64 replies to this topic

[JPS]

I have to believe the lack of attendance for the final home games is going to be unprecedented.  I think you'll be lucky to get 50,000 people in the stands.

My question is this: Why would anyone go see the Bills from here on out?  Why would anyone watch at all??

[Thisistheyear]

50,000 is a stretch.  It's sad, but I'm happy that the remaining home games will be blacked out thus allowing me to concentrate on good games.  Last week, w/ no Bill's game, my Sunday was fantastic.  I watched good football all day, the Red Zone channel was switching rapid fire style between the three concurrent overtime games and I wasn't exposed to the futility known as Ryan Fitzpatrick.

[DC Tom]

"Unprecedented"?  As I recall, around '83-'84, the Bills were getting 25k for home games.

So yeah, maybe it's unprecedented, if you're an eight year old...

[RkFast]

Normally I support a boycott fully. Lots of NY Mets fans have stayed away and I think it might be working, to some degree.

But the Bills are a different animal and the region needs to show that whore Goodell that WNY is a viable market for NFL football and a few empty games might tip the scale in favor of moving the team.

[sodbuster]

I don't know if not showing up really creates an impact, especially if you have already paid admission. I know it isn't realistic, but what would send a bigger message: 10k empty seats, or 10k fans clad in paper bags? People react to what they see, not what they don't see.

[zonabb]

RkFast, on 26 November 2012 - 05:34 PM, said:

Normally I support a boycott fully. Lots of NY Mets fans have stayed away and I think it might be working, to some degree.

But the Bills are a different animal and the region needs to show that whore Goodell that WNY is a viable market for NFL football and a few empty games might tip the scale in favor of moving the team.

Sorry but going proves nothing. I have three games left and won't waste my time after wasting my money. This fallacy that going proves this region is legit has one fatal flaw... It's not a viable region. Economically it continues to decline and any new jobs are largely back office, low paying jobs. Population continues to decline and, a double whammy, continues to age. The NFL stadium exeprience is a young, relatively young person's event. The older crowd, and I don't blame them, isn't up for the BS in the stands.

Let's be honest about what Buffalo is. Let's also be honest about what the NFL is... A sport with owners more focused on growing the game (see profit at all costs) than making what it has better. Bigger is better to them and that means getting teams in large markets when possible (like an ownership change for example) and putting expansion teams in stupid places (London) just
For the sake of short term gains rather than long term sustainability.

My feeling, some because of contacts I have in local govt, the rest from my realistic understanding of what Buffalo is and isn't and how that doesn't fit the NFL ideal, tells me this team is gone. The lease is dragging because of the high costs of improvements and the lack of a long term commitment by the team. Last I heard the improvements were being scaled way back to mainly necessary repairs and minimal game day improvements. All that leads to is the realization that the county isn't willing to go all in, as they've suggested in the past, because of concerns over this owner's commitment and willingness to mke some assurances.

So not only am I to going, im not returning next season. Choose as you will, but don't think for one second that your attendance means anything.

[Captain Hindsight]

JPS, on 26 November 2012 - 05:24 PM, said:

I have to believe the lack of attendance for the final home games is going to be unprecedented.  I think you'll be lucky to get 50,000 people in the stands.

My question is this: Why would anyone go see the Bills from here on out?  Why would anyone watch at all??

Ill be there in 2 weeks. Why? Because I love football.

[JPS]

Captain Hindsight, on 26 November 2012 - 05:57 PM, said:

Ill be there in 2 weeks. Why? Because I love football.

I respect that, but what makes you think you're going to see it at the Ralph?

[Rob's House]

JPS, on 26 November 2012 - 05:24 PM, said:

I have to believe the lack of attendance for the final home games is going to be unprecedented.  I think you'll be lucky to get 50,000 people in the stands.

My question is this: Why would anyone go see the Bills from here on out?  Why would anyone watch at all??

Because I like it.

[TheMadCap]

zonabb, on 26 November 2012 - 05:50 PM, said:

Sorry but going proves nothing. I have three games left and won't waste my time after wasting my money. This fallacy that going proves this region is legit has one fatal flaw... It's not a viable region. Economically it continues to decline and any new jobs are largely back office, low paying jobs. Population continues to decline and, a double whammy, continues to age. The NFL stadium exeprience is a young, relatively young person's event. The older crowd, and I don't blame them, isn't up for the BS in the stands.

