Confirmed with Link: Ted Black "mutually parts ways" with Sabres, Brandon now President of Sabres/Bills

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Moskau]

Is no Ted safe from the tyrants that run this organization!?!?!?!?

 

[Paxon]

Ted Black has a much more fun personality in interviews than Brandon, which is the only real negative I can think of here, maybe the other being whether or not this is too much responsibility for one man. It shouldn't be if Brandon is as good of a manager as he always seemed as he should put people under him and delegate. Brandon has done at worst a really good job with the Bills.

 

[vcv]

I hope they go into more detail on this. Of course I presume it's only on the business side for the Amerks as well.

 

[Selanne00008]

Besides the whole salary doubled question, is it even reasonable to ask someone to work as a Team President for two different sports? Seems like it could be overwhelming.

He's going to be very very busy I'd imagine. And that's starting right now through June
His "off-seasons" might be just as busy the more I think about it.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

besides the whole salary doubled question, is it even reasonable to ask someone to work as a team president for two different sports? seems like it could be overwhelming.

He's going to be very very busy i'd imagine. And that's starting right now through june
his "off-seasons" might be just as busy the more i think about it.

 

[Duddy]

Not good or bad, but shouldn't "hockey heaven" have it's own president and not just have the NFL guy do it?

 

[rtfirefly]

Brandon does a great job making the bills money. He will do fine for the sabres.

We should keep in mind that "making more money" for the Bills and Sabres is another way of saying 'squeezing ever more money from the fans". While that organizational policy extends across all professional sports and all cities, it is a reflection, to some extent, of a zero-sum game. It is axiomatic that: more for them = less for you. So far, the fanbase here seems willing to accept that equation.

 

[Djp]

Besides the whole salary doubled question, is it even reasonable to ask someone to work as a Team President for two different sports? Seems like it could be overwhelming.

He's going to be very very busy I'd imagine. And that's starting right now through June
His "off-seasons" might be just as busy the more I think about it.

this is quite common.

hockey and football have a little overlap. baseball and hockey are very complementary in terms of seasons.

With the marketing and advertising their are many many commonalities between football and hockey in terms of marketing, advertising, contacting fans, etc.

Pretty much any team owned by the same owner as some sort of merged operation. It may not be having the same team president but their marketing and communications department could be merged as well as the office that handles season tickets and group ticket type of functions and the PR office when it comes to public outreach and charity events.

 

[Sabretip]

Some reports say "mutually agreed to part ways". Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Same kind of buyline that was given when LaFontaine mysteriously and abruptly left...

I know nothing about this guy. Why is this a bad hire? Serious question.

I'm interested in learning too - I haven't really followed the Bills that closely or paid attention to their managerial decisions.

 

[Selanne00008]

this is quite common.

hockey and football have a little overlap. baseball and hockey are very complementary in terms of seasons.

With the marketing and advertising their are many many commonalities between football and hockey in terms of marketing, advertising, contacting fans, etc.

Pretty much any team owned by the same owner as some sort of merged operation. It may not be having the same team president but their marketing and communications department could be merged as well as the office that handles season tickets and group ticket type of functions and the PR office when it comes to public outreach and charity events.

Fair enough! I just wasn't familiar with this type of situation. If it's almost fairly common, especially with the same owner then that's fine.

 

[Chad Thundercock]

Not good or bad, but shouldn't "hockey heaven" have it's own president and not just have the NFL guy do it?

Brandon's not an NFL guy, he's a business guy.

I won't go so far with the superlatives some have for Brandon, I think anyone would succeed selling the NFL to people around this area.

Besides, the only place where Brandon really affects us is interviews, which are comically bad. I don't give a darn how much $$$$ he makes for the Pegulas.

 

[Paxon]

We should keep in mind that "making more money" for the Bills and Sabres is another way of saying 'squeezing ever more money from the fans". While that organizational policy extends across all professional sports and all cities, it is a reflection, to some extent, of a zero-sum game. It is axiomatic that: more for them = less for you. So far, the fanbase here seems willing to accept that equation.

Actually it is not axiomatic that more for them = less for us. More for them could = some from others (i.e. new fans). It could = more profitable sponsorships, TV deals, etc.

 

[CaptPantalones]

Same kind of buyline that was given when LaFontaine mysteriously and abruptly left...



I'm interested in learning too - I haven't really followed the Bills that closely or paid attention to their managerial decisions.

The people who think so poorly of him are the ones that can't get over the fact he was the bills GM for a bit and had some pull in football operations.

But he's a successful local businessman who is a true asset on that end for the bills and now the sabres.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Russ Brandon Media Availability Audio

Click here for full audio

 

[Sabretip]

Ugh noooooooooo

Sabres fans, you'll grow to hate Brandon's robotic corporate tool speak.

I am going to miss Ted Black on WGR, I really enjoyed his interviews

Thank the lord. I have been saying this for years, but Black was just an idiot. The guy was gifted a job and had no business being in the position he was. There have been rumblings for at least 2 years how dysfunction the Sabres organization is. The guy was unbearable to listen to.

As glib and polite as Black was, I found him to be more of the same kind of corporate messenger with time. And while his defense of the Pegulas made sense, I really got annoyed with him coming onto WGR and trying to build up Regier as this genius GM.

