Bills to LA??? -Mereged X500

[wildthing2022000]

POSTED 12:12 p.m. EST, March 30, 2006
BILLS A PRIME CANDIDATE FOR L.A?
In response to our story regarding the possible candidates for a move to Los Angeles, one league source has advised us that he believes the Buffalo Bills are a prime candidate to ultimately fill the market that was vacated more than a decade ago by the Raiders and the Rams.
"Their owner is 88 years old," said the source. "The team will be sold when he dies. Their lease is very easy to get out of, and the economy of Buffalo and ability for the team to make money outside of ticket sales is probably the worst in the league. Their season ticket base may be the worst in the league."
As we said earlier on Thursday, one of the current teams will make the move, possibly by the end of the decade.
If the team that moves is the Bills, we wonder whether the franchise will change its nickname. While even suggesting such a thing likely constitutes a second-degree felony within the greater Buffalo area, "Los Angeles Bills" just doesn't sound right.
Sure, the NBA's Lakers kept their name when they moved from the land of 10,000 of inland bodies of water to the land of 10,000 pockets of smog, but the "L" thing made it sound okay. Maybe the Bills become the "Los Angeles Buffaloes" or the "L.A. Bulls" or something close to the current name. Or maybe they go the way of the Oilers, which became the Titans after the team moved to Tennessee.
Regardless, the franchise currently known as the Buffalo Bills should be considered as a possible candidate for a move to Los Angeles -- and that unfortunately could mean the disappearance of a very important aspect of the league's history.

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Part 2 of this
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They had a topic on Sirius NFL Radio today about the possible relocation of one team to Los Angeles, and started talking about division realignment if that team comes from somewhere distant. Got me to thinking about the current divisions, and the way they should be. So here's my take on what it should look like. My two major motivations were the physical location of the teams, and their proximity to the teams inside of their new division. No thoughts on old rivalries figured into the equation, but thoughts of in-state rivalries were a big factor. I've put an asterik next to each moved team, and a double asterik next to any team that moved between conferences.
The guys on Sirius NFL Radio mentioned Minnesota, San Diego, and Jacksonville as primary candidates.

This would make realignment interesting
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Realignment if Buff goes to LA according to me and based on the conservative owners(I'd do the NFC but I doubt the owners would do it.)

AFC
East
NY Jets
Baltimore
New England
Miami

North
Cleveland
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati
Indianapolis

South
Jacksonville
Tennessee
Houston
Kansas City

West
Denver
San Diego
Oakland
Los Angeles

NFC
East
Dallas
NY Giants
Philadelphia
Washington

North
Minnesota
Chicago
Green Bay
Detroit

South
Atlanta
Tampa Bay
Carolina
New Orleans

West
Arizona
St. Louis
San Francisco
Seattle

[abyzmul]

I don't think I could handle looking at those hideous Ravens uniforms twice a year.

[PennyandtheJets]

That would be stupid...Buffalo is such a storied franchise

Get the Cardinals to move to LA...

[MisterMoss]

As long as they don't expand the league and have a pathetic odd number of team with byes on Week 1 and 17. That's pathetic.

[NY2MD_FS]

That would be stupid...Buffalo is such a storied franchise

Get the Cardinals to move to LA...


the Cards are going nowhere now that they have a new stadium.
I honestly thought that the likeliest team to move would be the chargers but if they re-up their lease then I can see the bills moving. Wilson is old and stranger things have happened. I mean no one ever thought that the browns would move and we all know how that turned out. If the bills do go I wouldn't mind seeing the ravens take their place, by the time this would happen ray will be retired or on the way out and the ravens won't be as good as they are now which isn't saying much.

[Pride]

POSTED 12:12 p.m. EST, March 30, 2006
BILLS A PRIME CANDIDATE FOR L.A?
.
"Their owner is 88 years old," said the source. "The team will be sold when he dies."

Maybe its may humor but thats some cold shit:lol:

[Cotchery=future]

I always saw the Jags moving to LA... Bills would make sense though

[Dinobot 2]

ETo view links in this forum your post count must be 10 or greater. Your post count is 0 momentarily. That would suck. I don't want the Bills going anywhere. Let em' mess around with the NFC.

And why wouldn't they just put Indy back with us? They were in the East a few years ago anyway. Bah.

[ScotsJet]

Heh "Wilson to Die Soon". :)

[BLITZKRIEG]

I think it would suck to see the Bills move. The AFC East would never be the same if this happens...

I think the New Orleans Saints are a more prime candidate to move to Los Angeles than anyone else right now. We'll see, but I'm not in favor of the Bills moving...

