Bills looking to trade... Themselves! So What Becomes of the AFC-East?

[JoeSixPat]

Not exactly but a recent PFT report cited a League source suggesting that of all the teams thought to be candidates for a move to LA LA Land, the Bills make the most sense

An 80-something year old owner, a team that will be sold when he dies, a team that has limited corporate sponsorship opportunities, a team with an easy to break stadium lease, a team with among the worst season-ticket holder fan base....

So aside from wondering how they are going to address the name issue (The LA Bills?) Which team would/should take the Bills spot in the AFC East?

Obviously a move to LA would push a team out of the AFC West towards the east - creating a domino effect that would again give all Divisions 4 members

That means the Bills replacement comes from the AFC North or South

Jacksonville doesn't make sense as the NFL wouldn't want two Florida teams in the division.

Pittsburgh is the anchor of the AFC North - and the Steelers-Brown rivalry is something they probably don't want to break up.

While I'd love to see the Colts back in our division I think the NFL will probably want to keep at least one decent team in the AFC South.

My guess is that Baltimore is the likely candidate to get bumped into the AFC East, for logistical and balance of power purposes.... and after all, the only reason the Colts were previously in our division is because they used to be the Baltimore Colts.

Any other theories out there on what the best AFC & AFC East would look like if the Bills move west?

 

[Seymour93]

Buffalo is a dump and a horrible market, however it's not going to happen, there's just too much history. The Los Angeles Bills...yikes.

 

[JoeSixPat]

it's not going to happen, there's just too much history.

You might have a point. It'd kindof be like moving the Brooklyn Dodgers to California.

 

[Seymour93]

You might have a point. It'd kindof be like moving the Brooklyn Dodgers to California.

But there's not two other NFL franchises in the Buffalo area, is there?

 

[Fanfrom1960]

Buffalo is a dump and a horrible market, however it's not going to happen, there's just too much history. The Los Angeles Bills...yikes.

Makes about as much sense as the Los Angeles Lakers. Seen many lakes around LA lately?

 

[IcyPatriot]

Not exactly but a recent PFT report cited a League source suggesting that of all the teams thought to be candidates for a move to LA LA Land, the Bills make the most sense

This story goes with this thread...

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060329/SPORTS11/603290478/1059

Before he retires as commissioner, Paul Tagliabue would like to see the NFL get closer to returning a team to Los Angeles.
While Tagliabue plans to leave in July -- if the owners can get together and find a successor by then -- a solution to the situation doesn't figure to come that soon.

Two sites are being considered, in Anaheim and at the current location of the Los Angeles Coliseum, each with cost estimates at $800 million, considerably higher than previous price tags. Tagliabue is eager to see a franchise return to Los Angeles, which was abandoned by the Raiders and the Rams after the 1994 season -- then failed to come up with public financing for an expansion team, which went to Houston beginning in 2002.

2 birds with one stone...get rid of the Bills is a great idea.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Past & Future

Al Davis is waiting patiently. He has made sure that he has signed no long term agreement with Oakland and has made claear, in Court, that Oakland has not lived up to its agereements on Stadium improvement or revenues.

He has insured a initial fan base in LA with his previous stint there. And he has protected himself from League interferance by claiming that he owns LA and they drove him out, the first time & did not let him bvuild a stadium.

Besides why should there be two teams in the Bay area?. Its population is tiny and not even in the top 15. By population measures a dozen other metropolitan areas deserve to have two teams more than the Bay area does.

Welcome home the past and future LA raiders...

 

[JoeSixPat]

So does everyone agree that the Baltimore Ravens are the most likely replacement in the AFC East?

 

[Major **********]

I think the Texans would make the most sense. New franchise, doesn't have any rivalirys. The NFC east has a Texas team in it so why not the AFC East. Houston is closer to the east coast than Dallas anyway.

 

[CrazyDave]

So does everyone agree that the Baltimore Ravens are the most likely replacement in the AFC East?

It would make sense given the history of the Baltimore Colts.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Do not discount the following that the Bills have in upstate NY and in Ontario. Anyone north of Westchester county is a Bills fan. Remember the Bills are the ONLY NFL team that actually plays in New York State. No way, the good people of Buffalo let their Bills go to LA LA land. The reason that the NFL has failed in LA, is that there simply is not enough Americans left in LA. Look at the recent events in LA, this is a city where the US team GOT BOOED, by the crowd in LA during a US v. Mexico communist football match. The only Bill that goes over well in LA is OJ! Would an NFL team do well in Orange County/anahiem yes, but in LA no.

The Bills finsihed 8th in the league in homa attendancefrom Bills Daily)
Bills Finish 8th In Attendance: The Bills filled 97% of the seats over the entire season at Ralph Wilson Stadium this season. That was good for an average game attendance of 71,800 people per game which was eighth best in the league. The Bills sold out seven of eight games this year and have sold out 15 of their last 16 home games. They have ranked in the top 10 13 times in the last 15 seasons. It helps that The Ralph is the seventh largest stadium in the league. The only game not to sellout this year was the Halloween battle with the Cardinals.

And you can't blame the good people of Buffalo for not coming out for the Cardinals, the team, if any, that should be moved to LA.

Again, a town who fills 71,800 seats a game, for a bad team, does not deserve to have it's team given away to Mexicans!

 

[minvardar]

Do not discount the following that the Bills have in upstate NY and in Ontario. Anyone north of Westchester county is a Bills fan. Remember the Bills are the ONLY NFL team that actually plays in New York State. No way, the good people of Buffalo let their Bills go to LA LA land. The reason that the NFL has failed in LA, is that there simply is not enough Americans left in LA. Look at the recent events in LA, this is a city where the US team GOT BOOED, by the crowd in LA during a US v. Mexico communist football match. The only Bill that goes over well in LA is OJ! Would an NFL team do well in Orange County/anahiem yes, but in LA no.

The Bills finsihed 8th in the league in homa attendancefrom Bills Daily)
Bills Finish 8th In Attendance: The Bills filled 97% of the seats over the entire season at Ralph Wilson Stadium this season. That was good for an average game attendance of 71,800 people per game which was eighth best in the league. The Bills sold out seven of eight games this year and have sold out 15 of their last 16 home games. They have ranked in the top 10 13 times in the last 15 seasons. It helps that The Ralph is the seventh largest stadium in the league. The only game not to sellout this year was the Halloween battle with the Cardinals.

And you can't blame the good people of Buffalo for not coming out for the Cardinals, the team, if any, that should be moved to LA.

Again, a town who fills 71,800 seats a game, for a bad team, does not deserve to have it's team given away to Mexicans!

I lived near LA for 3 years and I can tell you most fans are indifferent about having a football team there. I mean there must be a good reason NFL teams keep leaving the area. One of the problems is that there are not alot of native Californians in the LA area. They all have left the area to people who come to live there from all parts of the USA.. people who already have allegiances to other teams.

 

[Coast2CoastPatsFan]

I've said this many times and I'll say it again.......if any team relocates to the LA area it's going to be the San Diego Chargers. The situation between the Chargers and the City of San Diego is a mess and seems headed for an ugly divorce.

 

[patchick]

Al Davis is waiting patiently...

Besides why should there be two teams in the Bay area?. Its population is tiny and not even in the top 15. By population measures a dozen other metropolitan areas deserve to have two teams more than the Bay area does.

Can't argue with on on Al Davis, but I do disagree on the Bay area. It's not about San Francisco anymore...it's now a solid, dense metropolitan area ringing the whole Bay and inching farther and farther out into the hinterlands. San Jose alone is the 10th biggest city in America, and some relatively anonymous suburbs like Fremont are in the top 100. But more importantly, the area clearly has the economy to support the teams, with lots of affluent people and businesses. And that's what, IMO, will ultimately bring Buffalo down. The Bills can fill the stadium, but how many $250 team jerseys can they sell?

 

[upstater1]

Read FreeTedWilliams' post. And then read it again. I live in Buffalo, in the city, and I can tell you that this team definitely has a lot more support than a dozen other NFL teams. When you consider that this team hasn't been to the playoffs in a decade, that's pretty solid support. One of the losing franchises in the NFL draws the 8th most fans to its games. Who knows, they may move them, but it's surely not because there's a lack of support.

 

[upstater1]

Can't argue with on on Al Davis, but I do disagree on the Bay area. It's not about San Francisco anymore...it's now a solid, dense metropolitan area ringing the whole Bay and inching farther and farther out into the hinterlands. San Jose alone is the 10th biggest city in America, and some relatively anonymous suburbs like Fremont are in the top 100. But more importantly, the area clearly has the economy to support the teams, with lots of affluent people and businesses. And that's what, IMO, will ultimately bring Buffalo down. The Bills can fill the stadium, but how many $250 team jerseys can they sell?

You're talking about upstate NY, not only the Buffalo area. There are a lot of people who live upsgtate.

 

[upstater1]

The only irony if FTW's post is that Ted Williams is Mexican!!

 

[nescott]

Unless they get a new stadium soon, they will be the LA Bills see ya Buffalo.

They Move LA Bills to West, KC to AFC North and Baltimore to east

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Do not discount the following that the Bills have in upstate NY and in Ontario. Anyone north of Westchester county is a Bills fan. Remember the Bills are the ONLY NFL team that actually plays in New York State. No way, the good people of Buffalo let their Bills go to LA LA land. The reason that the NFL has failed in LA, is that there simply is not enough Americans left in LA. Look at the recent events in LA, this is a city where the US team GOT BOOED, by the crowd in LA during a US v. Mexico communist football match. The only Bill that goes over well in LA is OJ! Would an NFL team do well in Orange County/anahiem yes, but in LA no.

The Bills finsihed 8th in the league in homa attendancefrom Bills Daily)
Bills Finish 8th In Attendance: The Bills filled 97% of the seats over the entire season at Ralph Wilson Stadium this season. That was good for an average game attendance of 71,800 people per game which was eighth best in the league. The Bills sold out seven of eight games this year and have sold out 15 of their last 16 home games. They have ranked in the top 10 13 times in the last 15 seasons. It helps that The Ralph is the seventh largest stadium in the league. The only game not to sellout this year was the Halloween battle with the Cardinals.

And you can't blame the good people of Buffalo for not coming out for the Cardinals, the team, if any, that should be moved to LA.

Again, a town who fills 71,800 seats a game, for a bad team, does not deserve to have it's team given away to Mexicans!

The annual budget battle in NY is waged between Upstate and the City - taxpayers know which one has the voting edge. The City allowed the Jets to move to New Jersey, politically there is no reason to think the State 'ahem' government would make any great sacrifice of ill-gotten gains to keep the Bills in Buffalo. What will be interesting is looking into Ralphie's heirs and their ties to Buffalo, assuming the estate taxes wouldn't automatically kill the bison that laid the brown egg.

 

[patchick]

The annual budget battle in NY is waged between Upstate and the City - taxpayers know which one has the voting edge.

Very much like Massachusetts, actually...have you seen the condition of the key bridges in Western Mass lately?

assuming the estate taxes wouldn't automatically kill the bison that laid the brown egg.

That is a seriously nasty bit of mixed metaphor, man.