Bills may play in Toronto

[OMMF]

Teams named VIKINGS and LIONS belong OUT OF DOORS, in the COLD!!!!

Vikings I'll give you, maybe. But playing outside just because they are named the Lions? Not unless you are Tibetan.

[quantum]

Teams named VIKINGS and LIONS belong OUT OF DOORS, in the COLD!!!!

Vikings I'll give you, maybe. But playing outside just because they are named the Lions? Not unless you are Tibetan.

Sure, and while we're at it, the Dolphins field should be flooded. Seriously, even the real Vikings didn't languish in the harsh conditions that the Bud Grant era Vikings did. Most fans want a stadium with a retractable roof to enjoy nice weather. Otherwise, bring on the climate controlled venue. Personally, I think southern teams playing indoors is worse than northern teams doing so.

As for the Bills playing in Toronto, it's great if it keeps the team in the region. Thing could be worse for fans.

[Breakwood]

As for the Bills playing in Toronto, it's great if it keeps the team in the region. Thing could be worse for fans.

I agree. Now I'm kinda biased as it would be cool to have an NFL team here, and I don't really care where it comes from. But if the Bills move, it's not like they will have moved all that far, only 1.5 hour drive away. Hell it's almost like moving the Giants or Jets to Queens.

[Mac the Knife]

As for the Bills playing in Toronto, it's great if it keeps the team in the region. Thing could be worse for fans.

I agree. Now I'm kinda biased as it would be cool to have an NFL team here, and I don't really care where it comes from. But if the Bills move, it's not like they will have moved all that far, only 1.5 hour drive away. Hell it's almost like moving the Giants or Jets to Queens.

Yeah, except for that being in another nation thing...

[Breakwood]

As for the Bills playing in Toronto, it's great if it keeps the team in the region. Thing could be worse for fans.

I agree. Now I'm kinda biased as it would be cool to have an NFL team here, and I don't really care where it comes from. But if the Bills move, it's not like they will have moved all that far, only 1.5 hour drive away. Hell it's almost like moving the Giants or Jets to Queens.

Yeah, except for that being in another nation thing...

If 25% of the Bills current attendance is from Canada, it should be able to work the other way around also.

[leopard88]

As for the Bills playing in Toronto, it's great if it keeps the team in the region. Thing could be worse for fans.

I agree. Now I'm kinda biased as it would be cool to have an NFL team here, and I don't really care where it comes from. But if the Bills move, it's not like they will have moved all that far, only 1.5 hour drive away. Hell it's almost like moving the Giants or Jets to Queens.

Landover, MD is much closer to Baltimore than that, but that didn't mean Baltimore Bullets fans thought that move was no big deal. It is less about the actual distance than it is about the perception that the team is in a different market.

Moving the Jets or Giants to Queens isn't nearly the same because those two teams have always been part of the New York City market (even though they play across the Hudson in New Jersey).

[CC97]

Toronto is home to far more NFL fans than football fans

FYP.

It's a "Leaf Fans v Hockey Fans" kinda thing, I think.

I imagine the NFL would be even happier to be in Toronto if their residents were mostly NFL rather than just football fans.

[Mac the Knife]

The deal will be announced today by Roger Goodell in his "state of the NFL" address: the Bills will play EIGHT 'home' games in Toronto over a five year period (2008-2012). The report also reiterated that when Ralph Wilson dies, the team's going on the auction block to the highest bidder.

[CC97]

The deal will be announced today by Roger Goodell in his "state of the NFL" address: the Bills will play EIGHT 'home' games in Toronto over a five year period (2008-2012). The report also reiterated that when Ralph Wilson dies, the team's going on the auction block to the highest bidder.

the eight had been rumoured as one-regular season game per year, and one-pre-season game every other year

now re-name the team the Buffalo-Toronto Bills and we'll be happier

[JustForFun]

now re-name the team the Buffalo-Toronto Bills and we'll be happier

That name doesn't make any sense. How about the "Niagara Falls"?

[CC97]

now re-name the team the Buffalo-Toronto Bills and we'll be happier

That name doesn't make any sense. How about the "Niagara Falls"?