[bleedingreennwhite]

I would never want Indy and the Pats together in our division -- that would probably make the AFC East the hardest division in football now that Miami is up and coming, we would be in the basement for a decade

[ButtleMan]

Miami really should be in the south division due to location. The rivalries with the Jets & Pats are the reason they are still in the East but if the NFL wants to group teams geographically then they should be in the South.

Move KC to the North and Pittsburgh to the East.

[Carpetbagger]

Being a lifelong upstate ny'er, its really hard for me to see the Bills any place else but Buffalo. But the article is absolutely right, the economy in upstate NY is just absolutely terrible.

My dad lost his job, in Rochester, due to his plant closing down, and he moved to South Carolina. I will be following my family down to SC after I finish college in May.

Upstate NY just can't support a big league franchise right now, they simply don't have the tax revenue to do so.

[MisterMoss]

Miami really should be in the south division due to location. The rivalries with the Jets & Pats are the reason they are still in the East but if the NFL wants to group teams geographically then they should be in the South.

Move KC to the North and Pittsburgh to the East.
you talk about Division rivalries...how can you propose moving Pittsburgh out of their division. They have bitter rivalries with the Browns and Ravens as it stands right now.

[ganooch]

I don't understand why Tagliabue has a hard on for putting a team in LA? They have been without a team for 10 years and do not seem to mind one bit. They lost not one, but two teams within a 12 month period. The Bills cannot move because as a result of the news yesterday, the Jets moving their operations to NJ and the new stadium in the Meadowlands, the Bills are the only NY team left. Maybe they can move to Long Island or Queens

[WarriorRB28]

South
Jacksonville
Tennessee
Houston
Kansas City

West
Denver
San Diego
Oakland
Los Angeles


KC has some of the best rivalries in the NFL with Oakland and Denver. I can't see the NFL breaking that up.

[wildthing2022000]

KC has some of the best rivalries in the NFL with Oakland and Denver. I can't see the NFL breaking that up.

It just make geographic sense aside from the fact that it would be f'n retarded to have KC in a division further west than LA.

My I don't give a damn about rivalries cuz they can make new ones realignment

AFC
East
New England
New York
Pittsburgh
Baltimore

North
Indy
Cincinnati
Kansas City
Cleveland

South
Houston
Miami
Tennessee
Jacksonville

West
Oakland
Denver
LA
San Diego

NFC
East
New York
Washington
Philadelphia
Carolina

North
Green Bay
Detroit
Chicago
Minny

South
Tampa Bay
Atlanta
New Orleans
St. Louis

West
Dallas
San Francisco
Seattle
Arizona

[MisterMoss]

Hah. Dallas and the Redskins in separate divisions? hehe. NFL would never do that, and thank god.

[fenwyr]

The Bills are all that Buffalo have. The people would burn the city down of they let them move.

[lightning]

The Bills are all that Buffalo have. The people would burn the city down of they let them move.
they probably resort to cannibalism, they're already half way there

[Cakes]

Hah. Dallas and the Redskins in separate divisions? hehe. NFL would never do that, and thank god.

It's okay to have Dallas and Washington together. What I don't like is naming it the East division.
I like what the league did in the late '60s when the divisions were Coastal, Century, Capitol, and Central.

[Learn To Swim]

If the Bills do go to L.A., it should be Baltimore to the East, Indy to the North, and the FutureBills to the south.

[Dinobot 2]

Dude! Wildthing! You can't move Miami out of our division! That's just impossible!

[jetfaninwisconsin]

The bills arent going anywhere, its the saints that are going to move....

[Hazardous Waters]

While they're at it they should make Dallas in the South and Carolina in the East.

[TheCoolerGlennFoley]

Chargers make the most sense. Wouldn't have to do any realigning. Minnesota wouldn't be a bad option either.

[DOOM]

This is some bullshit! Excuse me but if that happens I will have to see Buff play whoever for NFL home games....yuck!!! I'd rather have N.O. at least I feel sorry for them and what happened.Not the Jills.

[CmartinHOF]

let the bills stay here, its fun kickin the shit outta them twice a year...............plus it put up high stats for Curtis Martin :martin: and our Cornerbacks:lol:

[D6+]

Regarding the Divisions, a potential solution would be to move the LA Bills ( or whatever their called to the NFC West. Then move the St. Louis Rams to the NFC South. With the Carolina Panthers moving to the AFC South. The Indianapolis Colts would then go into the AFC North. With the Baltimore Ravens going into the AFC East.

This would provide an LA-SF rivalry.

The Rams would have much less travel time.

Carolina would be in the same division as expansion rival Jacksonville. Nashville is relatively close to Charlotte.


