Ralph Wilson Dead at 95 (1 Viewer)

[GroveDiesel]

Ralph Wilson, Jr was a tremendous man and owner. He did a lot of good in the NFL and the city of Buffalo. Fought in WW2, foubding member of the AFL, kept two other franchises afloat with loans, instremental in the merger, was way out ahead of other owners in actively funding research into head and spinal injuries, a true lover of the history of the game, and on and on.

He got a bad rap as cheap and senile as he aged but that reputation was largely unfair, especially after he got smeared in the media after the one CBA discussion. He was with it enough that he called and talked to Russ Brandon just 5 days ago about a safety draft prospect that he felt was a 4th or 5th rounder he was interested in.

He will be sorely missed.

The big questions about what will happen to the team are looming, but for now, a big thank you to Mr. Wilson for all he did for the NFL, the Bills, the city of Buffalo and the game of football in general.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Not long after his neighbor in suburban Detroit, William Clay Ford.

 

[Gandalf]

Sad day. Yes I am also a Bills fan. It's a paradox. Here's to hoping the team stays in Buffalo.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

One of the old guard in the NFL, he did a lot of great things for the city of Buffalo. Also think he got a bad rap as many do after the age of 80. Bless him for making it to 95 and putting a quality product on the field for many years. No shame in 4 trips in a row to the Super Bowl.

Hope the team can stay in Buffalo, hope whoever is in charge now can get them over the hump and back on a playoff track, seems like it has been a while for them.

RIP Mr. WIlson

 

[dutch]

I love my Buffalo Bills. Was born and raised in the greater Buffalo area and lived there until I was 18 in 1985. After moving I got to watch from afar as Levy, Polian, Bruuuuce Smith, Kelly, Thurminator, Reed, Biscuit, Talley, Bebe, et al. brought the K-Gun to life and brought the excitement and joy of the Lakers Showtime to the NFL. They squished the fish with regularity, they won way more they lost and they circled the wagons like no other team in history, at least according to Berman. Loved that team. And none of it would be possible without a money man willing to open his checkbook to keep the team in tact for that great run of success.

Thanks, Ralph, thanks for Juice and the electric company, for Kemp and Cookie, for my memories sitting in the snow at Rich Stadium- now Your stadium!- thanks for Ferguson and Cribbs and Butler and Simpson and thanks for a team that could make me proud even after a Nashville Miracle went the wrong way.

You were a great owner and a good man, that's all any fan can ask. RIP.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

a Great Detroiter, RIP

 

[flysack]

RIP Ralph. At least you signed that deal with the state so the Bills can't move for a few years. Then...

...say hello to your 2020 Los Angles Bills Riot.

 

[flysack]

BTW does anyone know what will happen to the team? I know Ralph refused to sell it and didn't designate a successor either.

Will it be sold as part of his estate or something?

 

[GroveDiesel]

BTW does anyone know what will happen to the team? I know Ralph refused to sell it and didn't designate a successor either.

Will it be sold as part of his estate or something?

I have a strong feeling that a deal is already in place that involves a Jim Kelly ownership group. There was a lot of talk about that and some cryptic tweets and stuff about 12-18 months ago that lead me to believe this is the case. It wasn't a whooe lot longer after that that the announcement was made about the new lease deal with Buffalo.

Brandon's comments today also lead me to believe that there is a plan in place. Although with the news on Kelly today (rough day to be a Bills fan), who knows if that would impact anything.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

BTW does anyone know what will happen to the team? I know Ralph refused to sell it and didn't designate a successor either.

Will it be sold as part of his estate or something?

I was always under the impression that it would be sold (it's tough to pass an NFL team to an heir because of estate taxes). But I don't think anybody really knows if there's any kind of "plan" in place. You'd think things have to move relatively quickly though.

 

[OC Zed]

BTW does anyone know what will happen to the team? I know Ralph refused to sell it and didn't designate a successor either.

Will it be sold as part of his estate or something?

I was always under the impression that it would be sold (it's tough to pass an NFL team to an heir because of estate taxes). But I don't think anybody really knows if there's any kind of "plan" in place. You'd think things have to move relatively quickly though.

