Bills may as well sell out completely

By Anthony Bialy  |   Friday, June 26, 2009  |  Comments( 45 )

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Call them the Buffalo Billboards. A new NFL rule allows teams to slap ads on practice jerseys, and reports claim the Buffalo Bills are naturally considering taking part. They haven’t chosen to participate, yet, but skinflint owner Ralph Wilson is exactly the type who would be willing to pimp out his players. That’s despite his continued exasperating unwillingness to maximize his money through a naming raffle.

Under the new rule, teams can surrender 3.5 inches by 4.5 inches of rehearsal garments to sellers. One team, the New York Jets, has already sold that space. They were the first to cave, as they’re sewing, or perhaps taping or stapling, ads to their practice shirts. Bet on the Bills following suit. It’s a cheap way to make money, especially for an owner who cries poverty while turning away easy cash.

Most glaringly, he still refuses to sell identification rights to the franchise’s grounds, perhaps because it would deprive him of an ego-stroking every time he walks into Ralph Wilson Stadium. There’s nothing classier than recognizing your own greatness in public. The only downside is that he’s not taking advantage of a remarkably easy income stream. It’s a continually curious move from an owner who can’t emphasize often enough how poor owning the Bills makes him.

If he won’t take a company’s money, Wilson could change the designation of his squad’s base to something more respectable. He could name the arena after a variety of worthy candidates connected to the franchise. Christening it after Bob Kalsu, Jack Kemp or Tim Russert would each serve as a respectively decent gesture.

And, while it may be a stretch to dub the arena after Jim Kelly, Hunter Kelly Stadium would serve as a fitting tribute to an inspirationally brave child while also bringing attention to an entirely worthy cause. Instead of honoring someone else or at least earning some cash, the Hall of Famer shamelessly makes the team’s venue a tribute to himself.

He could be working to improve his establishment on a broader scale, too. Wilson can demand free market restrictions every time salary cap or revenue-sharing issues rise to the forefront. But, if he was truly interested in his franchise’s financial standing, he’d be trying to spur growth in its small market as a forcefully omnipotent presence in area government. That would benefit both his team and the area it calls home.

Wilson doesn’t need to look far for a model: Sabres counterpart Tom Golisano is intimately involved in efforts to improve a state that’s been a trailblazer at intrusively ruining the economy.

The Sabres’ proprietor of course recently went as far as changing his ZIP code in protest. In response to New York’s odious record, Golisano shrugged like Atlas should have and ditched the Empire State for Florida. Of course, Wilson doesn’t live in the area to begin with, which may be why he’s never seemed concerned with anything other than his subsidized business.

If the Bills follow the Jets, it will be Wilson’s players who will suffer the indignity of practicing with business cards affixed to their practice gear. They should feel fortunate that current rules prohibit replacing their nameplates with gambling Web site addresses or phone numbers of ambulance-chasing law firms. The Bills may be willing to peddle their players’ decorum; the only thing that’s sadly not for sale is the building’s title.
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About Anthony Bialy

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CommentsComments: 45  |  Sign Up  View all comments
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No.1
09:35 AM
06/26/2009
I half expected Bialy to lay out his case for Michael Jackson being the best ever. Regarding the article written... who gives a...
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No.2
Goose		09:38 AM
06/26/2009
I hate the idea of teams sporting corporate logo patches---how minor league!!! I'm probably in the minority that I like the...
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No.3
Joma		11:46 AM
06/26/2009
I preferred Rich Stadium. Is it just a coincidence that the Bills have pretty much sucked ass since they changed the name to...
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