Indianapolis would be in a Division with nearby Cincinnati and the other two teams being within driving range.

Baltimore would be back in the AFC East.

[28rogerblaze51]

They should just expand with 2 new teams, more football to watch, and more players get a chance to start.

[WIJetsFan]

LA wouldn't want the Bills...I'm not sure they want the NFL, but if they had a choice, it would be an expansion team. An odd number of teams in the league sounds like something the league would do, which can go on the heap of bad ideas with flagging excessive celebration and 3 Thanksgiving day games.

[JVilma51]

ya they wont move the bills they have too much history

[PhinPhan1227]

Miami really should be in the south division due to location. The rivalries with the Jets & Pats are the reason they are still in the East but if the NFL wants to group teams geographically then they should be in the South.

Move KC to the North and Pittsburgh to the East.


When the NFL realligned the Divisions last time, the owners of the PAts, Bills, and Jets all threatened veto's if Miami was moved from the East Division. Face it, you guys all love to hate us.

[DonnieIsTheKing]

When the NFL realligned the Divisions last time, the owners of the PAts, Bills, and Jets all threatened veto's if Miami was moved from the East Division. Face it, you guys all love to hate us.
I honestly wouldn't know how I could live without being bitter division rivals with all of you three... it's so much fun :buffaloblows: :bills_suck: :pats_suck: ricky williams :finssuck:

[ROCaMOB]

I don't have a link for this, but this is the scripts from the news station I work for in Rochester (for all you downstaters - Rochester is about an hour outside of Buffalo)

THE BUFFALO BILLS "GAME PLAN" FOR THE FUTURE MAY *NOT INCLUDE WESTERN NEW YORK!!
OWNER RALPH WILSON SAYS HE'S UNCERTAIN ABOUT THE TEAM'S "VIABILITY" IN BUFFALO BECAUSE OF A NEW MONEY SHARING AGREEMENT IN THE N-F-L.
THIS ALL STEMS FROM THE DEAL THAT TEAM OWNERS SIGNED WITH PLAYERS LAST MONTH ON HOW TO SPLIT AND SHARE REVENUE. RALPH WILSON-- WHO VOTED NO-- SAYS THE AGREEMENT IS SET UP TO BE MORE FAVORABLE TO BIG CITY TEAMS-- AND WOULD HURT SMALLER MARKET TEAMS.
THE VOTE WAS 30-- TO 2-- CINCINNATI'S OWNER ALSO VOTED NO.
WILSON-- WHO MET WITH THE GOVERNOR, SAYS HE'S COMMITTED TO WESTERN NEW YORK-- BUT SAYS QUOTE "THE LONG TERM VIABILITY OF OUR FRANCHISE MAY BE IN SERIOUS DOUBT.
HE ALSO SAYS HE'S NOT GOING DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT AND THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUPPORTED THE TEAM DESERVE MORE.
WILSON SPECIFICALLY MET WITH THE GOVERNOR TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE MONEY SHARING DEAL AGREED ON BY TEAM OWNERS.
THE GOVERNOR TOLD WILSON THE BILLS FUTURE IN BUFFALO IS OF VITAL INTEREST AND THAT HE'LL KEEPING FIGHTING ON BEHALF OF THE TEAM.
MEANWHILE-- NEWS OF WILSON'S COMMENTS HAVE FANS CONCERNED WHETHER THE BILLS WILL STAY PUT.
RALPH WILSON REITERATED TO THE GOVERNOR THAT THE BILLS ARE THE *ONLY TEAM THE PLAYS HOME GAMES IN NEW YORK STATE.
IT'S UNCLEAR WHAT MR. WILSON INTENTIONS WERE BY COMPLAINING TO PATAKI, BUT AGAIN THE GOVERNOR PROMISES TO FIGHT FOR THE TEAM.
ON A SIDE NOTE-- ERIE COUNTY EXECUTIVE JOEL GIAMBRA SAYS HE HAS NO REASON TO BELIEVE THE TEAM FRANCHISE IS IN IMMEDIATE JEOPARDY-- BUT ALSO SAYS THE COUNTY WILL DO WHAT IT CAN TO KEEP THE TEAM VIABLE.


My guess is -- that as soon as their lease is up -- they are OUT of Buffalo.

[ROCaMOB]

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[boomer]

Screw L.A.

[wildthing2022000]

When the NFL realligned the Divisions last time, the owners of the PAts, Bills, and Jets all threatened veto's if Miami was moved from the East Division. Face it, you guys all love to hate us.

I need proof for this claim.

