Consequences Regarding the Toronto Bills Possibility

by SS Reporters

The Buffalo Bills are in danger of moving to Toronto likely once Ralph Wilson croaks. The likely move will be to Toronto, the largest city in Canada. Let's go on a little discussion on the possible outcomes on revenue, tourism, and fans.

Where Would the Bills Play?

This is the Rogers Center in downtown Toronto, and the likely location for Buffalo should they move there. It seats 53,000 for football, and it would be the smallest stadium based on attendance, with Ralph Wilson Stadium currently seating 73,000.

Impact

• Canada, especially Toronto, is well known for mass transit, and with railroads and buses, going to the Rogers Center is quite easy.
• The Bills would have to share their field with The Toronto Blue Jays, the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL, and potentially new soccer club Toronto FC of the MLS (those are for friendlies, not a permanent move).
• Rogers Centre uses field turf instead of AstroPlay, as used in Buffalo.

With one team currently using the Rogers Centre, will there be a new stadium built, or a team moving to a different stadium?

To my knowledge, no new stadium will be built in Toronto. As for the question of moving to a new stadium, there have been rumors of the Argos moving to BMO Field, currently occupied by Toronto FC and the Canadian Rugby teams. Now in the CFL, playing on a Sunday during the regular season, so the Argos playing on a Saturday while the Bills play on a Sunday would likely be fine. The CFL season ends in November, and the NFL could very well be capable of scheduling around their Canadian counterparts.

Comparing the Two Cities

Population:

Buffalo: Less than 300,000 population.

Toronto: Approx. 6,000,000.

Football Success:

Toronto Argonauts: 15 Grey Cups.

Buffalo Bills: 0 Super Bowls.

Professional Sports Teams:

Toronto: 9

Buffalo: 6

Is Football a Popular Sport in Canada?

It is right behind soccer, hockey, and lacrosse as widely played sports. The CFL averages around 30,000 people per game (only 3 teams in the CFL have stadiums over 40,000).

Toronto: The Best Place for the Bills?

I'm not so sure. Canada loves their sports, but Toronto is a city that sticks to the Leafs no matter how much they plan to suck. Now Toronto FC, in it's 1st year in the MLS, set attendance records for the league. They are a soccer and hockey town, but based on infrastructure and the tourism dollars that will also be affected (thus improving the economy), Toronto would be the best place to hold a new franchise.

Should they even move?

That's up to them, but for me, I'd say keep them in Buffalo, it's a proud franchise for their fans, and it would be sad to see them move away. For the guys in suits, they probably see a larger market, a potentially larger fan base, the league sees more money coming in, and tickets would be snapped up quickly for Canada's first NFL team.

I've done my part, what's your opinion?

As seen on SSR.

LASportsblogAAA-er

791 days ago

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How do you have Toronto FC playing at Rogers Centere when they already play at BMO Field?

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LASportsblogAAA-er

791 days ago

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I should read closer and I'll go ahead and tell myself to "shut the hell up". But I still ponder what would make them move from BMO to Rogers?

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SSreportersLegend

791 days ago

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Friendly matches, special games, something like that.

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SSreportersLegend

791 days ago

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Not a permanent move, but select games. I didn't clarify that.

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LASportsblogAAA-er

791 days ago

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For sure I get ya SSR, I'm interested in seeing an NFL team in Canada because they are passionate about their sports in some key markets. I don't think the CFL or their fans are very interested though. I guess it depends how much power CFL has with the city governments.

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The PipDiv-I Stud

791 days ago

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Toronto getting a team before LA, that would be priceless. I see it working, Toronto is a city big enough to compete with any American city. 6 million people! Even in canadian people that's a number that can support an NFL franchise. There would absolutely NEED to be a new stadium built. The Rogers Centre was built for baseball first and the CFL 2nd. It cannot support an NFL team for more than 5 years. You need 60,000 seats to support an NFL team.

There are a few chinks in this plan for Toronto: 1) This plan is dependant upon the WIlson family needing liquidity after Ralph passes. Well if he dies in 2010 ther is not Inheritance tax that year so the team won't have to go through what the Miami Dolphins went through. 2) He may seel the team to a family member beofre he passes, again offsetting the need to pay an inheritance tax. 3) Someone was smart enough to get him an insurance policy large enough to cover an tax liability upon his death. 4) The NFL may force the team to LA.....

Either way this remains an interesting discussion. I am not opposed to a franchise in Toronto.

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TylersaltAll-Star

790 days ago

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Even in canadian people that's a number that can support an NFL franchise.

LOL	Now, that was funny!

Even though it's not all that funny anymore because the Canadian dollar is worth just as much if not more as the US dollar right now.

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RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer

791 days ago

Score 1

I think if the Bills move, LA will be their destination. I hope they don't. My dad's from Buffalo, so half my family's out there. That whole region is nuts about the Bills. The problem is, there's very little money out there. The Bills are upstate New York's team, and their domain stretches as east as Albany, but there's so little money there. In other words, less luxury boxes. And the luxury box crowd doesn't travel 300 miles to go to a game anyway.

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M0TT0Tee-Baller

131 days ago

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Buffallo Bills Upstate NY's team? You're joking right? Why the hell would the other half of upstate which is 3-4 hours from Buffalo root for a team that has never won anything?

They are clearly NOT Upstate NY's team. They're WESTERN NY's team.

Utica = Giants

Albany = Giants

Binghamton = Giants

Shit, East of Syracuse nobody gives a shit about them.

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M0TT0Tee-Baller

131 days ago

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Nice try dude. Who the fuck would root for the Bills (gasp) when theres the Giants and Jets?

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RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer

131 days ago

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Yeah Binghamton is Southern Tier, not upstate. Sure there are plenty Jets and Giants fans Upstate, but you make it seem like east of Rochester NOBODY'S heard of them, and that's simply not true.

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Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

790 days ago

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Toronto will never have a NFL team. Half of the league is not allowed to cross the border.

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TylersaltAll-Star

790 days ago

Score 2

LOL	Now, that was funny!

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Anonymous Fanatic #1

697 days ago

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First off the metro population of Buffalo is over 1 million despite the city at 300,000 and the City of Toronto itself is not 6 million, that would be metro as well. Also I am sure they could stuff more seats into Skydome or whatever its called for American football as the field with endzones is 30 yards shorter. Regardless an NFL only stadium would eventually need to be built for the Toronto team to have a stadium up to the standards of the rest of the NFL.

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