On Tuesday, the deadline came and went for making a non-binding indication of interest in buying the Bills. And one of the potential buyers who expressed interest reportedly is willing to pay a lot of money for the privilege of doing so.
According to Josh Kosman and Lois Weiss of the New York Post, Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula already has offered more than $1 billion for the franchise. If that’s the opener from just one of the interested buyers, the sale is destined to eclipse the record $1.1 billion paid by Stephen Ross to purchase the Dolphins.
In June, Pegula raised $1.75 billion in cash via the sale of 75,000 acres of natural gas leases in West Virginia and Ohio.
Via WGRZ-TV, other initial bids were submitted by Donald Trump and Jon Bon Jovi’s Toronto-based group. Via the Buffalo News, Business First reporter James Fink said on WBEN radio that former Sabres owner Tom Golisano reportedly did not make an offer.
Trump, who has talked about buying the Bills in the same way he has talked about running for President, recently told FOX News that he doesn’t expect to actually win the bidding.
“I would say the chances are very, very unlikely,” Trump said. “Because I’m not going to do something totally stupid -- maybe just a little bit stupid, but not totally stupid.”
The making of a 10-figure bid by Pegula should help ensure that the team will go to someone who would keep the franchise in Buffalo. Unless, of course, Bon Jovi and company make a Steve Ballmer-style bid, putting $2 billion or more on the table for the team.
If that’s the case, Andre Reed’s “F--k Bon Jovi!” message could be revised by the folks selling the team to say, “F--k! Bon Jovi!”