On the naming rights to Ralph Wilson Stadium
by MattRichWarren on May 9, 2009 1:15 PM EDT
in Opinion
77 comments
Ralph Wilson Stadium (photo credit)
With the news from South Florida last week that Dolphin Stadium will be re-named "Land Shark Stadium" to promote their new minority owner, Jimmy Buffet, I got to thinking about the name of Ralph Wilson Stadium. For the record, I have been a strong proponent of Ralph Wilson and his commitment to keeping the team here in Buffalo.
As much as I respect Wilson, something about the fact that the stadium where the Bills play is named for him and doesn't bring in money rubs me the wrong way. It's not like Erie County or the Bills couldn't use the money. Sure, it's cool that our stadium isn't named after some website or Billy Fuccillo, but the Bills are constantly saying they can't compete financially with other teams, and the naming rights to the stadium are a legitimate and potentially significant source of revenue.
Who owns the stadium?
Let me start by saying that Erie County owns Ralph Wilson Stadium and it's leased to the Buffalo Bills. According to the New York Times the lease runs from 1998 through 2012 and is estimated to total over $100M. According to Business First Magazine, the lease essentially became a year-to-year agreement beginning in 2003 after five years of the deal. "The team, if it wishes, can trigger an escape clause after any of the next nine seasons, instantly voiding the rest of the agreement." That is disheartening, but that's a different conversation altogether.
Past history
After flirting with a move to Seattle, the Bills left outdated and smallish War Memorial Stadium (a.k.a. "The Rockpile") in downtown Buffalo, secured some local bonds, and decided to relocate to Orchard Park, a short drive from Buffalo. Many of us remember watching games played by the Bills at Rich Stadium. Rich Products, a Buffalo-based food service company, signed a 25-year lease when the stadium opened in 1972 for $1.5 million, becoming an early leader in stadium naming deals. Following the expiration of that deal in 1998, a new deal was declined by Rich due to the enormous escalation in cost. The stadium was briefly named Bills Stadium at this time before officially being renamed in honor of the Bills' founder.
Other stadiums without naming rights
Several other NFL teams do not have naming rights on their stadiums. Cleveland Browns Stadium, Giants Stadium, Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, Oakland Coliseum, Arrowhead Stadium, Paul Brown Stadium (named for the founder of the Bengals), Lambeau Field, the Georgia Dome, the Metrodome, Soldier Field, the Superdome, and Texas Stadium are all examples - though Texas Stadium and Giants Stadium are being replaced with new stadiums expected to garner very large naming fees. Small market teams like the Bengals and Jaguars could benefit from the extra money brought in by this type of deal as well. Teams like the Bears can afford, literally, to keep their traditional stadium name if they prefer, but teams like the Bills shouldn't.
New stadiums
Several new stadiums have been built and the naming rights to those facilities have brought in huge dollar figures. Recently, the New York Mets garnered a 20-year, $400M deal from Citi Bank to name their brand new stadium Citi Field - even though they just received a government bailout. The Arizona Cardinals approached officials at the University of Phoenix, and now they sponsor the Cardinals' stadium for $154.5M over 20 years. Even the smaller market Indianapolis Colts received $122M over 20 years for the naming rights to their new stadium from Lucas Oil just a year ago with the economy in the middle of a downward slide.
A deal similar in scope to these is not going to be the difference between keeping the team in Buffalo for the long haul, but like the Bills in Toronto Series, it would be another way to bring in money to offset costs. It's not chump change, averaging over $6M a year, but it is certainly enough to pay some salaries. This could be the difference between signing an average player and signing the best player in free agency. This is the difference between addressing one need and two.
Of course, we as fans could also sponsor the name. Everybody send me 20 bucks and I'll put in a bid. We can call it Buffalo Rumblings Stadium. How's that for advertising?
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How about “The Thunderdome presented by Buffalo Rumblings”?
Not to be all “old man yells at cloud” but I’m pretty sure it’ll always be Rich Stadium to me. The name just felt right.
