@LindyPuff
I apologize for the
ad hominen. Your prickish (look it up in webster's) PM has earned a longer response.
You are entitled to your opinion, regardless of where your basis lies in the continuum between entirely logic/reasoning-based or entirely emotion/sentiment-based. However, I feel your views fail to consider the following:
Regarding Pegulas owning for the primary motive of profit vs. winning:
1. Google searches for net worth valuations may not be accurate. Personally, I put little credence in them. But I will, for discussion's sake, grant both: (a) Pegulas have had a net worth increase, and (b) that it's on the order of $1B.
2. I seem to recall, when Pegula was originally revealed to be in negotations to buy the Sabres, his gas and oil net worth was $4.7B before divesting most of those businesses, in which case one might argue his alleged recent increase in net worth is a mere recoup of the capital he invested in the sports teams, etc., but we will ignore that possibility as it's not an argument you've made.
3. As noted by Jim Bob and makeitburn, it is not logical the alleged net worth increase is attributable solely to Buffalo fan spending. During his tenure, the combined ticket seats sold for both franchises home games is more than 5 million but less than 6 million. Not all those ticket sales were to Buffalo fans, but we will assume they were, as it helps your argument. We will also assume that the increase in net worth is due to an increase in cash flow (you're implying that). One way to value businesses (for purpose of sale), in particular businesses with limited capital manufacturing assets like plant, property, and equipment, is via a multiplier of cash flow. I will use 7x as an arbitray multiplier. In other words, for every $1 in cash flow your business generates, I will pay you $7 for it, because I am effectively leveraging a 14-15% "return" on my investment (not truly return, because it's cash flow, not profit). Attributing either all or majority of that $1B net worth change to increase in cash flow (i.e., fan spending), and dividing by 7 yields ~$145M increase in cash flow. Dividing that by 5-6 million total tickets yields a per-ticket spend increase of $25 for each and every ticket sold for each and every game since Pegula became owner. We will ignore >50% of tickets during that timeframe were season tickets, theoretically requring each Sabres STH to spend $1000 per seat for a full season in tickets, Pegula's share of concessions, parking, team merchandise, etc. For the Bills that's $200 per seat for a full season. I did that math in my head in 1 minute, took me several minutes to type it clearly.
4. As Jim Bob and makeitburn similarly noted, you apparently ignore the possibility Pegula's net worth increase is from activities less directly related to the on-ice / on-field performance management of the two teams.
one buffalo and 716 he makes money just from being associated with the bills/Sabres you don't think he had that idea before buying the teams? He's a genius when it comes to making money. Point is he lied when he said he wasn't here to make money because he IS. He knew he was gunna set it up to make a lot of money from areas that technically aren't from the teams themselves (716, one buffalo clothing and beer and parking etc). I'm not saying that he's a bad person for making money all I'm saying is he hasn't been very truthful from the start and after he handled the last 2 weeks of the bills season the way he did makes me question everything about the pegulas.
5. You create a logical inconsistency, inferring the only way for him to be a succesful owner (either by your personal definition, or via having winning teams, or whatever overlap is between those criteria) is to not make money. That's a
non sequitir. Winning and profit are neither mutually exclusive, nor diametrically opposed.
6. I work where I work because I enjoy the work content, the people, the conditions, the company, the challenge. It was my lowest paying job offer. Over the years, I have received, and continue to receive, anectdotal information I am underpaid relative to my potential employment at a different company. So in that regard I am not working for the money, but I assure you I am well-compensated relative to the majority of Americans. OTOH, I am not well off enough to retire, so in that regard I am working for the money. Am I lying? Is it a paradox??? I assure you my head is not exploding.
7. Moreover, you apparently miss the obvious context that, if purely motivated by profit, Pegula would have chosen alternative investments.
8. Additionally, Pegula overpaid when he bought the Bills. It's generally acknowledge he overpaid by a couple hundred million / couple tens of percent to ensure he'd have the winning bid.
Regarding Pegulas influence on day-to-day operations / usurping authority:
He's doing it behind closed doors. Like I said him and Kim are the bills Co general managers so I'm sure he's/she effected us from winning when he's/she's not letting the real GM do the job himself. Not saying about spending but he/ she could be forcing whaley not to trade or trade for someone because they don't see eye to eye. Whaley is just a puppet to do what the pegulas and Russ Brandon wants.
9. No business, even not-for-profits, are run wholy transparently to the public, in particular for personnel decisions.
10. Your trade reference is weak. There are very few NFL trades, period.
11. Your blame on Pegulas (with or without a belief they are neutering Whaley) ignores the possibility Whaley is ineffective.
You beliefs may have merit, but I do not believe for the reasons you cite.
We'll agree to disagree.
