too. Great city, beautiful surroundings. I’d love to see a pro sports team there. Can’t believe they don’t at least have an NHL team. Maybe some day. I think fans in Alaska would really support an NFL or NHL team.
According to several internet sources I just checked, Terry Pegula is worth somewhere around $5-8 billion, give or take. He also owns the Sabres and the Bills. Not sure about the Sabres, but the Bills, like every other NFL franchise, make a ton of money, both on their own and via revenue sharing.
If he wants a new stadium for his privately-owned football team that enjoys some antitrust exemptions, he can pay for it himself.
If he wants to move the team, go for it. Fans can still root for them, or they can decide to change teams.
It always makes me laugh how the threat of a move comes up while negotiations are still ongoing. The thing is that ownership owns the Bills and Sabres. If they move the Bills they would have to move the Sabres as there is no way they’d be welcome in Buffalo
Sabres are being mismanaged and run into the ground. Free agents refuse to go there. Maybe Pegula is looking to do a double move? Sabres value would double the minute they left Buffalo.
New York needs to make the bills pay over half of the costs but at the very least half . because the bills are the ones benefiting the most.
and on the other side I don’t think it’s right other teams could veto or get comp for another team moving to same state . it’s not right it just ensures that the cities get less money.
Fun fact: Pegula spent $88 million of his own money to build an ice hockey arena for Penn State named after him.
But, he wants the tax payers to pay for 100% of the stadium he makes a fortune off of…because he can.
I understand asking the state to foot the bill for the infrastructure, if need be. The whole thing though? I’d tell them safe travels and let them be on their way to wherever
The rich will always push to spend someone else’s money. By the way that money could go to a lot of things in New York post pandemic. You already operate in a state with three franchises. Why go to another? Sales tax is already a competitive advantage for other states and yet it’s not like you turn down the Chiefs to play for the Dolphins to save money. Or does that happen?
Pegula’s reputation isn’t soooooo great because he really has fouled up the Buffalo Sabres
Plus when the hell has Austin clamored for a NFL Football Team
Keep Austin Weird! Football is not weird, it’s violent, it’s rough, it’s a helluva lot fun of fun if you like it, but it’s not weird!!!
“I once dated a girl from Buffalo. Why can’t I ever meet a girl with normal parents?” / Rodney Dangerfield
“The Bills’ most recent proposal asks New York State and Erie County to pay the entire $1.5 billion cost.”
I’d pass. The best I’ve seen from cities – and this went for all new business – you can have five years of paying $0 in property taxes. After that, time to foot the bill.
People are getting excited over nothing. Someone always has to make the first offer before serious negotiations begin. I suspect it will be a three way deal (with the NFL adding cash to Pegula’s side of the final deal).
As for Austin, everybody in that town is a transplant, thus there would never be a city-wide team affiliation.