What future do the Buffalo Bills have in their current market? Owner Terry Pegula wouldn’t necessarily make a long-term commitment. But in the short term, a move is not on his mind.
“Well, we have a lease through 2023, so that’s a contractual obligation,” Pegula said, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “That’s my stance on it. This is 2017, so we’ve got a long ways to go before we start worrying about anything besides where we’re at now.”
The bad news is that that’s far from a vote of confidence, especially given the number of moves that have taken place recently. Since the end of the 2015 season, the Rams and Chargers have both moved to Los Angeles. The Raiders, meanwhile, have announced plans to move to Las Vegas. Given that the Bills play in one of the NFL’s smallest markets and oldest stadiums, it’s only fair for their fans to wonder if they’re next.
The good news is that there is still plenty of time. A move would likely start being planned out with a few years left on the lease. So realistically, Buffalo’s ownership and its city/community has about 3-4 years to work out a deal before moving becomes an imminent threat.