Great Lakes Internationals... good soccer name

[JustForFun]

now re-name the team the Buffalo-Toronto Bills and we'll be happier

That name doesn't make any sense. How about the "Niagara Falls"?

Great Lakes Internationals... good soccer name

The Toronto-Buffalo Argobills ... aka the TBA.

[JH42XCC]

The deal will be announced today by Roger Goodell in his "state of the NFL" address: the Bills will play EIGHT 'home' games in Toronto over a five year period (2008-2012). The report also reiterated that when Ralph Wilson dies, the team's going on the auction block to the highest bidder.

IMO, I hope the Bills stay in Buffalo for a long time even after Ralph Wilson dies, and not move to Toronto; however, if the Bills DO move to Toronto, then the Toronto Argonauts would have to either one of these 4 possibilities:

1. move to Hamilton and share Ivor Wynne Stadium with the Tiger-Cats (similar to how the Giants and Jets share Giants Stadium and will share a new Meadowlands Stadium together in the future);

2. merge with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, therefore becoming the Hamilton Argo-Cats (say that 5 times fast!);

3. deal with the Bills move and have them share Rogers Centre for a couple of seasons before the Bills move to a new stadium, which would be built somewhere in or around Toronto; or

4. fold altogether and take the entire Canadian Football League with them, costing Canada their own professional football league.

[Brian in Boston]

The Toronto-Buffalo Argobills ... aka the TBA.

I believe they've narrowed the options down to either the Torontalo Argills or the Buffonto Bilgonauts.

[Brian in Boston]

... however, if the Bills DO move to Toronto, then the Toronto Argonauts would have to either one of these 4 possibilities:

1. move to Hamilton and share Ivor Wynne Stadium with the Tiger-Cats (similar to how the Giants and Jets share Giants Stadium and will share a new Meadowlands Stadium together in the future);

2. merge with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, therefore becoming the Hamilton Argo-Cats (say that 5 times fast!);

3. deal with the Bills move and have them share Rogers Centre for a couple of seasons before the Bills move to a new stadium, which would be built somewhere in or around Toronto; or

4. fold altogether and take the entire Canadian Football League with them, costing Canada their own professional football league.

5. Relocate to one of the following Eastern Canadian Metro Areas:

* Ottawa-Gatineau, ON/QC

* Quebec, QC

* London, ON

* Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge, ON

* Halifax, NS

* Windsor, ON

[tBBP]

Maybe it's just my outside point-of-view on this...but I don't see why the two teams COULDN'T co-exist in the same city.

Again...this is coming form an OUTSIDER'S perspective here.

For one...as far as scheduling goes, I only see like a 3-month overlap between the CFL and the NFL season (unless people get all really geeked about the NFL preseason ...doesn't the CFL season start in mike may or June or something like that?) And then the styles of play, to say nothing of the rules, are a GOOD bit different, IIRC. the CFL has a much bigger field, with the goalpost right at the goal lines (I can't help but think how many people have had collisions with those poles, in both leagues ), and, if I remember straight, don't you only get like 3 downs to advance the ball in the CFL? (I've only watched a few of the games, so I ain't really hip to all the subtle nuances just yet, so maybe those of you with more thorough knowledge can help a brotha out.)

The point I'm making, as an outsider here, is this: the brands of football are different enough to distinguish the two leagues, and two teams that (would be) in each league--the Argonauts, and the Bills, if they do move to Toronto (which I, for one, can see happening, especially with the way the NFL's pushing to "globalize" the game AND the brand). I don't know enough about the Canadian economy--actually, I don't know jack-$#*! about it--to know how the financials would play out and affect this whole thing or not, but hell--from what it seems, the Raptors get good fan support, so why wouldn't the Bills if they were to move there? Trust me--football fans would welcome more football. And if it gets a couple more native Canadians into the NFL, then hey--it's a win-win, you know? (At least I't think so.)