I believe there is an interim plan on how to operate while the trustee controls the team on behalf of the estate - and I'm surmising that it means zero change from the current front office structure with Brandon and Whaley.

But like IK said, Wilson wasn't able to pass the team on to family because of estate taxes (nor is it clear that the family even wanted to keep the team), so the trustee will be obligated to sell to the highest bidder.

 

[OC Zed]

BTW does anyone know what will happen to the team? I know Ralph refused to sell it and didn't designate a successor either.

Will it be sold as part of his estate or something?

I have a strong feeling that a deal is already in place that involves a Jim Kelly ownership group. There was a lot of talk about that and some cryptic tweets and stuff about 12-18 months ago that lead me to believe this is the case. It wasn't a whooe lot longer after that that the announcement was made about the new lease deal with Buffalo.

Brandon's comments today also lead me to believe that there is a plan in place. Although with the news on Kelly today (rough day to be a Bills fan), who knows if that would impact anything.

That information seemed to be coming from the Kelly group themselves which could have been nothing more than optimistic thinking. The news involving Kelly today doesn't really help things either.

 

[OC Zed]

He got a bad rap as cheap and senile as he aged but that reputation was largely unfair, especially after he got smeared in the media after the one CBA discussion. He was with it enough that he called and talked to Russ Brandon just 5 days ago about a safety draft prospect that he felt was a 4th or 5th rounder he was interested in.

I have followed this team closely since Kelly arrived in 1986 and from that time on, I don't see how that label was fair. He gave Kelly the huge contract to come to Buffalo, OK'd the Bennet/Conlan trades and allowed the Bills to be big spenders to keep the SB teams together in the infancy of free agency of the early 90s. He also went out and made well regarded moves (at the time) by bringing in Tom Donahoe, Gregg Williams, big named free agents London Fletcher, Lawyer Milloy, the Rob Johnson trade, the Bledsoe trade, etc. People decried the Chan Gailey hiring (which wasn't so bad on paper at the time), but they also forget that he pursued high-priced names like Cowher and Shanahan before getting nixed by those candidates. He didn't always make great personnel moves, but he at least tried and opened up his wallet to do so.

 

[Sabertooth]

What a great life. I celebrate and salute you!

 

[Ever Present Lurker]

One more shout for Ralph!

 

[Gargoylez]

The Bills have a ten year lease according to reports, starting this year. Not that they couldnt get out of that but it would be a deturrent.

Unfortunately the NFL is about money. Buffalo is never going to be a big market. So unless a hero comes along like Wilson... The Bills will be moving in the next 10-12 years.

 

[Gandalf]

The Bills have a ten year lease according to reports, starting this year. Not that they couldnt get out of that but it would be a deturrent.

Unfortunately the NFL is about money. Buffalo is never going to be a big market. So unless a hero comes along like Wilson... The Bills will be moving in the next 10-12 years.

They aren't going anywhere. It's a passionate fan base. Some group, maybe led by Jim Kelly, will step up to buy the team. Western NY has potential for a rebirth for businesses. I know there are organizations trying to bring more businesses there. But even if that doesn't happen, Buffalo and Rochester together could support the BIlls. Also they now need to start winning consistently. Winning = $.

 

[Gargoylez]

I hope you are right, if the Bills left this area, it would break my heart and devestate the community.

I am just saying, I never NEVER underestimate the power of the dollar. The Bills could be bought, moved and renamed all within 5 years. If more money is to be made.

On a side note, they left one stadium light on over night. If that doesnt move you a little I think your dead inside.

RIP Ralph. The last of the great REAL owners.

 

[mr roboto]

BTW does anyone know what will happen to the team? I know Ralph refused to sell it and didn't designate a successor either.

Will it be sold as part of his estate or something?

I was always under the impression that it would be sold (it's tough to pass an NFL team to an heir because of estate taxes). But I don't think anybody really knows if there's any kind of "plan" in place. You'd think things have to move relatively quickly though.

I believe there is an interim plan on how to operate while the trustee controls the team on behalf of the estate - and I'm surmising that it means zero change from the current front office structure with Brandon and Whaley.

