Wait until the final few home games this year when Bills fans don’t show up to the Ralph or it’s filled with Patriots fans. I can’t imagine what the crowd will look like during the Indy game assuming Indy loses a game before. Yikes.

Buffalo isn’t a cash cow. Just because the stadium sells out doesn’t means huge cash inflows or net revenue. The tickets are the cheapest in the NFL, roughtly $24 below the league average. If Ralph bumped those prices up to the NFL average, I’m guessing there wouldn’t be too many sellouts.

They put a franchise in Jax partially because they saw the area as an opportunity. It was a growing area that the NFL viewed as a place to take advantage of. They were right in that the city is growing. Since 1990, the Jax metropolitan area has added roughly 400,000 people. The city itself is now the 13th largest city in the country. It’s a football mad area that the NFL thought would translate into a strong following. It started well, but the following is obviously lagging right now. I wouldn’t say it was a bad decision to put a team there.

It’s sad.

And I would think that we of all people who have the spectre of relocation hanging over our heads would realize that.
How do you think the fans of that team who show up to their games feel when you say they don’t deserve a franchise and should move?

Look I didn’t think it was a good idea to put a franchise there in the first place but what’s done is done. And constantly mocking them for not selling out games and pretty much rooting for them to move is awful. A team like Dallas can do that but we should know better. Especially since they have been one of the more amiable organizations diplomatically with the Bills, we often trade with them etc.

Any guy with business sense that buys the team after Ralph dies will realize Buffalo is a cash cow. We sell out every year with horrible football teams and horrible games to watch.

We also have the lowest ticket prices in the league and not many luxury suites. The new owner of the Bills could make twice as much even if they don’t sell out in LA.

BTW – the attendance was 40-45k yesterday. The Bills have 50k+ season ticket holders just for prespective.

Is most likely to move there. They have already said that they will not renew with their current stadium/contracts and the city is more strapped for cash then Buffalo is, hence they will be very unlikely able to meet their demands. It’s sad, but someone has to move there, and as long as it’s not the Bills I’ll be ok.

but unfortunately it’s completely out of our hands. if Ralph was of a decent age we could be comfortable.

it sucks that the future is not in our hands

Just kidding…had to throw that in there.

Time will tell with the Bills and the Jags. You say the Bills are a better investment in Buffalo – from a purley financial standpoint, I have to disagree, but hopefully for us our future owner will realize that this is more than a business and more than an investment. If someone gets involved only for the money then we’re in trouble. The same goes for all small market teams.

The raiders or the Chargers will.
We have ticketsale issues; but I think it will be solved.

The Jags have been in the playoffs… Please do not take this as an attack. But here are the facts I am aware of:

You have been in the playoffs at least 7 years out of a 13 year history. The bills will be on a 10 year drought.

Stadium seating per Wikipedia says 67,164 after you apply the tarps. The bills stadium holds 73,967. You can’t tell me the tarps are to size the stadium to the market. The bills stadium is average size. You have 7,000 less seats and don’t even come close to selling out games.

I don’t understand how you can’t sell seats to a winning team? I understand the market your in with the college teams and other pro franchises nearby. But please help me understand how you dont think your team won’t move. In the end it is about making money. If your not selling out 67,000 seats to a winning team, the team will move and sell 80,000 seats in LA for almost double what a ticket costs in Jacksonville. Buffalo may be a bad team, but right now we sell our games out (with overall profits much less than other teams). The only reason buffalo appears on the moving list is due to an old owner who graces our presence with his remaining days.

7 games and counting!!!

by Rudy916 on Nov 22, 2009 9:42 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

No offense taken. I don’t think the fact that other pro teams being near by is the problem. I think the problem is the fact that our fans are "fickle" which I stated above. There are no excuses for not selling out the games. The fact that we have a winning team is a misnomer. With the jobless rate in Jacksonville being at 13%, and the team having an up and down roller coaster type existence, the fans in and around Jacksonville have become uninterested. With consistency the team will begin to sell out. Until that happens there will continue to be blackouts.

There are not enough hardcore fans for the NFL game that are willing to attend. With that being said, the numbers in TV ratings consistently show that Jax is an NFL town, but the people are not willing to put their money on the line to enjoy one of the greatest entertainment values in the entire country. It cost $400 for a season ticket. With $20 parking, and one of the easiest commutes to and from a stadium in the league.

Another thing I agree with is that a team will move if it’s not financially viable to remain in a particular location. What has been largely underreported is the fact that the Raiders, Rams, Bucs, and Lions have been just as inept to sell tickets. Now you can argue that they are all teams with losing records. However, there are somethings to consider. First, is that most teams move due to stadium issues. Currently, that applies to the Raiders, 49ers, Bolts, and I think Rams. Anyone of those teams moving to LA would be great because they already have an established following on the West coast, not to mention it would not upset the apple cart when it comes having to realign the current divisions in the NFL. Second, If the Jags were to move there it would cost a fortune to break the lease in which the team is currently in. Thirdly, I believe that if they were to move it would be to London. According to Goodell, that would happen within the next 10 years.

In that time frame, with the state of the Jags franchise having their arrow pointing up, I think before the end of the season we will see a stoppage to the blackouts with momentum building to the future. I also think that with proposed games being played in Orlando as soon as next year, and the fact that the Bills with similar thinking of splitting games in Toronto, that both teams will be safe from relocation.

I say all this with genuine belief that it will get better with time in Jax, and not with teal shaded glasses. Although anything can happen.

Duuuuvvvvallllllll!!!!!….Damn, I miss Paul Spicer!

by JagsCub on Nov 23, 2009 12:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs