Trump To Buy The Bills?

[woolybug25]

Kinda old news here in WNY, but maybe not around the rest of the country.

What do y'all think? If he get's it, will he be the next crazy owner or would he be successful.

I know its a pretty popular pick here in Buffalo. Especially because he promises to keep the team in WNY.

Donald Trump interested in buying Buffalo Bills - ESPN

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."

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.

"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.

Multiple sources confirmed to the News that Trump has had two conversations with Bills president and CEO Russ Brandon.

 

[ACamp1900]

The last freaking thing pro sports needs is another self-serving owner ripping a team away from a loyal and passionate fan base...

ANY owner that keeps them in Buffalo will be a good thing.

My guess is he would interfere too much... who knows.


My guess is he would interfer too much...

 

[anarin]

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[woolybug25]

The last freaking thing pro sports needs is another self-serving owner ripping a team away from a loyal and passionate fan base...

ANY owner that keeps them in Buffalo will be a good thing.

My guess is he would interfere too much... who knows.


My guess is he would interfer too much...

I am sure he would. But is that necessarily a bad thing?

Look at what other meddling owners did.... at first.

Al Davis - Did he die a batshit crazy bastard? Sure... but in the beginning, he was a winner. His teams won three Super Bowls and appeared in five. He made "Da Rahda's" a huge name in all of sports. You loved him or hated him. That is marketeable.

Jerry Jones - He bought the Cowboys for $140M and turned it into $2.3B franchise, complete with "Jerry's World". Arguably the finest stadium in all of sports. He has also brought three Super Bowls to Dallas, the most of any team over the last 25 years.

Dan Snyder - While not as successful as the prior two, he hasn't been doing it as long. Meanwhile, he has certainly brought a different level of national exposure to the team with moves like hiring/firing Shanahan, Haynesworth, trading his draft for RG3 and trading for DeSean Jackson. He hasn't won a lot yet, but by damn he sure is going all in. Meanwhile, the club has consistently raked in profits despite mostly disappointing play on the field during Snyder's 15-year tenure as owner, thanks largely to a 27-year, $205-million stadium naming rights deal with FedEx that runs through 2025.


Now.... compare to this to the Bills. They have zero national exposure right now. Premier players aren't lining up in free agency for them. Shoot... they have been in constant rumor to be moved to Toronto. They need someone like Trump, imo... for better or worse.

 

[ACamp1900]

Why did I type that sentence twice??? strange...


Why did I type that sentence twice??? strange...

 

[Rhode Irish]

Don't you need actual money to buy an NFL team, not just play a rich guy on TV?

Wooly - Jones and Davis were actual football people to some degree, especially Davis, and they seem like were savvy guys before their age caught up to them. Can't say either of those things for the donald.

 

[woolybug25]

Don't you need actual money to buy an NFL team, not just play a rich guy on TV?

Wooly - Jones and Davis were actual football people to some degree, especially Davis, and they seem like were savvy guys before their age caught up to them. Can't say either of those things for the donald.

Actually, 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. So this isn't his first rodeo in football.

Trump might have had his insane financial blunders in the past. But he has never had more net worth than he does today. He has a net worth of $3.9B. That's $2B more than Dan Snyder, the third richest owner in the NFL.

Donald Trump - Forbes

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

He won't do it. He'll just talk about it. Just like running for president.

 

[woolybug25]

He won't do it. He'll just talk about it. Just like running for president.

He's bought a football team before.

He didn't run for president because it would have been a money draining venture that would have led in an embarrassing loss. There is a precendence of extremely rich people buying undervalued franchises and getting massive returns by utilizing their persona to create buzz.... that's kinda his specialty.

 

[Rhode Irish]

Actually, 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. So this isn't his first rodeo in football.

Trump might have had his insane financial blunders in the past. But he has never had more net worth than he does today. He has a net worth of $3.9B. That's $2B more than Dan Snyder, the third richest owner in the NFL.

Donald Trump - Forbes

Yeah, I saw the 30 for 30. I don't think running a league into the crowd out of pure bull headedness qualifies him as a football man. And I don't know if I would take the donald's word for it with respect to his net worth. I'm sure owns valuable assets with the real estate market cresting, but I question whether he has much liquidity and would come out of a market downturn in very good shape.

NFL owners should have stability because they are entrusted with what is essentially a community property. I don't think NFL owners would take Trump seriously as a buyer and therefore I don't think the conversation is worth having. I am rooting for the Bills to stay in WNY, but I don't think the donald is the answer.

 

[woolybug25]

Yeah, I saw the 30 for 30. I don't think running a league into the crowd out of pure bull headedness qualifies him as a football man. And I don't know if I would take the donald's word for it with respect to his net worth. I'm sure owns valuable assets with the real estate market cresting, but I question whether he has much liquidity and would come out of a market downturn in very good shape.

NFL owners should have stability because they are entrusted with what is essentially a community property. I don't think NFL owners would take Trump seriously as a buyer and therefore I don't think the conversation is worth having. I am rooting for the Bills to stay in WNY, but I don't think the donald is the answer.

I'm taking Forbe's word for it.

I can assure you that he has made a lot of money recently in some major real estate moves and The Apprentice.

The most valuable team in football is owned by the most unstable guy in the league (Jerry Jones) and the third most valuable is owned by the second most unstable (Dan Snyde). Then there are completely unstable guys like Jim Irsay, who run top notch franchises like the Colts.

Unstable works in the NFL. It's a proven commodity.

