With her new responsibilities, Pegula becomes one of the most powerful women in North American sportsGETTY IMAGES
Bills co-Owner Kim Pegula is "blazing new territory" in taking over as President of the Bills and Sabres in the wake of Russ Brandon's departure, and now "faces a huge task in being the hands-on overseer of both franchises," according to a front-page piece by Mark Gaughan of the BUFFALO NEWS. Pegula now is "one of only two women in the NFL with full control of the day-to-day management of a team." She also becomes the "only current female president in the NHL." Pegula "unquestionably is one of the most powerful women in North American sports, without even considering the other elements of the Pegula empire." Former Raiders Chief Exec Amy Trask said, "Businesses benefit from good leadership, which I believe Kim will provide." Kim and her husband, Terry, "already carry a huge responsibility in Western New York as co-owners of the city's beloved major sports franchises." Taking on the role of president "only adds to Kim's burden." One of Kim's "big tasks will be to forge strong relationships with the region's business leaders." Brandon had "overseen those relationships" since '97 and "had a read on the pulse of the business community." Another "heavy lift" Pegula faces is "picking up from Brandon the role of being the point person for a renovation of KeyBank Center" (BUFFALO NEWS, 5/3). In Buffalo, Sandra Tan notes Brandon had been the "primary point of contact" for the Bills on stadium talks. Though Kim Pegula has "assumed Brandon's title," it is "still unclear if she will be the primary contact for top, local elected officials, or if that duty will fall" to COO Bruce Popko or others (BUFFALO NEWS, 5/3). The Buffalo News' Mike Harrington tweeted Brandon's exit "could be big setback on arena renovation and plans for #sabres 50th anniversary. Brandon had been a key player in both. He had done the travel to check out NHL arenas" (TWITTER.com, 5/1).
CAMPING WORLD: In Rochester, Leo Roth notes with Brandon’s exit, St. John Fisher College, which hosts Bills' training camp, "lost its biggest fan, someone who sits on its board of trustees and is a member" of its Athletics HOF. SJFC Dir of Marketing & Communications Kate Torok said that the college and the Bills "continue to work on preparations" for the camp this year. What is "undeniably at work behind the scenes are marketing and internal forces out to sack Bills camp in Rochester." The signs were "everywhere last summer when the team practiced just 13 days at Fisher, an all-time low." Meanwhile, the team "held two practices at New Era Field, one at night to cater to its main fan base." Today, most NFL teams "conduct their training camps at their year-round facilities." For the Bills, staying in Orchard Park and "holding a few road practices and scrimmages in Rochester, Syracuse, even Toronto, would achieve regionalization with a lot less hassle" (ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 5/3).
LEGACY LEFT: In Buffalo, Bucky Gleason writes trouble for Brandon had been "brewing for several years and intensified in recent months" as his professional and personal lives "collided." The relationship between the Bills and Sabres and Brandon was "going to end sooner or later, but this didn't figure to end well." Brandon was a "good servant under late owner Ralph Wilson and a humble person before losing his way in both areas, a sad reality he will someday recognize, if he hasn't already." Meanwhile, Kim Pegula faces a "heavy lift" operating both franchises, which is a tough task "even for a veteran executive." The Pegulas "already made numerous mistakes, particularly with the Sabres." Fans "might want to brace for more" (BUFFALO NEWS, 5/3). In Rochester, Sal Maiorana notes what Brandon "never deserved was the relentless vitriol that was spit his way by legions of Bills fans, and then over the past few years, Sabres' fans, who blamed him -- solely in many cases -- for the unfathomable ineptitude of both teams." But Brandon was "never the primary reason for the repeated failures of the Bills." However, his 20-year legacy "will forever be tainted in Buffalo by this alleged office-place misbehavior," even though he was the "driving force in saving the franchise and keeping it in Buffalo" in '98 (ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 5/3).
GOOD & BAD: Gleason said moving on from Brandon is "good in a few different ways." Gleason: "One, the Bills get to have a reset without Russ Brandon. He's a carry-over from the Wilson era. It is now the Pegulas who have taken over." Gleason added, "On a personal side for Russ, I think he needed to cut the cord here. ... Almost anything that went wrong along 1 Bills Drive, if he was in the vicinity, he would get blamed for it." WHDL-AM producer Jonah Bronstein said of what Brandon deserves credit for, "He was very involved in negotiating the current lease at Ralph Wilson Stadium. ... Also, I think he had something to do with identifying and recruiting the Pegulas as a local buyer that would keep the Bills here." Gleason said, "It was odd, by the way -- not odd, but telling -- that neither the Bills didn't thank Russ Brandon, and Russ Brandon did not thank the Bills on his way out the door." Graham added, "This could get a lot uglier" ("The Tim Graham Show," WHLD-AM, 5/2).
