The Western NY business community "is pushing hard
behind the scenes to rekindle the lagging sales effort" of
Bills luxury boxes and club seats, according to Gene Warner
of the BUFFALO NEWS. The team has sold "just under half" of
the boxes and club seats, and "signs exist" that the Bills
and the business community "finally are working together" to
reach the sales goal of $11M. A 10-member "Business Backs
the Bills" committee has been formed, and it includes "some
of the area's most powerful CEOs," including Delaware North
Chair Jeremy Jacobs. The Bills, "thanks in part to the
recent boost from the business community," have sold $5.35M
worth of boxes and club seats (49% of the goal), according
to team VP/Operations Bill Munson. In the last month, the
team has signed contracts worth more than $1M. If the Bills
reach the $11M goal by December 1, it "would trigger" the
release of $63.25M in state funds to renovate Rich Stadium.
Warner wrote that several of the area's business leaders got
involved after questioning the Bills' "sales efforts,
contending that some influential CEOs were approached only
by young marketing people employed by the Bills -- not by
fellow CEOs" (Gene Warner, BUFFALO NEWS, 6/11).