 

[Wild Bill]

Yeah, I saw the 30 for 30. I don't think running a league into the crowd out of pure bull headedness qualifies him as a football man. And I don't know if I would take the donald's word for it with respect to his net worth. I'm sure owns valuable assets with the real estate market cresting, but I question whether he has much liquidity and would come out of a market downturn in very good shape.

NFL owners should have stability because they are entrusted with what is essentially a community property. I don't think NFL owners would take Trump seriously as a buyer and therefore I don't think the conversation is worth having. I am rooting for the Bills to stay in WNY, but I don't think the donald is the answer.

I'm not a Forbes billionaire, sorry to say, but I doubt they relied on Trump's word. I suspect they did some research of their own.

You think his liquidity is a conern, huh? ok.

 

[Rhode Irish]

I'm taking Forbe's word for it.

I can assure you that he has made a lot of money recently in some major real estate moves and The Apprentice.

The most valuable team in football is owned by the most unstable guy in the league (Jerry Jones) and the third most valuable is owned by the second most unstable (Dan Snyde). Then there are completely unstable guys like Jim Irsay, who run top notch franchises like the Colts.

Unstable works in the NFL. It's a proven commodity.

Jerry and Snyder may be meddling owners, but I don't think they are unstable financially. And Irsay probably isn't either. But even if we're talking mental stability, he inherited the Colts, so it isn't like they approved him. Also, the Bills are in perilous shape to begin with, so the comparison to those teams/owners doesn't really hold up.

As far as taking his word, a lot of that kind of reporting depends on disclosures. If you don't want people to know exactly what you have, they won't. And if you do want them to (as Trump surely does), they will. And if you want to paint a picture that differs slightly from reality, you can - mainly by disclosing assets but not disclosing liabilities.

 

[no.1IrishFan]

The only reason I hope it doesn't happen is because The Donald doesn't know how to just participate in anything, he's got to be the center of it all.
He will be a loud-mouthed bafoon who takes no credit when he fails, but will pound his chest anytime something goes right.

This(him running an athletic organization) has been done before and it has shown us that he can't play nice unless everything is his way.

No thank you.

 

[Wild Bill]

Jerry and Snyder may be meddling owners, but I don't think they are unstable financially. And Irsay probably isn't either. But even if we're talking mental stability, he inherited the Colts, so it isn't like they approved him. Also, the Bills are in perilous shape to begin with, so the comparison to those teams/owners doesn't really hold up.

As far as taking his word, a lot of that kind of reporting depends on disclosures. If you don't want people to know exactly what you have, they won't. And if you do want them to (as Trump surely does), they will. And if you want to paint a picture that differs slightly from reality, you can - mainly by disclosing assets but not disclosing liabilities.

Nuke is going to lose his mind when he finds out you shit all over another thread.

 

[woolybug25]

As far as taking his word, a lot of that kind of reporting depends on disclosures. If you don't want people to know exactly what you have, they won't. And if you do want them to (as Trump surely does), they will. And if you want to paint a picture that differs slightly from reality, you can - mainly by disclosing assets but not disclosing liabilities.

He is the senior shareholder in a multitude of publically traded organizations. So most of his liabilities (senior debt) is public knowledge alongside his public wealth (public shares).

There is no way any off balance sheet transactions can override the billions he has in shares of public organizations.

EDGAR Search Results

 

[Rhode Irish]

Nuke is going to lose his mind when he finds out you shit all over another thread.

How did I do that?

 

[Irish8248]

Not happening

 

[ndfi78]

On one hand I would say no, because he is batshitcrazy.

On the other hand I would say yes, because he is batshitcrazy and I am not a Bills fan.

I'm leaning towards yes.

 

[irishfan]

Better than Bon Jovi buying them and hiring away Belichick.

 

[Irish Houstonian]

...Especially because he promises to keep the team in WNY...

Well, but that's what Aubrey McClendon said when he and his pals bought the Supersonics. You say whatever you need to say to get the team, and work the league and your lease later.

I could easily see Trump trying to move the team somewhere 'Trumpy' -- L.A, West Palm, New Jersey, etc.

His whole plan with the Generals was to get a New Jersey NFL franchise: move the league to the Fall, and then get absorbed into the NFL.

 

[woolybug25]

Well, but that's what Aubrey McClendon said when he and his pals bought the Supersonics. You say whatever you need to say to get the team, and work the league and your lease later.

I could easily see Trump trying to move the team somewhere 'Trumpy' -- L.A, West Palm, New Jersey, etc.

His whole plan with the Generals was to get a New Jersey NFL franchise: move the league to the Fall, and then get absorbed into the NFL.

Why would he move a team to a city where he has no business ties? LA and West Palm aren't "Trumpy" imo.

He and the current ownership (Ralph Wilson's wife) have both said that a purchase should include a longtem lease in WNY. I really think him moving the team would be a longshot and not even in his best interest.

 

[Monk]

Who's to say he doesn't buy the Bills and "keep them in Western New York" until the lease penalty is reduced from 400 million to 22 million in 2020. He never said he will keep them there forever and when another city comes calling and can increase the value of his franchise by 50% or more I bet he would move it. That being said, anyone could do the same thing.

As far as his financial status, he is a major shareholder in a number of casinos. The NFL does not want any of there owners to be affiliated with gambling of any kind, so he would potentially have to sell his shares which would be a considerable amount of cash (I forgot the amount, they were talking about it on SC).

After saying all of that I still would not mind him buying the franchise. He would bring them national attention and he probably is the best chance of them staying in Buffalo.