Y. Ralph Wilson

Western New York lost a very special person yesterday on Tuesday, March 25^th. Ralph Wilson Jr. died at the age of 95. Not only was he the founder of the Buffalo Bills, he had a major influence on shaping the NFL. He was also a co-founder of the AFL. Wilson is also credited with initiating the merging of the NFL and the AFL. He was also inducted to the NFL hall of fame in 2009. Wilson is also responsible for bringing the Buffalo Bills to WNY and doing everything in his power to keep them here. The Buffalo Bills stadium is named after him and has been since 1998. Wilson Bought the Buffalo Bills for $25,000 in 1959 and at the time it was a very risky venture. Today the team is valued at roughly $870 million.

                Wilson died in his home in Detroit with his wife and children by his side. The death of Wilson has Buffalo fans upset. Not only is the founder and owner of our own Buffalo Bills gone, the fate of the Bills is unknown. The transfer of ownership of the Bills may take several years. For the time being it will be ran by a trust because no quick sale of the team is expected. The Bills are not in immediate danger of leaving WNY. It would be a $400 million dollar fee to get out of the lease the Bills currently have with WNY. In 2020 the final three years of the deal can be bought out for $28.4 million. So this is most likely the time the Bills will leave WNY, if not sooner.  In order to honor Ralph Wilson, one light was left on at the Ralph Wilson Stadium. Many previous players and people gathered to tell stories of his life and experiences shared with him.