| Randolph Charlotin. 25th October, 2007 - 2:50 pm
 It isn't a surprise that Buffalo voiced their interest in playing a preseason game, and possibly a regular season game, in Canada. As a small market team, they need as many fans as possible from outside Buffalo to generate revenue. Already about 15,000 fans cross the border to attend home games. It makes perfect business sense to increase the fan base in any way possible.
It's the same thinking that inspires the NFL to play preseason games in Mexico and Japan. Heck, Miami hosts the New York Giants in London, England this week.
If Buffalo gets all the approvals needed, the Bills will play in Toronto at the Rogers Centre. It's a state-of-the-art stadium with a retractable roof. It’s a huge step up from Orchard Park.
While it would be great to play in a modernized facility once or twice a year, why should it be just once a year? If Bills owner Ralph Wilson really wants what's best for his franchise he should do more than just play a game across the border. This should be the first step in making the Bills a franchise like a big market team.
This isn't about moving the Bills. But some strategic decisions must be made for the future profitability of the franchise. First and foremost a new stadium is a must. A new facility would have modern luxury boxes that owners desire and more built into the stadium. As expected all the bells and whistles would be built in to satisfy the fans as well as appeal to future free agents.
Now that the need for a new stadium is established, the next step is where it will be built. With the Bills reaching out to their Canadian fans, Staying in the same area is out of the question. It’s a 90-mile drive for Canadians to attend a game. Imagine how many more would buy tickets if the team was closer. Three corporate suites went unsold in Orchard Park this year. With a location more appealing to Canadians, not only would those boxes be sold, but also a waiting list could develop. A move just outside Buffalo will anger Bills fans, but loyal fans will follow.
This brand spankin’ new stadium should be built in Niagara. This move would be pivotal to turning the franchise into a major market team. Instead of being a team for a town, the Bills would represent a region.
It is a change that continues to benefit the Patriots. When the Pats were the Boston Patriots, only Massachusetts cared. When they expanded to New England, it was an invitation for the other five states in the region to support their pro team. Now on Sundays, fans from as far away as Maine make trips to Gillette Stadium.
OK, so now the Bills represent the Niagara region. A name change should follow. There's no need to go overboard with a name change. We don't want what Major League Baseball has: The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. So that means no Buffalo Bills Now of Niagara. The Niagara Bills have a good ring to it. Keep it short and simple. Yeah, you lose the alliteration, but the gain will be much more.
By becoming the Niagara Bills, they can gain additional revenue from tourists. I'm yet to hear anybody say, "I want to go to Buffalo, New York for vacation." What's in Buffalo? Cold weather, big snowstorms, and plenty of foods that contribute to heart disease. Travelers can get those throughout the northern part of the US. There's a lack of a unique landmark that would draw people from all over.
Hello Niagara Falls. Millions of people from all over go to see annually. And while tourists are there, they can take in a Niagara Bills game on Sunday after witnessing the actual Falls. There's no shame in piggybacking off of Niagara Falls. It's creative marketing.
And what better way to associate than to incorporate Niagara Falls into the stadium. No, I'm not talking build the stadium with part of the Falls in it. I’m thinking build a fountain in the endzone designed to look like Niagara Falls. And with every touchdown scored, just like the Milwaukee Brewers have mascot Bernie Brewer go down a slide into a mug of suds after every homerun, a caricature should take a plunge over the Falls Fountain in a barrel. The mascot's name isn't important. Nicky Niagra, Barry Barrel, Pio Sagapolutele. If Pittsburgh can come up with the friendly Steely McBeam than any semi-clever name will work.
And when the stadium is built, the water is flowing from Falls Fountain, the home opener is sold out, corporate boxes filled with suits, the final move is to have Lee Majors perform the coin flip before the opening kickoff. He would do as his television character “The Fall Guy,” in homage to the numerous real-life daredevils that went over Niagara Falls and lived to talk about it.
And that’s the blueprint for how to make the Bills a major market team. If all principles are applied correctly, the Bills will rise to the levels of Dallas, New York, and New England.
Seriously, it could happen. |
