Ghost of Dwight Drane

Ok....I'll give you 3 seasons....."We want to win a Stanley Cup within 3 years" You can tell me the direct quote...it's actually probably worse. I'll give you a project.....find the ratio of average season ticket price to A) Median income for the metropolitan area...and B) Value of the franchise I did it before to income....3 years ago...and it wasn't flattering. It's probably worse now. My original post to this thread was "Good stuff" when responding to the bump in rebate relative to ticket price. It's only when the Parade Committee gets together and continues to defend a subpar regime while criticizing and jibing those who have had the foresight to call this ride from the beginning, that I take offense. Hey....they don't have my AMEX on file down there....so I really shouldn't be concerned.....

3 years 3 months......4 seasons..... Fair enough on the 2nd point. He said he wasn't looking to make money. So the season ticket holders have basically been used to subsidize a 5 year buyout on a GM most hated....2 coaches....$28 million in upfront money to a guy who had 1 goal last year and is about to eat another $15 million...a veteran defenseman who was quoted by his family that he wanted and has since disappeared off the face of the earth and may be involved in another buyout...and a 20 something defenseman who admitted he didn't do any work, has a season ending injury every year, and at his best is the #5 defenseman of his draft class. So yes.....Terry Pegula on an accounting basis may be losing money on the Buffalo Sabres. Especially when you add in depreciation and amortization of facilities and assets. At least the Bisons "Terry...it's the Bandits"....are adding some excitement the past few weeks.....

It's a conglomeration run by an eccentric billionaire. Considering the history of stagnation in the city, it's always nice when someone from the outside makes a capital investment. My main focus with Pegula was as the owner of the Buffalo Sabres, and to me and others, he hasn't kept his word as far as the hockey team operations goes. People want to deflect the fact he hasn't lived up to his words on that front by calling people who want to hold him accountable on his words as "Pegula Haters" or "You don't appreciate Buffalo". Bottom line....Pegula and his crew came in saying. 1) "I don't need to raise ticket prices, if I want to make money I will go drill another well." 2) "The sole reason for existence of the Buffalo Sabres is to win multiple Stanley Cups." 3) "Terry has no interest in becoming a real estate developer." As the owner of the Sabres, after 4 seasons, the team is the worst in the NHL by miles, ticket prices are up 20%, He has spent just as much if not more on real estate development as on the actual team with the assistance of public funding, and his supposed biggest asset, his wallet, has gone towards paying tens of millions to buyouts for his incompetent GM, coach for life, and overpriced free agents. I don't really care about a bunch of 11 year old rugrats and their Prius driving moms coming downtown for 3 hours, or a 20 foot 3D hologram of Tim Horton greeting me as I buy a $4 coffee at an establishment paying rent to a guy who wasn't in town to make money. I care first and foremost about the team and their standing as a community asset. To this point, a 5 year old throwing darts at a Hockey Digest could have had this franchise running more smoothly. I don't need to be told how awesome Pegula is every time someone points out a valid concern. For $2500 for a pair of tickets in the last row of the 300's.....I'd expect the biggest accomplishment in the first 4 years to be a little more than beer shelves in the pisser, and an Omelet Station in the locker room.....

Do you have access to those numbers? I don't. I thought the Sabres were controlled by an LLC....which is a pass through. At least that's what some have said here. Joe Battista is an employee of East Resources, not the Buffalo Sabres, yet he continues to act and say things like he is a Buffalo Sabres employee. Cliff Benson is a Sabres employee....yet he's flying around PA working on Penn St. deals, Republican fundraising, etc. Not really sure I've seen him make a decision on the actual team. It is what it is. The rebate increase was nice....but yet again people want to throw a parade.

I wanted to really like what they were doing, but I am very disappointed. They have a theory about big O-line guys. You already have a QB with bad knees...now you have a very immobile O-line in the making. The defense while adding Spikes, is a net wash on talent. Is the scheme going to improve the D this year? I think they go 4-12 before 10-6 next year....and I really wish that wasn't the case. Now if you go down the tubes, you have a ? at QB, no 1st pick, and possible chaos. I think Whaley is bright, and Glenn turned out better than expected.....and I can applaud taking a shot.....but not optimistic.

So what is the gross profit on merchandise sales? Let's say the gross profit is 30%....so by your math....$1.5 million plus $660K at a 30% gross equals.......a $648,000 increase in FORCED profits. BUT WAIT!!!...There's more!!!! The Sabres get to write off that rebate they give to the fans as an expense. Now.....when they write the whole thing off....what are the odds that fans spend all $2+ million of those dollars? I know I have gift cards MIA all over the place or have a % left on them that isn't worth. Also.....with those FORCED PROFIT rebates....what are the odds that ticket holders spend ONLY the amount on the card during their purchases. What is a reasonable estimation of added revenue and profit because of extra visits to use these rebates? So.....what we have is.... 1) The Sabres write off the rebates up front, adding to the bottom line in addition to the increase in gate revenue 2) The Sabres force those rebates to be used on high profit margin items at a facility under their control 3) The Sabres receive extra revenue and profits by additional purchases on top of the forced profit rebate Net/Net....the Sabres not only add close to a 20% increase in ticket prices on season ticket holders since Pegula took over....but structure a 4 pronged system to maximize profits on all levels of NHL revenue sharing/ Tax writeoffs/ Forced added revenue and profit / and additional revenue on profit at an undetermined level in conjunction with using forced profit rebates.