Penn Staters belong at Penn State. The problem with a lot of kids is they just don’t know they are Penn Staters yet. -jesse. @ BSD
by TheK-GunNeedsReloaded on May 9, 2009 1:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
It was that way for 25 years.
I don’t know how old you are but my entire life it was that way.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 9, 2009 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Haha, I’m 23- I don’t think I qualify as an old man, but whenever I resist change, I just feel old.
Penn Staters belong at Penn State. The problem with a lot of kids is they just don’t know they are Penn Staters yet. -jesse. @ BSD
by TheK-GunNeedsReloaded on May 10, 2009 8:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
'The Rich" sounds so much better than "The Wilson"
Easy to see which is better
If the Bills were a drug, I could only hope they were like speed so I could lose some weight as well.
by WABillsfan on May 9, 2009 3:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i loved Rich Stadium as well. in the 90s it was like saying satan’s name to other teams. as the then dominant bills, crushed their opponents at home (and away from it as well).
by chaucer on May 10, 2009 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I just gotta say… I chose this picture of the stadium because it has the old tiny JumboTron in it. For those of you who have been to the Ralph in the past two seasons, you’ll know what I’m talking about – the new hi-def gigundous-tron makes this thing look itty bitty, man.
Buffalo Rumblings - all you care to know about the Buffalo Bills and more
by Brian Galliford on May 9, 2009 1:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Great use of imagery.
You’re right about the size of that jumbotron. I won’t soon forget seeing Kevin Everett on it before the MNF game. I was at the game he was hurt and the MNF game where he made his first recorded message to Bills fans before that game on that big screen.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 9, 2009 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Brian – I would be more than happy to donate! Unfortunately I don’t think $20 from all of us will even buy us 2 single seats.
I remember that tiny jumbotron, man you are right the stadium looks awful small in pictures now.
The time to deliver is now and if you fail to do so you will no doubt witness the consequences first hand.
by Cutter3636 on May 9, 2009 1:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
At 73 thousand, it is small when you compare it to the newer stadiums in the league (not counting the pat’s stadium).
by CanadianBillsFan on May 9, 2009 10:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
?????
The Ralph has the 5th largest capacity of any NFL stadium at 75,339.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
by Kurupt on May 10, 2009 1:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh I thought that it only held 73 thousand. Either way though, we need a new, larger stadium if we want the Bills to stay in Buffalo and make more money. I’m thinking something the size of Mile High, or Arrowhead; something around the 78-79 thousand range, maybe even 80.
by CanadianBillsFan on May 10, 2009 7:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I believe there used to be more seating in there, but they took some of it out. I would assume that is because they were having trouble selling out, and I would also assume your ad revenue suffers if you don’t sell out, not being on TV on all. So, maybe a Catch 22?
by WhyBillsWhy on May 10, 2009 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
True, I didn’t think of that.
by CanadianBillsFan on May 10, 2009 2:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It was to improve the experience at the Rich.
There were originally 80k seats. They put in wider seats to make the game more enjoyable and lost a few thousand. It wasn’t because of sellouts. It’s not like the Jaguars who have to tarp seats to call it a sellout.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 11, 2009 9:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
They put in wider seats for all the fat people!
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
by Kurupt on May 11, 2009 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It is Buffalo.
We know how to eat.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 11, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I doubt it’ll happen for a few reasons.
One, I don’t see any company, in this economy, looking to put their name on an outdated stadium for a team that might not be there in a few years. You don’t usually see short term leases on stadium naming rights, do you?
Two, if Ralphie hasn’t done it yet, why would he all of a sudden be looking for this revenue stream? Plus, it has him name on it. Rich people love showing off their wealth, this could be a good example of it. It might sound harsh, but there could very well be the ego factor involved here.
In addition to the first one, why would a company want to pay for the naming rights to an aging stadium in a small market? I don’t think Dolphins stadium has the same wear and tear that the Ralph has due to the weather and lack of foot traffic (buh-zing!).