I liked his interviews on WGR. He sat through a lot of crap and did a pretty good job of shielding his bosses from the media spotlight. He did some nice things as far as fan accessibility, interaction and communication. Maybe he just ran his course.

maybe he ends up in Arizona

I could see that happening

That part is telling:

It also was known, according to a source close to the situation, that Black was falling increasingly into disfavor with the Pegulas and that his departure could happen at any time.

I don't really see how this has anything to do with the team performance.

#onebuffalo

This is a bit surprising, but does it really matter in the long run? Probably not

As long as business side doesn't interfere with the hockey side - I'd hate to think that the President starts counting dollars and advising Pegula on expenditures related to team personnel. That should be the GMs job IMO.

As long as he lets Murray run the show, I couldn't care less.

It's been clear it's Murray's show for a while, ever since LaFontaine "left".

It sounds like that will be the case:

Sabres General Manager Tim Murray will continue to oversee hockey operations for the organization and report directly to Terry and Kim Pegula. The Bills have a similar structure with GM Doug Whaley and coach Rex Ryan also reporting directly to the Pegulas.

http://bills.buffalonews.com/2015/0...bills-sabres-business-operations-no-surprise/

Let's be honest, Ted Black was not a particularly strong president. From the terdburger, to sending out ticket increases on can appreciation day, to weak game day experiences, and numerous foot in mouth moments, this is no big loss.

No arguments there....

Ted Black has a much more fun personality in interviews than Brandon, which is the only real negative I can think of here, maybe the other being whether or not this is too much responsibility for one man. It shouldn't be if Brandon is as good of a manager as he always seemed as he should put people under him and delegate. Brandon has done at worst a really good job with the Bills.

Frankly, as a fan, I don't really need to or care to hear from the Presidents - the GM, coach and owners words relative to the team are what matter IMO. The bulk of what Black did was PR-related, trying to sell the public on an image, idea or policy.

 

[Selanne00008]

As glib and polite as Black was, I found him to be more of the same kind of corporate messenger with time. And while his defense of the Pegulas made sense, I really got annoyed with him coming onto WGR and trying to build up Regier as this genius GM.



I could see that happening



That part is telling:








As long as business side doesn't interfere with the hockey side - I'd hate to think that the President starts counting dollars and advising Pegula on expenditures related to team personnel. That should be the GMs job IMO.





It sounds like that will be the case:



http://bills.buffalonews.com/2015/0...bills-sabres-business-operations-no-surprise/



No arguments there....



Frankly, as a fan, I don't really need to or care to hear from the Presidents - the GM, coach and owners words relative to the team are what matter IMO. The bulk of what Black did was PR-related, trying to sell the public on an image, idea or policy.

Agreed with the bolded. To be honest, I didn't listen to Black cause I didn't care what really came out of his mouth. I care what the GM has to say most, and it's quite frank and blunt. Good enough for me.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

from Pommers non-tribute to Hasek and the turd burgers, it sounds like Ted Black was the man not on the ball with all that stuff, we ready to pin the lack of streams for prospect camp/traverse city on Teddy?

Not good or bad, but shouldn't "hockey heaven" have it's own president and not just have the NFL guy do it?

I think we should be looking at this as Pegula wanted the best man in the organization running the business side of hockey heaven, the best guy just happened to be the president of their football team.

 

[Yatzhee]

Makes perfect sense. The Pegula Entertainment Corporation consolidating.

This is a good move for them. I dint expect Brandon to be "the guy" when all is said and done though.

A move like this smacks of a new domed stadium downtown however. I fully expect Pegula to build a new office building down town as an energy company HQ as well, NG exportation is the name of that game.

 

[zbubble]

The bulk of what Black did was PR-related, trying to sell the public on an image, idea or policy.

If the bulk of what he did was just PR, he wouldn't have been fired with reports claiming the owners were questioning why the Bills were run so much more smoothly as an organization. Obviously there's a lot more important stuff that the job entails.

 

[Beerz]

Yeah.

Seems everyones issues with Black seem so trivial. I'm 100% sure that the Pegulas wanting to move on from him had nothing to do with Jerseys or Streams or Tributes.

I just think that wanted to bring everything together...and I think they wanted a "Stronger Voice" within the League. Does Brandon give that? I don't know.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Beerz]

Remember the old talking point that Pegula was too loyal ... never fired anyone in his old business... yadda yadda yadda...


Good Times.

 

[Zman5778]

I think they wanted a "Stronger Voice" within the League. Does Brandon give that? I don't know.

Brandon is certainly respected in NFL circles as a businessman.

When TPegs first bought the Bills and they were doing their diligence WRT a new president, the vultures were supposedly circling and ready to snipe Brandon. Apparently the Raiders were VERY interested in Brandon should he have shaken free.

Brandon is a fine businessman, and if that's his only role -- I think he'll be better than Black.




I do wonder if the stream/no-stream debacle the last 2 years has anything to do with this. I mean, something like that would certainly be handled by the business side.....as would shows like Hockey Hotline. I wonder if the Pegulas picked up on how tone deaf Black appeared to be when it came to giving the fans what they want (ie, streaming the scrimmages/preseason, someone better than KSly/Peters, etc).

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

This isn't interesting to me unless "One Buffalo" means the Bills and Sabres play in the same arena/stadium at the same time in front of the same crowd - one grass field, one ice rink. Football and hockey at the same time, dual-purpose tickets, for eight Sundays (or more for playoff games).

Now who ISN'T going to watch that? Uber marketing. Not genius...SUPER genius.