# Should the NFL allow Donald Trump to purchase the Buffalo Bills? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 18, 2014, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426 "2014-04-18T16:56:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/21 "2014-04-18T22:58:07Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > which makes it doubtful the NFL could be persuaded to let the Bills move to T.O. I’ve heard somebody say that NFL approval would not be needed for the team to move to Toronto, since Toronto is considered part of the Bills territory. As far as Trump buying the team, I’d be very surprised if it happened. Sure, he’ll milk it and drag it on for as long as possible, but I doubt he’d let the NFL look at his finances any more than he’d open his finances to scrutiny for a real run at the presidency. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/22 "2014-04-18T23:00:47Z")
Afaik, the NFL never allows celebrity owners. One of the requirements seems to be relative anonymity. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/23 "2014-04-19T12:50:04Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > I’ve heard somebody say that NFL approval would not be needed for the team to move to Toronto, since Toronto is considered part of the Bills territory. It may be part of the Bills territory, but I would have thought that the owners would have to approve a team leaving the United States. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/24 "2014-04-19T14:35:19Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Well, not quite. If my outdated knowledge is right the NFL is a partnership. And partnerships have pretty much an absolute right to decide which new partners to allow in. I think that’s correct. A few years ago, the former Blackberry CEO wanted to buy an NHL team and move it to Hamilton. That was a bankruptcy case so it’s not quite the same situation, but… the NHL blocked that sale because they had issues with him being an owner. It went to court (the NHL won), and the other major sports leagues [filed briefs backing the NHL](http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/2009/06/05/20090605spt-coyotes.html). ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/25 "2014-04-19T19:26:39Z")
Trump is one of those guys who is all hat and no cattle. His alleged financial acumen is all smoke and mirrors. He just isn’t rich enough to buy an NFL team. He’s a media whore who loves attention, but when it comes to put up or shut up he always weasels his way out of putting up. The people of Buffalo have put up with enough. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/26 "2014-04-19T20:30:36Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > [The team just extend their lease on the stadium](http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/bills/2014/03/26/buffalo-ralph-wilson-future-stadium-lease-2019-buyout/6928191/), and [they’re in the middle of renovations](http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2014/03/25/workers-plow-through-snow-to-renovate-ralph-wilson.html?page=all). That’s aside from the fact that nothing Trump says should ever be taken at face value by any human. I’ll believe he’s interested in the team when I hear he’s on a final list of possible buyers, and not a minute before. I don’t think anyone thinking of taking a team to Los Angeles (which is the first city any team would try to relocate to) would worry about new lease deals and renovations. Didn’t Al Davis break his lease with 3 years left on it? Someone did it. I can’t remember the particulars, but the precedent has been set in the NFL. Lease breaking has already occurred. > [@zamboniracer](#): > > Trump is one of those guys who is all hat and no cattle. His alleged financial acumen is all smoke and mirrors. He just isn’t rich enough to buy an NFL team. He’s a media whore who loves attention, but when it comes to put up or shut up he always weasels his way out of putting up. The people of Buffalo have put up with enough. I think this is very true. Trump lives attention, and this has put his name on the playlist for the sports shows and NFL talking heads. He loves that. But he won’t want to show anyone under the hood of his financial car. I did hear that the casino issue is a real one, and that The Donald would have to divest himself of interests in any casino before being considered for entry into the owner club. And I think there is precedent in the NFL for this as well. Trump would not be welcome in the NFL owners club. I would be hard-pressed to believe he would keep the team in Buffalo. Donald Trump does not see himself as someone who would be a part of ANYTHING in Buffalo. He would move that team as soon as he signed the paper saying he would keep the team in Buffalo. If there was a buck in it, he’d do it. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/27 "2014-04-20T09:40:19Z")