Finally, and maybe most relevant, the Bills don’t own the stadium, so they’ll have no say over it. Unless Erie Co. is looking for more money via this route, it won’t be happening. If the county owns the stadium, the Bills wouldn’t get any of the revenue, correct?
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
by Kurupt on May 9, 2009 1:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I had a hard time figuring that out, too.
I checked to see who would get the money from naming rights. The County owns it but they owned it back in ‘72 when it was named Rich Stadium. That’s why I included the line “It’s not like the Bills or Erie County couldn’t use the money.” I honestly don’t know who would get the money but both organizations’ bottom lines could use it.
There are shorter term naming rights deal out there. The Jaguars stadium was named Alltell stadium for ten years. That’s a little shorter of a time frame. Dolphins Stadium was Pro Player Stadium for 9. There is nothing set in stone that you can’t go shorter. It’s just that people don’t want to be confused with the darn name of the park so they use longer time frames. Say you do a ten year naming rights deal but if the team moves you stop paying…. something like that.
I think ego is very much involved. I don’t know who named the stadium but as I said this wasn’t an attack on Wilson. If he wants it named after him, by all means he can do that. At the end of one’s life you want to see what you have done and I have no problems with it…
I like your dig on Miami’s stadium though. I laughed.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 9, 2009 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well, by short term, I was thinking year-to-year or at least under 5 years. If a company is willing to sign a lease for 10 years or so, they must be confident that the team will still be in Buffalo then. Obviously, that doesn’t mean that the Bills would be guaranteed to be here, but it’d be a positive sign. But it’s one that I don’t see some company committing too. If they want to secure a 3-5 year lease, then I can see it happening.
Maybe the Bills/Erie Co. could consider something a little more innovative, such as auctioning off the naming rights for each season. I wonder if it could be possible for the team/county to hold a naming right auction each summer (or whenever) with the highest bidder getting the name for the season. Of course, I would hope the Bills put up a lot of advertising for this company throughout the stadium and their website. We could have HSBC Stadium one year, Labatts Stadium the next, Fidelity Stadium another year, Hooters Field the next, etc, etc, etc, with ads and “brought to you by” for these companies up on the stadium and website. Assuming the team/county was confident each year that they’d get more than they’d get in a longer term lease, I think it’d be cool to consider. It’s highly unlikely though, just as re-naming the stadium is.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
by Kurupt on May 9, 2009 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's hasn't happened yet because people would get confused.
But that would be the way to get the most money. Just look at how outdated that $1.5M figure looks compared to the ones for Indy and Arizona. Who knows? Maybe when those leases expire, the $6M a year figure will look tiny.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 9, 2009 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
People would get confused? So what, as long as the company’s name is out there and the team/county get their money, I don’t think they’d care.
Plus, they stadium could be HSBC Bills Stadium or Hooters Bills field. Something along those lines, so everyone knows it’s the Bills stadium.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
by Kurupt on May 9, 2009 2:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, it would be more about being the primary advertiser at the stadium, on the website, tv commercials etc… then it would be about the actual name of the stadium.
by kaisertown on May 9, 2009 2:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That makes sense...
I didn’t mean they wouldn’t get their name out there. But like announcers would screw it up. Even fans would. In year one that is fine but the guys at Labatt’s who do year two won’t be happy to have it called Hooters stadium, for instance. I think it’s the only reason, and not a very good one, to do a longer term deal.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 9, 2009 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree that a longer term deal makes much more sense. You want the stadium’s name to be part of the identity of the stadium. Despite going to a few Bisons games every year, I couldn’t even tell you what the name of the stadium is anymore because they change it so often (and they have actually only changed it a few times in the last 10 or so years).
Where K’s proposal makes some sense is if the Bills either didn’t get money for the naming rights, or if they only got a small percentage. Because then you aren’t really auctioning off the stadium’s name. You are really just making the highest bidder your primary advertiser.
by kaisertown on May 9, 2009 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Pilot Field right?
