Buffalo Bills in talks with Rogers Communication for renewal of Toronto games deal – NFL News
The Buffalo Bills have set hopes for renewal of their previously signed five-year deal with Rogers Communication to hold pre and regular season games in Toronto.
Bills have recently come under fire from football circles over dropping of their last home game of preseason, scheduled to be held in Toronto under the deal.
A conflict in scheduling at Orchard Park stadium is described by the team to be the main reason behind the cancellation of their trip to Toronto.
Some reports have claimed apparently there is no scheduling conflict and what are other reasons for the team’s refusal to play their last year game at the stadium is not clear yet.
This could have been their third preseason game, which was also set to be their last under their five-year contract.
The deal worth $78 million is due to expire by end of this year, and the team management has set hopes of getting it renegotiated and extended with the organization.
Meanwhile, the team management said it will play their regular season games at the stadium as per terms of their deal.
The schedule of those games is expected to be clear after the National Football League (NFL) announces its regular season timetable.
Except for any unexpected change, the NFL regular season will start in September this year, and the Buffalo Bills said that they will play their regular season games at Roger Centre downtown in Toronto as per schedule.
Bills said to have benefited from the arrangement to a greater extent and look forward for review of the deal with a possible extension for few more years.
The Buffalo Bills’ chief executive officer, Russ Brandon, said that they were in talks with Rogers Communication and looking into possibilities of extending the contract.
He said:
"Our core goal is to continue to regionalize our franchise and continue our series in Toronto, which has served us so well. We will provide more information once terms are finalized."
The owner, Ralph Wilson, has gone a step further to express his optimism about renewal of the deal with the organization, which, he said, will benefit his club.
Rogers Communication have so far not made any remark on the cancellation of the game and the talks about extension of the deal.
Meanwhile, the owner also denied of evolving any plans to increase ticket price at the stadium. He said, as a matter of fact, the price has been cut down by $15 per seat in certain avenues and the spectators are set to take advantage of the lower prices
and confirm their seats anytime before and at start of the 2011 NFL season.
He refrained from offering his comments on the cancellation of the last of their Rogers deal games in Toronto, which leaves the issue in debate in media and among football commentators.
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