Unless Trump has died and his body taken over by the ghost of Thomas Howard, I have my doubts. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/28 "2014-04-20T12:14:03Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > There once was a pro football team in Las Vegas: the Canadian Football League had an expansion team there, the Las Vegas Posse. (Yes, really: a CFL team in Las Vegas.). And a Grey Cup Champion from [Baltimore](http://www.shrpsports.com/cfl/stand/1995.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/29 "2014-04-20T12:19:01Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > I think there is a problem with a sports team owner who is also the owner of a casino. In theory, Trump could “trump-up” his team while simultaneously telling the coach to throw the game behind the scenes, creating an unsavory environment for making a lot of money for his friends (by betting against his own team). _In theory_, any owner of any team in any league could do this. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/30 "2014-04-20T12:58:30Z")
But what about the Trump clothing line? That has to count for something. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/31 "2014-04-20T14:16:52Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > I don’t think anyone thinking of taking a team to Los Angeles (which is the first city any team would try to relocate to) would worry about new lease deals and renovations. Didn’t Al Davis break his lease with 3 years left on it? Someone did it. I can’t remember the particulars, but the precedent has been set in the NFL. Lease breaking has already occurred. [Not according to this.](http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/10/confrontation_was_at_the_heart.html) ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/32 "2014-04-20T16:02:38Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > Trump is one of those guys who is all hat and no cattle. His alleged financial acumen is all smoke and mirrors. He just isn’t rich enough to buy an NFL team. He’s a media whore who loves attention, but when it comes to put up or shut up he always weasels his way out of putting up. The people of Buffalo have put up with enough. This. Donald Trump doesn’t do things, and hasn’t since about the late 90’s. These days, the thing that he does is to talk about doing things to generate debates of public opinion on what would happen if he did them, which he inevitably does not, thereby generating media attention to increase interest in the possibility of him doing next thing he talks about (which he also will not do). I don’t have the slightest clue why this keeps working, but it does, so he’s either a marketing genius, or else riding the edge of a very interesting sociological whirlpool effect. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/33 "2014-04-20T17:40:16Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > There is no sports book in Jersey but I think Trump still owns the Trump Hotel in Vegas. I thought I heard they wouldn’t give him a gaming license (because he pissed off the wrong people) so the hotel in Vegas is just a hotel, not a casino (I could be remembering wrong). ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/34 "2014-04-20T18:05:04Z")
There is no casino at the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. I’ve often wondered if it has something to do with his finances or else he’s just disliked that much by the other big wigs in Las Vegas. There’s no way on earth Trump will buy the Bills. He just wants attention, just like him running for President or governor of New York. The NFL is a billionaires club and Trump is probably just a millionaire, leveraged to the hilt. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/35 "2014-04-20T20:56:04Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > [Not according to this.](http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/10/confrontation_was_at_the_heart.html) Where do you find all this stuff? You not only google more than anyone on this board, but you find articles to link to that are usually pretty interesting. This article was from 2011! I take it what this pointed out was that Davis did not break a lease agreement. Ok, but someone did. Was it Modell, when he moved the Browns to Baltimore? I am almost positive he (or someone) broke a lease with 3 years left to go on it, maybe it was Modell. It could be him, the Irsay’s (Colts) the Bidwells (Cardinals) or the Rams (can’t remember the ladies name that owned them.) Thanks for correcting my error. I will say it was Modell. What I remember reading was that even though the owners all said they would not permit a lease to be broken, ultimately they sided with the owner because they didn’t want to find themselves in a similar situation where they couldn’t move their team because of a crappy stadium/lease deal. Now that I am thinking about it, I think it was Modell, but if I’m wrong, i am sure you will find an article to prove me incorrect again! I am still surprised that Davis didn’t break a lease. If he didn’t, then what was all the noise about when he moved the Raiders? Seems he had a right to move the team, especially if he didn’t break a lease. /hijack. I think Davis was right about the NFL sticking it to him every chance it got. That doesn’t mean they openly conspired against him… especially regarding the immaculate reception. I’ve seen that video so many times it is second only to the Zapruder film in my all-time list. And I honestly still can’t tell what happened, although the violent hit and the way the ball shot directly back make me guess it was off the Raider, but I don’t know. However, when Brady fumbled and they yanked out the “tuck rule” Davis certainly had my attention. The Raiders were screwed in New England, that is for sure. There are many theories why the NFL supposedly had it out for Davis, but the one I heard that was interesting was that Davis, a jew, supposedly made a remark about admiring Adolf Hitler, and the leagues owners, which I believe are a majority of jewish men, never forgave him for that remark. I have no proof other than my memory, but that was the only reason that ever stuck in my head. And I have no idea what he admired about Hitler, or if he admired him at all. Anyway, sorry for the /end hijack. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2014, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/36 "2014-04-20T23:43:27Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > There is no sports book in Jersey but I think Trump still owns the Trump Hotel in Vegas. Aye, he does. Ugliest fucking thing on the Strip, too. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/37 "2014-04-21T00:24:37Z")
I take this about as seriously as his run for POTUS. His motive is attention. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/38 "2014-04-21T05:27:07Z")
> [@Fleetwood](#): > > And a Grey Cup Champion from [Baltimore](http://www.shrpsports.com/cfl/stand/1995.htm) I watched them win it, here at Taylor Field in Regina. Damn cold, windy day. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/39 "2014-04-21T14:35:34Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > Where do you find all this stuff? You not only google more than anyone on this board, but you find articles to link to that are usually pretty interesting. This article was from 2011! I just try to be specific and use enough search terms that I get a specific result. > [@](#): > > Was it Modell, when he moved the Browns to Baltimore? I am almost positive he (or someone) broke a lease with 3 years left to go on it, maybe it was Modell. It could be him, the Irsay’s (Colts) the Bidwells (Cardinals) or the Rams (can’t remember the ladies name that owned them.) I think you’re right that Modell left two years before the Browns’ lease was up - and just as Cleveland was voting on the funding of a new stadium for the team, too. But I think team leases may be written differently now: the NFL doesn’t want that kind of thing to happen, and neither do NFL cities. So you’re right that it happened at least once, but I’m not sure it’s relevant now. If Khan agreed to keep the Jaguars in Jacksonville (at least for a time), I don’t expect the Bills to leave Buffalo when Ralph Wilson did so much to make sure the team stays there. I assume his family wants to sell to a group that will keep the team in town and they can come up with additional agreements and conditions to make sure that’s the case. > [@](#): > > I am still surprised that Davis didn’t break a lease. > > If he didn’t, then what was all the noise about when he moved the Raiders? Seems he had a right to move the team, especially if he didn’t break a lease. Just from Wikipedia, I think the NFL owners have to approve all team moves and they unanimously voted against Davis moving the Raiders to L.A. I am not sure why they opposed the move, but I can see he sued them and won, and that’s why he was eventually able to move the team. > [@](#): > > I think Davis was right about the NFL sticking it to him every chance it got. That doesn’t mean they openly conspired against him… especially regarding the immaculate reception. I’ve seen that video so many times it is second only to the Zapruder film in my all-time list. And I honestly still can’t tell what happened, although the violent hit and the way the ball shot directly back make me guess it was off the Raider, but I don’t know. I think the only way the movement of the ball makes sense is if it hit a Raiders DB. I do think they got a really bad break on the Tuck Rule call, but I have a lot of trouble accepting those calls (or any others) stem from the league not liking Al Davis- dislikable though he was. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426/40 "2014-04-21T15:24:02Z")
There’s no way Trump is serious about this. He was interviewed by Mike & Mike a couple of years ago and said himself that major sports franchises were ridiculously low and there’s no way he’d invest in one unless the bubble bursts. He’s right, too; NFL owners are simply expensive hobbyists. Hardly any of them make enough money to justify their investments (except the Hunts of the world who bought in when teams cost a million bucks.) > [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Well, not quite. If my outdated knowledge is right the NFL is a partnership. And partnerships have pretty much an absolute right to decide which new partners to allow in. The _NFL_ is a partnership. The Buffalo Bills are not.\* The NFL can’t stop Trump buying the team; they can only refuse to allow the Bills to compete in the league. That might sound like a pretty hefty stick, but in reality there’s no way on earth the league would shut out one of its founding franchises. \*That’s how all American sports leagues except MLS are arranged: the teams are individual corporations and each own an equal share of the league, a separate corporation. MLS, by contrast, is a single entity which owns each of its member teams; owners who buy in receive equal shares of MLS itself and the rights to control the team they “buy”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-nfl-allow-donald-trump-to-purchase-the-buffalo-bills/686426.md?page=3)