:-)
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 9, 2009 4:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It hasn’t been Pilot Field for 10 or 15 years. I actually looked it up and it’s now Coca-Cola field. It had been Dunn Tire park for 5 or 10 years and it was North Americare park before that.
by kaisertown on May 9, 2009 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I remember Pilot Field and Dunn Tire Park.
That’s it.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 9, 2009 7:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
what
was the significance of "pilot’, who was the sponsor?
by Buffalove83 on May 11, 2009 2:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It was named for Pilot AiIr Freight.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 11, 2009 9:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Right
but in response to Matt’s concern, I don’t think having the name changing every year is going to cause the announcers or fans to be getting the names confused year-to-year. They might not know exactly the name, but that’s why I’d like to see it named “Sponsor X Bills Stadium” or “Sponsor X Bills Field”. The Bills part of it would give it a sense of identity.
I doubt my proposal could ever work because it’s a bit much to be auctioning off naming and advertising rights each year. Plus, I think it’s probably wiser to secure a longer term lease where the team/county would be getting $5M per year instead of hoping to be getting a bid worth that or more each year.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
by Kurupt on May 10, 2009 1:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think you would see "Wegman's Field" or perhaps "Fucillo Auto Lot Stadium"
Before anyone else….
If the Bills were a drug, I could only hope they were like speed so I could lose some weight as well.
by WABillsfan on May 9, 2009 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I would love for it to be named after Wegmans...
not so much Fucillo.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 9, 2009 4:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’ve met Billy on a few occasions. He’s actually a really nice guy.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
by Kurupt on May 10, 2009 1:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I have heard that as well.
He’s generous and jolly by all accounts.
I just don’t like the commercials. Would it be Huuuuuuuuuuuuge Stadium? :-)
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 11, 2009 9:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I would also love to see Wegman's
As as native of WNY who is transplanted in the south, one of the things I miss the most is Wegman’s. There is just nothing down here that can compete with Danny and his grocery empire.
On a contrasting note, I definitely don’t miss the Fucillo ads, however I have learned that every locale in America has one or more car dealerships which have horribly annoying advertisements.
I'll donate $1 to help Mary Wilson pay the estate tax...who's with me?!?
by O.J. Is My Bodyguard on May 11, 2009 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Your job’s your credit, at Eastern Motors!
by kaisertown on May 11, 2009 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You know it!
Those were horrible to watch when I lived in Maryland. Now that I live in N.C. I have to deal Bob King and hear how “Nooooooooooobody beats Bob King”.
I'll donate $1 to help Mary Wilson pay the estate tax...who's with me?!?
by O.J. Is My Bodyguard on May 11, 2009 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It’s not just car dealerships!
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
by Kurupt on May 11, 2009 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
We have a guy in Batavia who does furniture ads that are annoying.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 11, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Furniture, furniture man! Make Max Pies your furniture man!
Buffalo Rumblings - all you care to know about the Buffalo Bills and more
by Brian Galliford on May 11, 2009 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
nail on the head
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 11, 2009 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
WOW!
Is saying someplace is “like a mini-mall” supposed to make me WANT to go there?
Also, those close-ups of that guy’s eyes are REALLY creepy.
I'll donate $1 to help Mary Wilson pay the estate tax...who's with me?!?
by O.J. Is My Bodyguard on May 11, 2009 6:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The auctioning off thing is interesting. And even more interesting than doing a different company every year would be to open it up to the public. Sell “Stadium Naming Rights” tickets at $100 bucks a pop. You can buy as many as you want. The Bills sell 60,000 tickets, they get $6M. The winner of the auction gets to place their name on the stadium for that year. The Rochester Rhinos did something similar this year I think.
You mean to tell me you wouldn’t pony up a hundred bucks for the change to put your name on the Bills Stadium for a year?