If the Bils were to move, though, I don't think that the Bills identity would be sticking with them for very long, meaning the NFL will have lost two of it's more iconic identities--first the Houston Oilers, and then the Buffalo Bills. Which leads me to my next question: if the move does happen, and the franchise rebrands, damn the nickname--what COLORS would they choose??? (I mean...ain't red and white the national colors? And then the Maple Leafs, for more or less, ARE "Toronto's Team", are they not? And lookie--the Bills already used blue and red, so, you know...just a lil' nugget for you all out there to chew on...)

[quantum]

now re-name the team the Buffalo-Toronto Bills and we'll be happier

That name doesn't make any sense. How about the "Niagara Falls"?

Great Lakes Internationals... good soccer name

The Toronto-Buffalo Argobills ... aka the TBA.

Goodbye Bills, hello Tatonka!

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Goodbye Bills, hello Tatonka!

?

[KevinMcD]

OK, here i go.

This is a horrible move. It is a money grab. Tickets are being sold for $250 a piece for 8 games so for $2000 people can see 3 preseason games and 5 neutral nfl games in december. They are obviously trying to get the rich Toronto business men in the seats and get them to show the NFL they can support a team for whenever Wilson dies.

The day he dies a group in Toronto will set up and make a high bid to Wilsons kids and take the team with them to Toronto. There is no way a Buffalo group could outbid a Toronto group, Toronto is a much richer city and Buffalo is just a blue collar city with nobody to buy the team. The NFL will agree because they dont care about Buffalo, and they want Toronto. It is the largest Canadien market, 4X the size of Buffalo, and 10X richer than the Queen City. The NFL wants Toronto's money and will get it once Wilson dies.

Sure Toronto is only 90 mins away and people from Toronto travel here for games, but guess what, they are the BUFFALO Bills and should stay in the Buffalo Metro area, and the USA. They are a huge economic boost for the area, they bring people here 10 times a year and many businesses gain alot from the team, We supported them for 47 years and why should they be ripped from us to put em in a foreign country. We have one of the most loud and loyal fanbases in the country and they'll move away to a quiet Toronto dome, which will be just like the Leafs games. Sure they sell out all the time but the "fans" are the rich Toronto businessmen who are only there to show their face and dont really care about the team. Same with the Leafs. They have real fans but they are priced out and cant get tickets. It wont be as fun to attend the games and will kill Buffalo.

What else does Buffalo have besides the Bills? The Sabres, nobody cares about the NHL anymore. We are losing jobs everyday, our economy is dying. If we lose the Bills it will kill our morale and nobody will come back to Buffalo. If the Bills move the city will die.

[DEAD!]

OK, here i go.

This is a horrible move. It is a money grab. Tickets are being sold for $250 a piece for 8 games so for $2000 people can see 3 preseason games and 5 neutral nfl games in december. They are obviously trying to get the rich Toronto business men in the seats and get them to show the NFL they can support a team for whenever Wilson dies.

The day he dies a group in Toronto will set up and make a high bid to Wilsons kids and take the team with them to Toronto. There is no way a Buffalo group could outbid a Toronto group, Toronto is a much richer city and Buffalo is just a blue collar city with nobody to buy the team. The NFL will agree because they dont care about Buffalo, and they want Toronto. It is the largest Canadien market, 4X the size of Buffalo, and 10X richer than the Queen City. The NFL wants Toronto's money and will get it once Wilson dies.

Sure Toronto is only 90 mins away and people from Toronto travel here for games, but guess what, they are the BUFFALO Bills and should stay in the Buffalo Metro area, and the USA. We supported them for 47 years and why should they be ripped from us to put em in a foreign country. We have one of the most loud and loyal fanbases in the country and they'll move away to a quiet Toronto dome, which will be just like the Leafs games. Sure they sell out all the time but the "fans" are the rich Toronto businessmen who are only there to show their face and dont really care about the team. Same with the Leafs. They have real fans but they are priced out and cant get tickets. It wont be as fun to attend the games and will kill Buffalo.

What else does Buffalo have besides the Bills? The Sabres, nobody cares about the NHL anymore. We are losing jobs everyday, our economy is dying. If we lose the Bills it will kill our morale and nobody will come back to Buffalo. If the Bills move the city will die.

Try telling all of that to Winnipeg Jets or Quebec Nordiques fans.