But like IK said, Wilson wasn't able to pass the team on to family because of estate taxes (nor is it clear that the family even wanted to keep the team), so the tru]stee will be obligated to sell to the highest bidder.

The bolded isn't necessarily true. The trustee is obligated to whatever wishes Ralph spelled out. It's veto rely possible that he left instructions that any new ownership group must commit to keeping the team in Buffalo for a certain number of years. I'm not sure the highest bidder is the only determining factor in selling the club.

 

[B-Deep]

rough week for bills fans, it is sad to see Mr Wilson pass.

 

[B-Deep]

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/03/26/ralph-wilson-buffalo-bills-dies/

In 2009, I visited Wilson, 90, at his home outside Detroit to discuss a story about the 50-year anniversary of the founding of the American Football League. He was an original owner, and one of only two still breathing. I asked him what made him keep the franchise in western New York. This was a man not from Buffalo, and watched during his ownership of the Bills as Buffalo dropped from the 18th-largest market in America to 49th, and resisted feelers and offers to sell the team for a monstrous profit or to move the franchise to a lucrative market—Los Angeles, for instance.

“I couldn’t bear to do that to the people of Buffalo,’’ he said. “They’re such good people, and they love that team. They need that team.”

 

[B-Deep]

lots of good stuff in that article

In 1996, angry that Art Modell was abandoning Cleveland, Wilson was one of two owners to vote against the move of the Browns to Baltimore. He never voted in favor of a franchise relocation. He said owning a sports team isn’t like owning a car dealership. If the car dealership founders, it can be closed and consumers will find another place to purchase cars. But an NFL team—that’s a public trust. He bled with the fans over the past 15 years, since the end of the Bills’ greatness, and though they were frustrated he couldn’t produce another winner, the fans loved him for not moving. When I talked to Bills fans at a preseason tailgate in 2012, one of them had a T-shirt that said, “In Ralph We Trust’’ … despite the fact the franchise was on a 12-year run (now 14) of not making the playoffs.

 

[GregR]

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/03/26/ralph-wilson-buffalo-bills-dies/

In 2009, I visited Wilson, 90, at his home outside Detroit to discuss a story about the 50-year anniversary of the founding of the American Football League. He was an original owner, and one of only two still breathing. I asked him what made him keep the franchise in western New York. This was a man not from Buffalo, and watched during his ownership of the Bills as Buffalo dropped from the 18th-largest market in America to 49th, and resisted feelers and offers to sell the team for a monstrous profit or to move the franchise to a lucrative market—Los Angeles, for instance.

“I couldn’t bear to do that to the people of Buffalo,’’ he said. “They’re such good people, and they love that team. They need that team.”

Lot of respect for Ralph Wilson. Rest In Peace.

 

[Gargoylez]

To get out of the ten year lease is around 400 million dollars. Soooo yeah no move for Bills anytime soon.

 

[Gandalf]

http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=buffalo-bills&id=8436

 

[Bri]

Rest in peace, Mr. Wilson.

I don't know where Kelly lives, but there were some nice pictures and nice articles of former players going and visiting him. It's extra special how Bills and former Bills stick together and that's likely yet another credit to Ralph.

Half their games are in Toronto and the articles I've seen indicate they do very well there. If a move is inevitable, I think they have to be oh so strongly considered as a location. The fans there shouldn't be teased, they showed support...the whole toe in the water worked well.

Orchard Park is NOT a big highly populated area. Wilson probably generated more support per percent of the population than any other owner.

The very cold weather in Buffalo does affect them in attracting free agents and I don't feel like oh cool I saw a game there-it wasn't fun with blankets and long johns and all.

I don't know if Kelly would have the means to raise enough $ for an NFL franchise. On several occasions, Curtis Martin has. Since he has always been all class, I'd love for him to buy an NFL team.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Rest in peace, Mr. Wilson.

I don't know where Kelly lives, but there were some nice pictures and nice articles of former players going and visiting him. It's extra special how Bills and former Bills stick together and that's likely yet another credit to Ralph.

Half their games are in Toronto and the articles I've seen indicate they do very well there. If a move is inevitable, I think they have to be oh so strongly considered as a location. The fans there shouldn't be teased, they showed support...the whole toe in the water worked well.