If the glove don’t fit, it couldn’t be Whit...
by thatguy34 on May 9, 2009 6:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Rhinos did do it...
But it was for a thousand bucks a pop.
For more info check out this link http://www.rhinossoccer.com/news.php?id=1110
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 9, 2009 7:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's actually a great idea
Definitely more a short term thing, maybe even just for one year, but a pretty nice idea to generate cash immediately. Having a lottery for the chance to name the stadium would be pretty sweet, and yes, I’d probably buy a ticket or two for the chance to see my name up in lights.
Imagine Abayarde Stadium! I’m giddy thinking about it!
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
by Kurupt on May 10, 2009 1:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
JUST WINN STADIUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
With the exclamation points being apart of the stadium’s name.
If the glove don’t fit, it couldn’t be Whit...
by thatguy34 on May 10, 2009 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
no no no, the exclamation points must be part of the name!
by CanadianBillsFan on May 10, 2009 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Interesting side note....
The stadium will not be referred to as Land Shark Stadium during Super Bowl or Pro Bowl weeks not will it appear on any advertising for the game. The NFL must not like “Margaritaville”, or more likely just doesn’t want alcohol featured so prominently.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 9, 2009 2:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
That’s so dumb. Lucky for Coors that the NFL will stick with that partnership….
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
by Kurupt on May 9, 2009 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
They haven't said why it is but that's what Florio is reporting at PFT.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 9, 2009 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That HAS to be why. Coors is the official beer of the NFL. There’s no way the league wants that issue to be a problem during Super Bowl week.
I am surprised the NFL allowed the re-naming though, but it’s really nothing they could do about it since they don’t own the stadium.
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
by Kurupt on May 9, 2009 2:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I just like the fact we can now make ad nasuem "Jumping the Shark" digs at Dolphin fans now
If the Bills were a drug, I could only hope they were like speed so I could lose some weight as well.
by WABillsfan on May 9, 2009 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nice!
let the references begin!
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 9, 2009 4:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And Al Pacino can coach them while Jamie Foxx, Bill Bellamy, LT, TO (NO!), and LL Cool J can lead them to a title!
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
by Kurupt on May 10, 2009 1:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
For what it’s worth, Citi Field was agreed upon well before the company received any bailout money.
And I agree it’s silly not to take advantage of naming rights, even if it’s fairly minimal.
by Pistol on May 9, 2009 3:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
great read, MRW. Enjoyed it.
Guards Brad Butler and Brandon Rodd are decent. - Pete Prisco
Brandon Rodd!! Our best player.
by poz on May 9, 2009 4:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Good.
I aim to please.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 9, 2009 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why haven't the rights been sold?
Is there a reason the naming rights are not being sold? It must have been a deliberate decision by someone.
by south123 on May 9, 2009 7:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
If the Bills truly want to make money off of a stadium...
And if the league truly wants them to stay in Buffalo, then the Bills need a new stadium for when the lease ends in 2012. And it would need to be a larger stadium then the Ralph.
Think about it, the Bills need more money. They are constantly selling out a 73 000 seat stadium despite the team being mediocre at best. I think that they would have no trouble filling a 78-79 thousand seat stadium; something the size of Mile High or Arrowhead would help the team a lot. And the naming rights for a stadium of that size would easily reach 125M +. Not to mention that a new stadium would garantee that the Bills stay in Buffalo for another 30 years.
Now if we can only get the state and local governments involved, not to mention the next owners, we’d be set… … …who am I kidding, we’re screwed.
by CanadianBillsFan on May 9, 2009 10:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
What does the size of the stadium have to do with the amount received from naming rights? The benefit to naming rights is that the company’s name is mentioned in the media (‘live from Wegmans stadium’) not a sign of the side of the stadium.
The Bills have deliberately decreased capacity over the years to increase revenues. And even at the current capacity they’ve struggled to fill seats late in the years (which I believe is part of the reason Toronto gets a late season game). Even the Oiler payoff game from 1992 clipped a couple days ago was blacked out.
by Pistol on May 10, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That has to do with weather, not stadium size.
