The bidding for ownership of the Buffalo Bills began Tuesday, with preliminary bids due to Morgan Stanley at 5 p.m.
Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula, billionaire Donald Trump and a Toronto group including rock star Jon Bon Jovi are expected to be among the top dogs -- at least from a name recognition standpoint.
Regardless of who is in the mix, Sen. Charles E. Schumer, who has been a leading political voice in the movement to keep the team in Western New York, is confident the group of finalists will favor doing just that.
“Over the past few months I have been engaged in an ongoing dialogue with a number of potential buyers as well as with the NFL and local and state leaders,” Schumer, D-NY, said in a statement. “I am confident as preliminary bids are submitted, and as we move into the next phase of this process, that there will be a number of serious bidders who will commit to keeping the Buffalo Bills in Western New York for decades to come.”
“In the coming weeks I plan to continue to engage with those bidders, as well as with the league office and the current ownership to ensure that one of those bidders committed to Western New York is successful in this process. As I have said from the beginning – when it comes to the next owner of the Buffalo Bills there can be only one litmus test: someone willing to keep the Buffalo Bills in Western New York for generations to come.”
Morgan Stanley will be tasked with weeding through the prospects and continue with follow-up work of the serious contenders.
“In the coming weeks I plan to continue to engage with those bidders, as well as with the league office and the current ownership to ensure that one of those bidders committed to Western New York is successful in this process. As I have said from the beginning – when it comes to the next owner of the Buffalo Bills there can be only one litmus test: someone willing to keep the Buffalo Bills in Western New York for generations to come.”
Morgan Stanley will be tasked with weeding through the prospects and continue with follow-up work of the serious contenders.
