Gresh & Zo: Would Jeremy Jacobs Make A Good NFL Owner?
BOSTON (CBS) - According to a story published in the Buffalo News this past Sunday, Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs is reportedly "in play" as a potential buyer of the Buffalo Bills.
Jacobs grew up in the Buffalo region and his company, Delaware North Companies, is headquartered in the western New York city.
Longtime owner and founder Ralph Wilson passed away last month at the age of 95, and his family members are seeking to unload one of the AFL's original franchises to a buyer interested in keeping the team in Buffalo -- the Jacobs family fits that bill.
98.5 The Sports Hub's Andy Gresh and Scott Zolak discussed the news Monday afternoon.
Gresh isn't sure how Jacobs will be received in the NFL community based on his role and reputation in the NHL lockouts.
"[Jacobs] is the guy that got up and walked out of the room. He's the guy that, according to certain reports, had to be talked into certain economic things with the sport of hockey. He is a hardline guy. Would other owners in the National Football League want to bring in someone who, in his own sport, has been a divisive, behind-the-scenes driving force, which has led to a couple shutdowns?"
For Jacobs (or whoever) to buy the team, approval of 24 of the 31 other teams must be reached. Lockouts aside, Zolak thinks the money will talk louder to the NFL owners more than anything else.
"The owners would probably look at it from a business model and say, 'Hey, it works for what he's done with his hockey team.' He's made money. They've won a championship and they are now a contender every year. They spend to the cap," said Zolak. "He's a businessman. What do those guys look to do? Make money."
Although a lease deal with the State of New York and Erie County runs through 2019, Gresh thinks the new owner could be out of town "quicker than a hiccup" to a more lucrative market like Los Angeles or Toronto.
Another interested party in acquiring the Bills is business magnate Donald Trump, and if it came down to Jacobs and Trump, Gresh thinks the decision is a no-brainer.
"It'll be a cold day in hell before the National Football League lets Donald Trump through the door."
Listen below for the full discussion and vote in our poll:
Would Jeremy Jacobs Make A Good NFL Owner?
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