Buffalo Bills to Begin Play in Toronto in ‘08, Regular Season Schedule to Include Canada

Blogging the National Football League, Blogging the NFL

It was announced today that the Buffalo Bills will play an annual regular-season game in Toronto beginning this coming 2008 season through 2012. On the surface, it sounds like an exciting and adventurous attempt at expanding the team’s fan base, but I can’t help but think this marks the beginning of the end for football in Western New York. Isn’t this just a trial run to see what kind of support the city of Toronto gives the Bills? Based on the remarks from Buffalo owner Ralph Wilson, Bills fans don’t need to worry about the team leaving town — right now. But he admits Toronto is ready to support an NFL team:

“They’re building in Dallas, Texas, everywhere, cranes, brand-new structures. And I see the same thing here in Toronto … It’s no secret, Buffalo is diminishing in size … Hey, I can’t speculate what’s going to happen in the future. But don’t worry. Don’t worry right now.”

Mmm hmm. Don’t worry right now, but you can start worrying in the future. It sounds to me like the Bills are on their way out. In the meantime, this “regionalization” effort means more money for all involved. In fact, Toronto Blue Jays owner Ted Rogers and Larry Tanenbaum, the chairman of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, said “We’re going to charge high rates and we’re going to have all the seats sold.” Word is that ticket prices will average $250/seat as opposed to the $46 average cost in Buffalo. Rogers and Tanenbaum have formed a partnership to pursue an NFL franchise. The deal with the Bills is considered their first concrete step toward achieving that goal, and an opportunity to showcase Toronto’s potential to the league. Whether or not they get a team and whether or not that team is the potentially to-be-displaced Buffalo Bills is yet to be seen.

Nobody is coming out and saying exactly what the future holds because no one knows for sure. But if the city of Buffalo does eventually lose the Bills, it will be shame for the fans. When you look at the sold out crowds and excitement over the Bills in Buffalo, it’s hard to imagine the team leaving. But when you consider the benefits of relocating the team to Toronto (more people with more money and a better location are among them), it’s hard to argue from a businessman’s perspective. Toronto is North America’s fifth largest sports market. And the NFL is about making money. You do the math.