Prospective Bills Owners Terry and Kim Pegula will likely "zoom blissfully through the remainder of their NFL buying experience," according to Tim Graham of the BUFFALO NEWS. The process will "resume Tuesday and Wednesday in Manhattan, where the NFL's finance committee will hold a previously scheduled meeting." Bills CFO Jeffrey Littmann will "deliver a transactional briefing to the finance committee," which is chaired by Texans Owner Bob McNair. The Pegulas are "expected to be rubber-stamped at the NFL's annual fall meeting, scheduled for Oct. 7 and 8 in Manhattan" (BUFFALO NEWS, 9/11). In Rochester, Kevin Oklobzija notes with the Pegulas' purchase of the Bills, a "wave of euphoria rolled across Western New York." Bills QB EJ Manuel said, "We're very excited and very happy we're going to be staying in Buffalo" (ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 9/11). In Buffalo, Jay Skurski writes under the header, "Sale To Pegulas Has Bills Players Seriously Pumped." Bills CB Corey Graham, who is a Buffalo native, said, "It was unreal, just to see the way the people of Western New York supported the sale of the team. ... You don’t want the wrong person to buy the team and then take it away from the people of Western New York. The fans here love the team so much" (BUFFALO NEWS, 9/11). Bills coach Doug Marrone said, "You have to be excited. They've been great advocates for the region. It's great for our organization and it's great for our fans. So it's an exciting time. People should be excited, as they are" (ESPN.com, 9/10).
STADIUM ON BACK-BURNER? In Buffalo, Tom Precious writes the decision about whether the Bills will "get a new stadium, renovate their existing home or keep things as they are for now has become less urgent." That was the "consensus of some state and local officials involved in the new stadium review process" yesterday (
BUFFALO NEWS, 9/11). The locations that have been "most often mentioned over the past few months" for a new stadium include downtown Buffalo, Orchard Park, West Seneca, Buffalo's Central Terminal, Buffalo's outer harbor and Niagara Falls (
BUFFALONEWS.com, 9/10).
WHOLE NEW BALLGAME: In Buffalo, Jerry Sullivan writes the Pegulas are "playing with the varsity now, at the main card table." With "apologies to NHL fans, this isn’t some niche major sport they’re playing now." The NFL is the "most heavily scrutinized sports entity in American history; everything they do will be analyzed by ravenous media from coast to coast." Bills fans should "hope that Pegula learned from his mistakes in the NHL, where the Sabres devolved into a laughingstock in the eyes of many NHL insiders." There is "still a chronic failure that needs addressing" with the Bills. Sullivan: "I don’t expect Pegula to clean house. But he can’t stand pat again, either." Buying the Bills will make the Pegulas the city's "most prominent public figures." It is in their "own best interest to stay engaged with the public and to be transparent -- and yes, less thin-skinned about criticism" (BUFFALO NEWS, 9/11).
HOME AWAY FROM HOME: In West Palm Beach, Brian Biggane notes the Pegulas have a house in West Boca Raton, and Pegula "keeps a large yacht at a nearby marina and has hosted parties for Sabres players when they have come to South Florida to play" the Panthers. Pegula also "owns a fitness center in Boca Raton -- Impact Sports Performance." His "ties to the Buffalo area are mostly through Kim, who grew up in the Rochester suburb of Fairport." He is "not expected to be on hand when the Dolphins visit Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday" (PALM BEACH POST, 9/11).
