Bills Moving Scheduled Preseason Game In Toronto Back To Buffalo

The Bills yesterday announced that they are moving a scheduled preseason game from Rogers Centre to Ralph Wilson Stadium next season "due to scheduling conflicts at the Toronto venue," according to Rodney McKissic of the BUFFALO NEWS. The '12 NFL preseason schedule "will have games starting the first week of August and the Blue Jays have a 10-game homestand scheduled for the middle of the month." The Bills still "will play one regular-season game at Rogers Centre as part of the Bills Toronto Series" (BUFFALO NEWS, 2/22). Rogers Media President Keith Pelley said that fans who pre-bought tickets to the preseason game "have been contacted and will receive refunds." Rogers "declined to divulge the number of people who bought tickets" (TORONTO STAR, 2/22). Meanwhile, the AP's John Wawrow noted there is "growing optimism" that the Bills "will renew their deal to play games in Toronto beyond this season." The Bills Toronto Series "enters its final year after the team and Rogers negotiated" a five-year, $78M agreement in '08 to have the Bills play five annual regular-season and three preseason games at Rogers Centre. Pelley said, "We're definitely interested in continuing the relationship with the Bills in Toronto." He "wouldn't provide specifics on the length or terms of a potential extension to the existing five-year deal, but did say that Rogers is not looking to expand the number of regular-season games the Bills play in Toronto." It is "expected the new deal will be similar to the existing contract." Bills CEO Russ Brandon: "Our goal is to continue regionalizing our franchise, and continue our series in Toronto, which has served us so well" (AP, 2/21).

FALLING SHORT: In Toronto, Bill Lankof writes, "The current series started overhyped and absurdly expensive -- and it has never lost that perception even though tickets could be bought" for as little as C$33 last year. The series "created little buzz and there was never a sense that this was a special happening." Rogers "doesn’t make many mistakes, but what was envisioned as a corporate boon has been a massive boondoggle." And this "latest give-back is simply an unspoken admission." If Rogers "really wanted this game, they'd find a way to work around the Jays" (TORONTO SUN, 2/22).

HOLDING STEADY: The Bills yesterday also announced that season-ticket prices at Ralph Wilson Stadium will remain flat for the '12 season while prices in the Tops Family Corner and Coors Light Rockpile sections will be reduced (THE DAILY). Family Corner ticket prices are "$30 per game -- reduced $10 from last season -- while Rockpile prices will be $25 per game, down $15 from 2011." The average season-ticket price is "$58.36 for non-premium seats and the last increase for season tickets was in 2010" (BUFFALO NEWS, 2/22).