Bills Lower Ticket Prices For '12 Toronto Series Game By 35%

The Bills emailed season-ticket holders on Monday informing them the average ticket price for the Dec. 16 game against the Seahawks at Rogers Centre in Toronto "has been reduced 35 percent compared to previous years," according to Tim Graham of the BUFFALO NEWS. The Toronto deal "has been viewed as a farce by most folks not employed at One Bills Drive." The games "failed to become genuine events, as both sides hoped." The biggest issues have been "outrageous ticket prices and the Bills being a perennial doormat." The team has "tried to correct their problem this offseason" with roster changes, and now Rogers Media "apparently is trying to correct its problem." This will be the "final installment of the original agreement between the Bills and Rogers Media." The NFL has already "approved an extension for five more years" through '17. Lower admission costs "were promised," and fans "won't have to wait for the discount." The email in part stated: "Those that have already purchased tickets as part of the Bills in Toronto Series have the option to receive a refund for the price difference or be upgraded" (BUFFALONEWS.com, 7/10).

IN OR OUT? In Rochester, Leo Roth noted even if the Bills "decide to opt into the so-called '85 percent' program, it's still very likely that late-season games at Ralph Wilson Stadium will be blacked out because December games traditionally are difficult to sell in Buffalo, especially when the team is lousy." And even if the team "is good and sellouts become easier to achieve after 12 seasons of missing the playoffs, Bills management has plenty of incentive not to join a program that will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in shared revenue beyond what's currently required" (ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 7/8).