Orchard Park is NOT a big highly populated area. Wilson probably generated more support per percent of the population than any other owner.

The very cold weather in Buffalo does affect them in attracting free agents and I don't feel like oh cool I saw a game there-it wasn't fun with blankets and long johns and all.

I don't know if Kelly would have the means to raise enough $ for an NFL franchise. On several occasions, Curtis Martin has. Since he has always been all class, I'd love for him to buy an NFL team.

Only one game a year has been in Toronto, not half. And they suspended that arrangement for at least a year. Also, they have not done well at all in Toronto record-wise not attendance-wise.

It was also reported yesterday that the talk of any type of buyout to move the team does not, in fact, exist. The Bills are in Buffalo until at least 2020. Period.

 

[Gargoylez]

Grove diesel is about 95% right.

FOr what I am hearing for the price of the Buffalo Bills (900 million), plus taxes 1.2 million), and a little extra fee of 400 million dollars to break the lease... someone can move the Bills. So a sale price of 1.31 Billion dollars. After ten years though, all bets are off.

Here is the terms:

http://www2.erie.gov/exec/sites/www2.erie.gov.exec/files/uploads/Buffalo%20Bills%20Non-Relocation%20Agreement.pdf

Just a warning, its not an easy read, I get my info off of Channel 4 news.

Again if this doesn't move you as a fan, or as a person... He was a great MAN first and a great OWNER second.

http://blogs.buffalobills.com/2014/03/25/bills-leave-one-light-on-to-honor-mr-wilson/

 

[flysack]

The Buffalo Bills’ franchise will be placed in a trust following the death of owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr., and no quick sale of the team is expected.In fact, the trust is likely to control and manage the team for at least a couple of years before any sale of the team is arranged, both team and National Football League sources tell The Buffalo News.

What's Next for the Buffalo Bills

 

[hxperson]

RIP

I really hope that this means that we'll finally get a team in Toronto...and I also hope that it is NOT the Bills (for both our sake and for the good ppl of Buffalo). Huge base of NFL fans up here, but only a modest portion of them are Bills fans (I don't know any personally, and the majority of my friends, as well as myself, dislike them).

 

[Gargoylez]

One potential buyer is Sabres owner Terry Pegula. He has a net worth of about $3.1 billion, according to Forbes magazine. Pegula has said he might step in if it looked like the team was in danger of moving.

Another is B. Thomas Golisano, who bought the Sabres in 2003 to prevent the team from leaving town. He later sold the Sabres to Pegula. Golisano also has said he would be interested in buying the Bills if it looked like they were going to leave.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

I hope you are right, if the Bills left this area, it would break my heart and devestate the community.

I am just saying, I never NEVER underestimate the power of the dollar. The Bills could be bought, moved and renamed all within 5 years. If more money is to be made.

On a side note, they left one stadium light on over night. If that doesnt move you a little I think your dead inside.

RIP Ralph. The last of the great REAL owners.

Sounds like the kind of man who left things better than he found them. - Go Bills.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Grove diesel is about 95% right.

FOr what I am hearing for the price of the Buffalo Bills (900 million), plus taxes 1.2 million), and a little extra fee of 400 million dollars to break the lease... someone can move the Bills. So a sale price of 1.31 Billion dollars. After ten years though, all bets are off.

Here is the terms:

http://www2.erie.gov/exec/sites/www2.erie.gov.exec/files/uploads/Buffalo%20Bills%20Non-Relocation%20Agreement.pdf

Just a warning, its not an easy read, I get my info off of Channel 4 news.

Again if this doesn't move you as a fan, or as a person... He was a great MAN first and a great OWNER second.

http://blogs.buffalobills.com/2014/03/25/bills-leave-one-light-on-to-honor-mr-wilson/

I may be wrong, but it seems to me that the $400M isn't exactly a buyout. The lease agreement specifically says that the Bills will not only not move, but that they will not even consider selling to someone who may move the team. It then provides for a provision that would allow Buffalo to go to court to enforce the lease agreement.