Let's be honest about what Buffalo is. Let's also be honest about what the NFL is... A sport with owners more focused on growing the game (see profit at all costs) than making what it has better. Bigger is better to them and that means getting teams in large markets when possible (like an ownership change for example) and putting expansion teams in stupid places (London) just
For the sake of short term gains rather than long term sustainability.

My feeling, some because of contacts I have in local govt, the rest from my realistic understanding of what Buffalo is and isn't and how that doesn't fit the NFL ideal, tells me this team is gone. The lease is dragging because of the high costs of improvements and the lack of a long term commitment by the team. Last I heard the improvements were being scaled way back to mainly necessary repairs and minimal game day improvements. All that leads to is the realization that the county isn't willing to go all in, as they've suggested in the past, because of concerns over this owner's commitment and willingness to mke some assurances.

So not only am I to going, im not returning next season. Choose as you will, but don't think for one second that your attendance means anything.

A new owner committed to the region negates a large portion of your third paragraph...

[marauderswr80]

sodbuster, on 26 November 2012 - 05:43 PM, said:

I don't know if not showing up really creates an impact, especially if you have already paid admission. I know it isn't realistic, but what would send a bigger message: 10k empty seats, or 10k fans clad in paper bags? People react to what they see, not what they don't see.

Youd kill them in concessions though! Parking too!

[tgreg99]

RkFast, on 26 November 2012 - 05:34 PM, said:

Normally I support a boycott fully. Lots of NY Mets fans have stayed away and I think it might be working, to some degree.

But the Bills are a different animal and the region needs to show that whore Goodell that WNY is a viable market for NFL football and a few empty games might tip the scale in favor of moving the team.

I believe this is what's called STOCKHOLM SYNDROME.

Kudos to Ralph, his marketing plan for the past 30 years has worked wonders.

[snafu]

Why boycott?  They won't care you if you go and they won't care if you stay home.  If I still lived in the area and already had tickets, I would go.  Remember 2 and 14 seasons and when Ronnie Harmon was our star player?  Times have been worse.  I know I risk sounding like a tool, but show some support for the players and even the coaching staff. Do you think they're not trying?  Do you think that the other teams just show up and act like cardboard cutouts? I'm really just as pissed off as anyone else about the results this year and the stupid coaching moves, but I would still go to the games if I had a chance.

Edited by snafu, 26 November 2012 - 06:34 PM.

[Hater]

Why not do a walkout during the game, as protest over the Coaching Staff,QB & Management failures, you'd be on live TV, you know it would all over the the sports news, that's way better than a boycott.

[Captain Hindsight]

JPS, on 26 November 2012 - 06:03 PM, said:

I respect that, but what makes you think you're going to see it at the Ralph?

Thats what the ticket says...

[Jim in Anchorage]

Matt183, on 26 November 2012 - 06:50 PM, said:

Why not do a walkout during the game, as protest over the Coaching Staff,QB & Management failures, you'd be on live TV, you know it would all over the the sports news, that's way better than a boycott.

When I went to Bills games in the 80's there where walk outs every game. Not protests but boredom. No one cared.

[Kipers Hair]

It was only a matter of time before this dumb ass idea popped up again...Enough already...attend....dont attend, it does not matter.

[Buftex]

DC Tom, on 26 November 2012 - 05:33 PM, said:

"Unprecedented"?  As I recall, around '83-'84, the Bills were getting 25k for home games.

So yeah, maybe it's unprecedented, if you're an eight year old...

I think I was one of about 18,000 at Rich Stadium in 1985, when they got one of their two wins of the season, against the Oilers.  Shut em out if I recall!!!  Now, everyone says they were there!

[JPS]

Buftex, on 26 November 2012 - 07:19 PM, said:

I think I was one of about 18,000 at Rich Stadium in 1985, when they got one of their two wins of the season, against the Oilers.  Shut em out if I recall!!!  Now, everyone says they were there!

That was actually my 1st year of season tix.  It's one where they announced approx 42,000 attendance and you look around and say "riiiight".

[Chandemonium]

No boycott for me. I'll be there for the last game of the season whether the team is 4-11, 8-7, or anywhere in between at that point, because I'll be back in western ny for Christmas at that point and it'll be my only opportunity to go to a game this year. Until then I'll continue watching every game on Sunday ticket, just like I have been all season.