Brandon said in a statement he has been contemplating transitioning out of his role for some timeGETTY IMAGES
Bills and Sabres President RUSS BRANDON "has resigned" after Pegula Sports & Entertainment "conducted an internal investigation into Brandon's workplace behavior and allegations of personal misconduct," according to sources cited in a front-page piece by Tim Graham of the BUFFALO NEWS. KIM PEGULA has "taken over" as PS&E President. Brandon ran the Bills, Sabres, NLL Buffalo Bandits and AHL Rochester Americans. Brandon in a statement said, "I have been contemplating transitioning out of my role for some time." Graham notes Brandon is "mostly known for his two decades in the Bills' front office, rising through the organization as RALPH WILSON's trusted steward." Kim Pegula on Friday "informed Brandon an internal investigation was being conducted." Sources said that it was "triggered by allegations of inappropriate relationships with female employees." Sources said that when confronted by Pegula, Brandon "denied any such relationships, but the investigation indicated he was deceitful about that and other job-related issues that were uncovered." Brandon's "most important work was done after Wilson's death" in March '14 when many Bills fans were "convinced their team could move." But his presence also "wore out many Western New York sports fans." He was a "constant throughout" the Bills' 17-year playoff drought, and he became an "easy target for the Sabres' woes" (BUFFALO NEWS, 5/2).
UNEXPECTED MOVE: In Rochester, Sal Maiorana writes this is a "stunning development." Brandon joined the Bills organization in '97 "during a crucial time in franchise history." Having "just won a World Series ring" working for the Marlins, Brandon was "given an immediate task: Sell luxury suites, or else the team might be moving out of Buffalo." Brandon also "played a key role in the most recent stadium lease renegotiation," which was completed in '12 and keeps the Bills at New Era Field through '23 (ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 5/2).
MIXED RESULTS: In Buffalo, Vic Carucci writes Brandon's run with the Bills "produced some amazing accomplishments on the business side and colossal failure on the football end." Fans "will forever see him as the face of The Drought" before making the AFC Wild Card last season. For Brandon, his association with the "bleakest stretch in Bills history casts an imposing shadow over the impressive achievements he made in sales and marketing." Despite "residing in one of the smallest markets in the NFL, the Bills have expanded their reach and maximized revenue opportunities." It was "greatly due to Brandon's efforts that the Bills managed to sell a larger percentage of season tickets in the drought-ridden 2000s than they did in the Super Bowl years of the 1990s." In some ways, Brandon's legacy has "suffered, at least in part, because of the ambition that led him to want to be so much more than a 'marketing guy'" (BUFFALO NEWS, 5/2). Also in Buffalo, John Vogl writes Brandon's "big moment" with the Sabres "didn't work." He was "one of the key figures in getting the World Junior Championship back to Buffalo this year." But the event "failed to capture the attention of Western New York." The Sabres "hitched their wagon to presale packages, and the result was acres of empty seats for most of the games played in KeyBank Center." Under Brandon, advertising "has increased during Sabres games ... but attendance decreased this season to its lowest announced level" since '05-06 (BUFFALO NEWS, 5/2).
WHAT'S TO COME? PFT's Mike Florio wondered if the NFL may have to "do its own investigation to figure out what happened here in order to determine whether or not Brandon is employable by any other NFL team" down the line. Florio cited the "current climate and the attitudes" toward taking "real action when someone engages in workplace misconduct as it relates to female employees” (“PFT,” NBCSN, 5/2). NFL Network's Mike Garafolo cited sources as saying that Brandon had explored stepping away from his position "as early as late last season" with the Bills ("NFL Total Access," NFL Network, 5/1).