[JeremyDigital]

it would be a sad day if the bills move.

no NFL in my backyard?

i would have to move :)

[ROCaMOB]

it would be a sad day if the bills move.

no NFL in my backyard?

i would have to move :)

I wouldn't count on it yet.. It looks like Tom Golisano, Rochester billionaire (CEO of Paychex, Owner Buffalo Sabres) Could step in and "help out." I wouldn't doubt if he bought the team from that old idiot Wilson

[JeremyDigital]

I wouldn't count on it yet.. It looks like Tom Golisano, Rochester billionaire (CEO of Paychex, Owner Buffalo Sabres) Could step in and "help out." I wouldn't doubt if he bought the team from that old idiot Wilson

That's what people are saying locally too. I bet Golicano is happy with his investment now!

It is a scary thought, Ralph Wilson's kids dont want anything to do with the team. i hope it pans out. where else can i see the jets once a year without a roadtrip?

and im NOT moving to Jersey :)

[ROCaMOB]

That's what people are saying locally too. I bet Golicano is happy with his investment now!

It is a scary thought, Ralph Wilson's kids dont want anything to do with the team. i hope it pans out. where else can i see the jets once a year without a roadtrip?

and im NOT moving to Jersey :)


I hear ya.. I don't know what I would do without my ONE annual Jets game I get to see.

[New York Mick]

Upstate New York is hurting already with all of the major company leaving (expect for Lock Heed and Martin I think that is the name of the plane company) if the football team goes that is just a kick in the nuts. The area love the Bills, its sad companies just lock the doors one day and a whole section of a state is turned to shit.

[ROCaMOB]

Upstate New York is hurting already with all of the major company leaving (expect for Lock Heed and Martin I think that is the name of the plane company) if the football team goes that is just a kick in the nuts. The area love the Bills, its sad companies just lock the doors one day and a whole section of a state is turned to shit.


Kodak has been laying people off by the thousands. . they used to run this part of the state.. .. Xerox is laying people off like crazy.. Western NY is a mess..

[New York Mick]

Kodak has been laying people off by the thousands. . they used to run this part of the state.. .. Xerox is laying people off like crazy.. Western NY is a mess..
I thought that Kodak was already gone, I heard that they where movihg to Mexico or Canada last year. It would be nice if another company would come in and take over all the empty plants

[ROCaMOB]

I thought that Kodak was already gone, I heard that they where movihg to Mexico or Canada last year. It would be nice if another company would come in and take over all the empty plants

No. Kodak is still based in Rochester. They have been outsourcing jobs in Mexico. The workforce here has went from about 25,000 to under 16,000 in the past five years or so. More cuts are expected.

[JeremyDigital]

I thought that Kodak was already gone, I heard that they where movihg to Mexico or Canada last year. It would be nice if another company would come in and take over all the empty plants

There are TONS of opertunities for property in WNY, but NYS taxes make a move to this area difficult compared to other markets.

Niagara Falls is a prime example. the economy was industiral based, and when that industry moved, the city turned to shit.

now people are excited for Casinos for city revenue.

[ROCaMOB]

There are TONS of opertunities for property in WNY, but NYS taxes make a move to this area difficult compared to other markets.

Niagara Falls is a prime example. the economy was industiral based, and when that industry moved, the city turned to shit.

now people are excited for Casinos for city revenue.

Niagara Falls is a mess now.. Rochester is looking to get a casino, not too happy about that.. we already wasted 40 mil on a shitty ferry.

Isn't Buffalo looking to get ANOTHER casino?

[JeremyDigital]

Niagara Falls is a mess now.. Rochester is looking to get a casino, not too happy about that.. we already wasted 40 mil on a shitty ferry.

Isn't Buffalo looking to get ANOTHER casino?

Buffalo got the Casino approved, and the Senecas bought the land right behind the HSBC Arena (an old train station i believe, inside is the equivilant of 2 football fields) right on the waterfront. however there is oposition that is preventing it from being built as of yet. it'll get done tho. a deal is a deal, which Erie county made already.

Niagara Falls actualy does look a bit better around 3rd street (the old Niagara Falls convention center) and a new high-rise hotel was built. it has its benefits, but it will not improve the entire city.

[New York Mick]

Niagara Falls is a mess now.. Rochester is looking to get a casino, not too happy about that.. we already wasted 40 mil on a shitty ferry.

Isn't Buffalo looking to get ANOTHER casino?
Brother trust me we have casinos in Florida and it brings alot of people to the area that spend money and it doesnt increase crime like people who do not like them say. The crime rate is higher in school zones and WalMart then it is near casinos.

[JeremyDigital]

Brother trust me we have casinos in Florida and it brings alot of people to the area that spend money and it doesnt increase crime like people who do not like them say. The crime rate is higher in school zones and WalMart then it is near casinos.

this is true. but with Niagara Falls NY, there is competition from Niagara Falls Ontario. so $$ could be spent here, or you could drive for 5 more minutes across the border and be in a much nicer enviornment where the dollar streches a bit farther.

[JeremyDigital]

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More on Ralph Wilson's plea to NYS govt. to keep the Bills in WNY.

[N.Y. Johnny]

It's okay to have Dallas and Washington together. What I don't like is naming it the East division.
I like what the league did in the late '60s when the divisions were Coastal, Century, Capitol, and Central.



HooAhhh!...way to go "Old School"...

Dude, I loved that, how great were those old NFL Division names there? Capitol Division, Century, almost as great as those old NHL Divisions were also.

[kelly]

Bills owner Wilson questions NFL's new-guard owners
Associated Press

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Bills owner Ralph Wilson is questioning whether the NFL's high-revenue owners have the best interest of the league at heart, stepping up concerns that small-market franchises like his face an uncertain future under the new labor agreement.

"I just don't think they're as interested in the game as the old owners, I really don't," Wilson said Friday.Singling out Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys, Daniel Snyder of the Washington Redskins and Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots, Wilson said: "They, to me, and this is just my opinion, don't have the same values about the league as the old guard did."

The Bills' sole owner since founding the team in 1960, Wilson also suggested the league's wealthier owners played too big a role when the league extended its collective bargaining agreement last month. The Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals cast the only votes against the agreement.Wilson spoke after meeting with Erie County executive Joel Giambra, who implored Bills fans "to get active, to get angry" and write to Tagliabue, the league and elected officials on the team's behalf.He first raised his concerns earlier this week in a meeting with New York Gov. George Pataki. Wilson told Pataki that he's committed to keep the Bills in Buffalo, but, "the long-term viability of our franchise may be in serious doubt."

The series of meetings were an attempt by Wilson to explain his concerns and generate political pressure on the NFL to ensure the viability of small-market teams.Wilson, long one of the NFL's most outspoken owners, believes the new labor deal establishes an unequal playing field between large- and small-market teams because it produces an equal allocation of player costs with an unequal allocation of revenues.While reiterating he has no intention to move or sell the team, Wilson said he's not sure how long the Bills can survive under the new deal.

"How long can it stay here? I don't know," Wilson said. "But I can tell you we're going to fight very, very hard to keep the team here to try to be competitive with the rest of the league."Under the new deal, Wilson said it wouldn't make much difference whether the Bills built a new stadium because the team would unlikely be able to generate much more revenue in an economically troubled region such as western New York.

Wilson's concerns have been noted by the league, which is still determining how the newly expanded portion of revenue sharing will work."That has not been fleshed out yet," Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian told The Associated Press while visiting Buffalo this week. "The future is uncharted at this point, but having said that, we've always found a way to make it work and hopefully we will in the future."Polian is a former Bills executive and member of the NFL's competition committee.

Bills cornerback Troy Vincent, president of the NFL Players Association, shares Wilson's concerns, but noted it's up to the owners to make revenue-sharing work."There has to be something in place," Vincent said. "But what we may think is enough or not enough, likewise the men and women running those organizations may say it's enough or not enough. ... Where's that happy balance?"Any question of the Bills future sparks significant concerns in Buffalo and western New York, a rust-belt region with a fragile economy. Losing the Bills would be a major blow to the region's economy and psyche.

"The Bills are a very integral part of this community's fabric, socially, emotionally and economically," Giambra said.Giambra added he was rooting for Roger Goodell, the NFL's chief operating officer and a western New York native, to succeed commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

"He is a person who understands football and he understands the importance of football to small markets like Buffalo and western New York," Giambra said.

In 1999, the Buffalo Niagara Partnership estimated the team's annual net economic impact to the region at $33 million.

[JeremyDigital]

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[NYJATW]

sooo they'd have 5 teams and we'd have 3?

that can't be right...

[BuffaloBills06]

they probably resort to cannibalism, they're already half way there
I have to admit even though I am a die hard Bills fan, Buffalo is a little weird. They flipped on me on the Bills website because I said they were real country up there.:grin:

[Dinobot 2]

Omfg Nfw Stfu.

[Dinobot 2]

Jessie stop editing my posts.

[CmartinHOF]

LA wants a team that can make the playoffs or win a superbowl, something the bills cant seem to accomplish:)

[wildthing2022000]

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Who will buy the team after he dies?
If he dies/sells the Bills might move due to costs.
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Doesn't know the CBA
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Confused by new owners :lol: