Buffalo Bills have bidders who would move team to new city

The Buffalo Bills management and ownership are doing their due diligence in courting bidders for the sale of their NFL franchise. While much of the talk has centered on local legislatures doing everything they can to ensure the team remains in Western New York, the recent $2B purchase of the Los Angeles Clippers could change everything in the bidding war.

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A recent story on Pro Football Talk reminds us that the highest bid will still likely win out in the NFL because, well, duh. Given how lucrative the deal for the Clippers was based solely on its location in Los Angeles, it’s feasible that a potential owner could make a bid that would dwarf all others because it would be based on the team moving to a larger market and thus making more money. As the piece notes:

"“I’ve spoken to [Bills CEO Russ] Brandon, I’ve spoken to [Bills CFO Jeffrey Littmann],” Poloncarz separately told WBEN in Buffalo.  “They know my request, which is to pick the owner that’s going to keep the team in Buffalo. But I don’t know if that’s going to be the decision that the trustees will end up doing.  If they end up getting a bid that’s so much higher than anybody else, I don’t know if they can turn it down.  They may have the fiduciary duty to accept it.”"

It’s certainly not what Buffalo fans want to hear. Their greatest fear is that a larger market could swoop in and steal the team that’s played in Buffalo since 1960. This quote presents the financial reality of such a fear.

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That said, local politicians remain optimistic that the team isn’t going anywhere. Former Erie County executive Ed Rutkowski told Tim Graham of the Buffalo News as much. “There are people who are going to be able to step up to the plate,” Rutkowski said. “I feel quite confident the team is going to be in Buffalo forever. There are just too many good people who want to see it happen.”

The Bills will soon begin courting buyers. From there, we will learn more about how relocation affects the bidding process. Until then, Buffalo residents are left to wonder and cross their fingers.