http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10785589/donald-trump-interested-buying-buffalo-bills New York City businessman and billionaire Donald Trump says he is committed to buying the Bills and keeping them in western New York, according to The Buffalo News. "I'm going to give it a heavy shot," Trump told the News on Monday from his office in Manhattan. "I would love to do it, and if I can do it, I'm keeping it in Buffalo." [+] Enlarge AP Photo/Cliff OwenDonald Trump is planning to make a run at buying the Bills and keeping the team in western New York. Multiple sources confirmed to the News that Trump has had two conversations with Bills president and CEO Russ Brandon. Trump, who earlier this month confirmed that he was contacted by a group looking to purchase the Bills following the death of longtime owner Ralph Wilson, also wanted to ease concerns that he would move the team to Los Angeles or Toronto. He has previously said it would be "catastrophic" if Buffalo lost the Bills. "I live in New York, and it's easier for me to go to Buffalo than any other place," Trump said. "Where am I going to move it, some place on the other side of the country where I have to travel for five hours?" Trump believes his history with the NFL would play no role in a potential purchase of the Bills. In 1983, Trump bought the New Jersey Generals and was largely responsible for the USFL switching from a spring schedule into direct competition with the NFL in the fall. "I think the NFL owners respected me for it because I took a dead league and made it hot," Trump said. "But my thing when I bought the team was, 'I will not play football in the spring.' Even if they would have teetered along for another couple years, it wouldn't have survived in the spring. And if I hadn't gotten involved, they wouldn't have lasted another season. SportsNation: Trump wants to buy Bills Should Bills fans want Donald Trump as an owner? Will the Bills stay in Buffalo? Vote now! ยป "The NFL owners that I know and are very honest about it, they'll tell you I did a good job and they have respect for me. And I have respect for them." Since the death of Wilson in late March, speculation around the Bills' future in Buffalo has increased. The team has confirmed that the franchise will eventually be sold, saying "a process will be established at an appropriate time" for the sale. i really feel like it would only be a matter of time before he tried to bring them from western new york to new york city and build a domed stadium.
This is just my speculation, I dont think there is much of a chance Trump gets the approval. He needs 75% of the owner to vote YES. Right off the bat, teams like the Rams, Jaguars, Vikings, Raiders, Chargers, will all say no because they all want to move to LA. If 8 teams say no, Trump cannot get in the league. Ontop of that, NONE of the owners want a team to MOVE to LA because then they dont get the revenue. If a NEW team is created by the league, the revenue gets split by all 32 teams. Thats why we will never see a team move to Los Angeles. I also believe the owners would fear Trump, he has a lot of power, has a lot of supporters throughout many industries. Again this is just my speculation, I could honestly be dead wrong about everything, I really have not looked far into this topic.
I wonder if they are allowed to break the lease? it probably would cost a ton? they prolly wold have to pay everything in full. Trumps not young either, I wonder if he would break it.
trump says he wants to keep the team in buffalo. you say he won't get the votes because some teams want to move to l.a. on top of that you say none of the owners want a team to move to l.a. although you already stated some of the owners want to move to l.a. sorry soxx, but i am having a hard time following your train of thought here
No I said none of the owners want another team to move to LA. They want a brand new 33rd franchise in LA because it would split the revenue. If a team moved to LA they dont get the profit, they need a new franchise in order to get the money. And he wont get votes because the owners fear he would become a competitor amongst the teams trying to move to LA. Teams like the Chargers, Vikings, Rams, Jaguars all want to move to LA but it will never happen, but they are holding out hope it will. He can sit there and say all he wants that he isnt interested in moving but that probably isnt true, and even if it is true that doesnt mean he wont change his mind.
see the problem? regardless, trump would be a good owner,he would be in it to win and not just as a status symbol. him and steinbrenner were friends and i think he would put alot of time and resources into a team like old george did. owners might not like his celebrity though and that might keep him out
Forbes has him at $3.9 billion right now. The over-leveraged Donald of the 80's appears to have been replaced by the cash coming out his ears version in the 10's.
No I understand what you are saying, I meant "another" team. So for example, the Rams owner ONLY wants either his Rams to move to Los Angeles OR a new franchise. If a vote came up for the Vikings to go to LA, the Rams owner would vote NO because: A) Its not his team B) He wont make a profit. If the league creates a new team, the profits of the team will be distributed to all 32 teams equally, if the team gets sold the, the money will be divided. It really makes no sense for any owner to vote YES for a team to move to LA because they are losing out on potential money. Thats why despite hearing about potential teams moving, it hasn't happenned and will likely never happen because most of the owners would shoot it down because they have nothing to gain. Creating a 33rd franchise would give the owners money, a team moving won't
Goodell answers to the owners, moving a team a does not create a profit for all the owners. Creating a new team appeals to all the owners because it means more money, Goodell wont move a team to LA nor will any of the owners if the voted.
The point is that Trump doesn't want to move the Bills. I'm very skeptical with statements made publicly like this but there really is no upside to coming out and saying you wouldn't move, when you really plan to move. People understand what you mean about other owners not wanting another team to move to LA, but you're the only one who seems to be assuming Trump has every intention of moving to LA.
Trumps biggest obstacle is going to be his personality and tendency to speak his mind about basically everything and anything, especially on the political front.
I think his biggest obstacle is that nobody is going to believe that his team will be his #1 priority most of the time. The NFL owners as a group don't like personalities who put themselves before the team and the league. They're not going to happily sign off on the Los Angeles Trumps. For Donald Trump to get a team he's going to have to convince the other owners that he's putting The Donald into retirement for good. He's good for the money and would be a financially stable owner but they're not going to let somebody come in and dance the Samba on the NFL's image.
Goodell has left the door open for LA and the owners could vote for it. There are other reasons than splitting revenue. The city of St. Louis is pushing back on the Rams owner bids on how to finance the renovation or construction of a new stadium. The city is not of fan how much the cost of the project is going to be subsidized. On top of that, in general, NFL franchises keep the majority of the profit they make through the stadium, the city doesn't get a huge cut. On top of that, a lot of time, the stadium is even free of paying some or all property taxes. If the city of St. Louis won't do this, the NFL and the owners can punish the city by allowing the owner to move the team. Also, publicly supporting LA as a destination allows the owner to use leaving the city as possible leverage when negotiating with the current host city. All that said, yes it would be possible for owners to support a move to LA even if it isn't adding a 33rd team. No I do not think Buffalo will be leaving Buffalo even if Trump gets ownership. No I don't think the owners will back having Trump be an owner of a NFL team.