Chuck Schumber has been fighting with the NFL to schedule games in Buffalo early in the season for some reason because fans don’t want to go in the cold. Whatever that means. That’s why Toronto gets a late season game.
The only way we get a new stadium is after we get a new owner. I wouldn’t even talk about it until that happens.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 11, 2009 9:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
How About
Moog Stadium (according to this site, the “worldwide designer, manufacturer, and integrator of precision control components and systems” is one of the top companies in the area. Looks like they could afford the lucrative demands.
But I’ve always wondered why New Era hasn’t stepped up to the plate and bought the naming rights. My guess is money, since aside from the MLB contract, I’m not sure if a hat company can fork over $100M plus. Nevertheless, New Era Stadium has a nice ring to it.
by BBFan4Ever on May 9, 2009 11:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
the naming rights have already been sold!
effectively Ralph Wilson has has bought the naming rights. and he has probably paid more than $6 million a year for them.
If he has paid $100 million into the team over the years, this equates to $10 million for each year the stadium has been name after him
Football. Bloody Hell!!
by gregeng on May 10, 2009 1:53 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
True.
But shouldn’t Ralph Wilson want that money coming into his coffers and not out of it?
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 11, 2009 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Am I the only person here who likes the idea of not watching a game
played at a stadium named after an evil corporation?
Really?
How about Enron Field? Blackwater Park, anyone? Walmart Stadium?
Fun…
Character and Intelligence
by thurman on May 10, 2009 6:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I would hope that local authorities aren’t as corupt as the ones in Texas. I mean if you think that calling it Enron feild is a possibility then we might as well just give the field an honest name and call in “We’re F’ed Field”.
by CanadianBillsFan on May 10, 2009 7:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I am the only one…
Character and Intelligence
by thurman on May 10, 2009 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
you didn’t get my Robin Williams stand reference there, but thats ok.
by CanadianBillsFan on May 10, 2009 2:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I said in the article it's kind of nice to not play in a park named after a dot com or something.
But I am simply talking from an economic standpoint. The Bills cry poor when free agency starts. Here’s a way to add a few million to the money they can spend.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 11, 2009 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
MRW – nice article. I’ve been pining for a few years now that Ralph needs to change this. It’s completely hypcritical for him to ever mention anything about revenues when they have wasted potential right at the doorstep. This drives me crazy. Again – nice job.
by krytime on May 10, 2009 9:23 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, but he doesn’t own the stadium, so would there be cash flowing into his pockets if the naming rights were to be sold?
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
by Kurupt on May 10, 2009 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
As I said before Erie COunty could use the money, too.
They are losing their tax base rapidly and with some hefty new taxes from NYS, more will be leaving.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 11, 2009 9:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thanks for the kind words.
As Kurupt said I’m still nto sure the Bills would actually get the money since they don’t own the stadium. They lease it from the County. In most places the team owns the stadium but uses and/or pays back the local governments. They don’t usually pay rent as is my understanding.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 11, 2009 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I know this is a moot point now...
but this raises the question as to why, when it was time to move on from “The Rockpile”, was the stadium built (financed?) by Erie County rather than the Bills building the stadium themselves? This happened before I was born so I am just looking for a historical perspective. Was it an issue of financing?, land ownership?, tax revenues? etc.? I would appreciate anyone who can provide an answer to this.
I'll donate $1 to help Mary Wilson pay the estate tax...who's with me?!?
by O.J. Is My Bodyguard on May 11, 2009 12:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Back in the day the NFL didn't help teams build stadiums.
So they needed to get the money to build it somewhere. Many received local bonds to build the stadiums. Many NFL teams do not own their stadiums because if they did who would they sell it to if they left town? It is an was an issue mainly of financing but also the land ownership comes into play.
Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.
by MattRichWarren on May 11, 2009 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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