Bills Owner Ralph Wilson Thursday said that the Bills and Rogers Communications "have held talks to renew the team's series" in Toronto, and that he is "optimistic an extension will be reached before the current five-year deal expires after next season," according to John Wawrow of the AP. Wilson said, "We want to renew it. We were talking to them recently, and they want to renew it. I think that Buffalo can have a very successful franchise embracing Rochester, Buffalo and Toronto as we move forward." Wilson said that "one of Rogers' key conditions for renewing the agreement is lowering ticket prices." He said that the company "acknowledged ticket prices had been too high, averaging around $180 per seat." Reducing ticket revenue "has the potential of lowering the price tag of a new deal after Rogers paid $78 million to have the Bills play eight games -- including five annual regular-season games -- in Canada's largest city." The Bills' series in Toronto is "regarded as crucial to the small-market franchise's future in western New York," and the NFL "is on board in wanting to keep the series going." The Bills "have benefited, gaining a boost in season-ticket sales from a growing base of fans from southern Ontario." Rogers "has benefited, too, combining its NFL partnership with its numerous entities to capitalize on the league's popularity across Canada" (AP, 12/22).