"Whaley's all hopped up on Mr. Pibb and catnip in there......" - Buddy Nix

Conolidating Day 3 thoughts......

Larry Quinn gave away 2.5% rebates......22% increase in ticket prices ago........

And I said....a guy worth $4 billion invested in treasuries yielding 3% is making $120 million a year in income. I'm sure he's pulling in a lot more in the gas business. He has "made Buffalo better" by constructing a for-profit facility that is synergistic for his supposed main business, and is enjoying millions in public money to do so. My example was, what if I "made Buffalo better" buy purchasing a vacant $40,000 house on Bailey Ave., fixed it up, and provided quality low-cost housing for a dozen University Students who come in from out of town to attend UB and thus add to the local economy? Do I get a parade? Do I get a full page ad in the News praising me by name? No!!!! But proportionally, I did just as much if not more for the community.....and that goes on every day..... Great...he's investing money in the area...that's nice. For a guy who stated that he had no interest in local politics or real estate development and his only goal was to win Stanley Cups, the major civic asset that he is a steward for has been a laughingstock, and those who want to hold him accountable get flamed by those praising him for the exact thing he said he had no interest in while in % terms, is the proverbial drop of arsenic tainted drinking water (how'd that get in there?) in the bucket for him....

Hoping to get a 12 pack and play Kan Jam???.............

He's a mix of Greg Robinson....and Paul Hamilton....... Not liking this draft too much so far......Brown is another clunky guy.

You mean 4% of his net worth???? Or a year's worth of income investing in treasuries at 3%??? That would be like me buying a house on Bailey, renting it out. and expecting a full page ad in the Buffalo News with printing press BJ's from all the local politicos with their nose up my A.... If Pegula is a hero to Buffalo, Donald Trump is 10x the hero to Atlantic City.......

They have too many bodies..... That being said.....if someone offered me Taylor Lewan, Stevie Johnson, and a #1 pick for Sammy Watkins.....

They have Watkins-Williams-Woods-Goodwin.....which really is a nice combo. I don't think Johnson is a bad guy....but he needs to be careful headed out to the west coast.....mala familia out there.....

I have hacked nfreeman's account and substituted "Bills" for "Sabres" from 2006-2014.........

I can confirm that Mike Williams has been a good boy so far.....

And that's just coming from CHZ's bedroom at 2 AM......HEYOOOO!!!! (James Patrick thread reference....)

Oh...good one. I like bold tastes, and shark is an affordable one. Halibut is great but mild. Swordfish is a good cross. I need to try this sometime. I know moose nose jelly is a niche food, but I have never come across a chance. Weave said antelope...and I really like that. Moose would probably be awesome. I remember the first time I had venison. My friend asked me to help take the deer to the garage and hook it. I was mortified. Then his mom made 2 types of sausage, steaks, and onions with tidbits.....I suddenly thanked the baby Jesus for such a fine gift. Man.....we need a Nordic Mighty Taco open right now......

Throw one of these in too and you are good to go...... http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mp0JV9oCrKJfIzb068tBuRA.jpg

I'm not mad they traded up, but the guys I loved fell exactly where I figured in Shazier/Pryor/Verrett. I would have rather moved down, packaged 2 2nds to get another 1st, trade that 1st and 4th next year for another 1st. We may have had the best defense in the league. I agree that if Manuel bites it....these guys need to be fired. They must REALLY believe in him with all the BS coming out of Whaley's mouth. Godspeed fellas.....

Very nice....I like Bison, but it is so easy to dry it out...and that's another one that has gotten popular. I'm sort of ashamed to admit I have had kangaroo and loved it. They seem so bright eyed and sweet. If there are 2 animals that deserve to be eaten, it would be the peacock and Mahi-mahi. Dolphin (the fish), are about as stupid as it comes. "Oh look, my buddy just ate a piece of chum on a 4 inch metal thingy and disappeared forever....that looks like fun! How about we all do it? I can find beauty in pretty much any animal.....but a NYC sewer rat has more of a right to live than a peacock. A peacock is like a 105lb blonde with an 80 IQ. Those feathers are the only reason it hasn't become extinct.....

No...it was cheery.... "Your facebook friend, he's in a pinch, has a pair of crappy ducats.... 2 days to go, a deal "Hell No!", "I'll screw my friends just F-it!".... A Tuesday night, the Flames "Just Right!", "Who wouldn't want to see THAT?".... A C-note might, just when he's tight, pay the vet bill for his pet cat..... But...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.......he lives another Day- - ayyyyy........ He's Hon-or-ableeeeeee......and not so freaking gaaaaaay...... He paid lots of caaaaaash.....for a team that really blooooow-ooooooooows.... So he gives up his seats.....in the nose- - bleed roooooooooooooows....... He Lives..... Another Day............... HE LIVES!........... Another Day......... HE LIVES!

You live another day......