By Pat Tintle
Assistant Sports Editor
It’s a time of transformation for the Buffalo Bills and their hungry, playoff-seeking fans.
The franchise has seen its share of prospective owners over the last few months. Interest in buying the team came from unlikely candidates – rumors said business mogul Donald Trump was in a good position to buy the team while others predicted a Toronto group, with the association of rock star Jon Bon Jovi, would be a dark horse in the bidding frenzy.
But now the sale is official. Billionaire Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula met with the NFL’s financial committee where all nine members gave Pegulaunanimous approval on Sept. 17. Pegula passed his final test on Wednesday, as he received another unanimous approval from all 31 league owners, solidifying his billion dollar purchase.
Bills fans, do not fret on the change of ownership – Pegula’s acquisition is good news. With Pegula, the underachieving franchise is getting everything it needs to make their long awaited return to winning form.
First off, Pegula has the resources necessary to build a winning team. As the 108th richest person in the United States (as rated by Forbes.com with an estimated $4.6 billion), Pegula can create serious conversation among high-profile free agents, something the Bills have rarely been able to pull off. If Pegula can make a solid foundation to build around, which the team has already begun to form, an acquisition of an elite player will place the Bills over the hump they have been stuck on for the past decade.
Pegula’s ability to make an impact on his product can be seen in the very same city with the Sabres. After buying the franchise in 2011, the Sabres have a newfound confidence both on the ice and in the locker room. True, the Sabres only have one playoff appearance under the new ownership, but if you go out and ask any Sabres fan what they think of the near future of the team, most will express excitement for the upcoming seasons while crediting Pegula with the recent winning expectations.
Most importantly, at least for their fans, the Bills will be staying in Buffalo under Pegula (get the nightmare of the “Los Angeles Bills” out of your heads). There is even the prospect of a new facility for the Bills. Despite the Bills having leased Ralph Wilson Stadium through 2022, serious thought has been put into a new downtown stadium to pair with the Sabres’ First Niagara Center. A Pegula-owned complex is both good for business and will unite the city of Buffalo with its two major sports teams on common ground.
The Bills are about to head into the Pegula era, and with that, positive changes will come. Not to discredit Ralph Wilson’s local legacy, but the franchise is in desperate need of a makeover. Nine straight losing seasons and zero playoff appearances since 1999 have made the Bills an irrelevant team and, quite honestly, a joke in the NFL. However, all that can change with a new honcho guiding the team towards a winning path.
With the finalization of the deal, look for Pegula to make an appearance at this Sunday’s game as the Bills take on the Patriots at 1 p.m. Perhaps Pegula’s presence will rejuvenate the lost franchise and will send the Bills into sole possession of first place in the AFC East – a good start to a promising reign.
tintleph11@bonaventure.edu