It only provides for a $400M penalty if the courts were to refuse to issue an injunction for some reason. But I'm not sure what legal basis there would be for a court to not issue an injunction. Typically I think teams would have to prove that the city wasn't holding up their end of the bargain.

 

[OC Zed]

Grove diesel is about 95% right.

FOr what I am hearing for the price of the Buffalo Bills (900 million), plus taxes 1.2 million), and a little extra fee of 400 million dollars to break the lease... someone can move the Bills. So a sale price of 1.31 Billion dollars. After ten years though, all bets are off.

Here is the terms:

http://www2.erie.gov/exec/sites/www2.erie.gov.exec/files/uploads/Buffalo%20Bills%20Non-Relocation%20Agreement.pdf

Just a warning, its not an easy read, I get my info off of Channel 4 news.

Again if this doesn't move you as a fan, or as a person... He was a great MAN first and a great OWNER second.

http://blogs.buffalobills.com/2014/03/25/bills-leave-one-light-on-to-honor-mr-wilson/

I may be wrong, but it seems to me that the $400M isn't exactly a buyout. The lease agreement specifically says that the Bills will not only not move, but that they will not even consider selling to someone who may move the team. It then provides for a provision that would allow Buffalo to go to court to enforce the lease agreement.

It only provides for a $400M penalty if the courts were to refuse to issue an injunction for some reason. But I'm not sure what legal basis there would be for a court to not issue an injunction. Typically I think teams would have to prove that the city wasn't holding up their end of the bargain.

You have to read the non-relocation agreement in conjunction with the stadium lease as the non-relocation agreement relies on the lease for the term of the covenants in the non-relocation agreement. Thus if the lease has a 2020 buyout/termination right, then that's built into the non-relocation agreement.

 

[Bri]

Rest in peace, Mr. Wilson.

I don't know where Kelly lives, but there were some nice pictures and nice articles of former players going and visiting him. It's extra special how Bills and former Bills stick together and that's likely yet another credit to Ralph.

Half their games are in Toronto and the articles I've seen indicate they do very well there. If a move is inevitable, I think they have to be oh so strongly considered as a location. The fans there shouldn't be teased, they showed support...the whole toe in the water worked well.

Orchard Park is NOT a big highly populated area. Wilson probably generated more support per percent of the population than any other owner.

The very cold weather in Buffalo does affect them in attracting free agents and I don't feel like oh cool I saw a game there-it wasn't fun with blankets and long johns and all.

I don't know if Kelly would have the means to raise enough $ for an NFL franchise. On several occasions, Curtis Martin has. Since he has always been all class, I'd love for him to buy an NFL team.

Only one game a year has been in Toronto, not half. And they suspended that arrangement for at least a year. Also, they have not done well at all in Toronto record-wise not attendance-wise.

It was also reported yesterday that the talk of any type of buyout to move the team does not, in fact, exist. The Bills are in Buffalo until at least 2020. Period.

this is interesting.

I'm totally off and thought it was far more games-four of eight. It does read like one a year with some preseason.

I do find the idea of about renting out your team to a city for 80 mil interesting, it's almost circus like.

I read 100-150 per ticket and didn't know that. I'm not surprised they have trouble selling tix at that price.

December games for a non-playoff team are totally different than if the Bills were in the race.

I read that 18% of Bills fans for games last year were Canadian.

I was wrong here, thanks for pointing it out, but this is still very interesting to me.

I have no idea if the Bills are staying. With no true owner, I imagine it isn't cut and dry at all. We've seen wealthy businessmen buy just about anything in this country under far more difficult terms. For all we know some guy could give Orchard Park millions to end whatever agreement they have.

I don't have some list of potential NFL owners-all I can recall left unsatisfied is Curtis(or his group); because of that I think the Bills need to explore contacting him to buy the team and keep it there. Who would he buy it from? There's no one to pay.

How did the Packers work out owning the team so many years ago? Maybe upstate NY folks need to look into that.

Fascinated by this, gotta do more reading

 

[DropKick]

Listened to his Hall of Fame acceptance speech on the NFL network. He seemed like a wonderful, humble man. I thoroughly enjoyed the speech. Sat in the car for 5 minutes to hear the end of it.