Wow I just can't believe this. The things that must have been wrong must have been behind the scenes because the fan experience for the Sabres seems to be pretty spot on.


Then again I joined the Blue and Gold club and never got as much as an email about it. Thanks Sabres.
- Buffalo--Sabres

The arena has been a morgue for 2+ years now. that's the only real bad thing I can say about Black.

Dave Davis ‏@DaveDavisHockey 55s55 seconds ago
Brandon will speak to the media at 2:30.

Who knows what that reveals. Probably some corporate bullpoop.
- TheSabresTaco

"Ted did a great job, we just wanted to go in a different direction yada yada..."

This whole thing is weird. I always liked Black even if he did sound like a politician.

I don't think enough people realize that this position is like 99% off ice/field. It's a poop load of marketing and fan experience improvements.
- TheSabresTaco

I know its off the ice marketing, but doing two major campaigns seems a bit much

The arena has been a morgue for 2+ years now. that's the only real bad thing I can say about Black.
- ImThatGuy

How do you get fans to cheer about a cow poopting on the grass?

"Ted did a great job, we just wanted to go in a different direction yada yada..."

This whole thing is weird. I always liked Black even if he did sound like a politician.
- sambarugh

I agree, he was approachable and was a good guy

http://sabres.buffalonews...dent-replacing-ted-black/

To Russ Brandon's credit, he kept the Bills going in Ralphs final years where he basically wasn't available to make decisions or run the team. I remember hearing stories about him calling Ralph daily to give him the run down and what happened and even flying out to Detroit to talk bedside with Ralph about things.

I know its off the ice marketing, but doing two major campaigns seems a bit much
- hubie

Not really. I would agree if you were talking about two completely different markets, but at this point one guy doing both might be a good thing. The fan experience at both games should be relatively on par. It probably isn't that difficult to put together a marketing campaign that works for both teams.

I know its off the ice marketing, but doing two major campaigns seems a bit much
- hubie

Yeah I don't like the connotations of one person being the President of two pro sports teams. It's essentially stating that both positions only require 50% of that persons time and effort. Hopefully this is purely interim.

How do you get fans to cheer about a cow poopting on the grass?
- TheSabresTaco

That is true, Also the failure of the third jersey, that thing bombed.

Black was a good PR guy though. Wonder if he got frustrated and with all the questions and the blame for the team being bad. He was the guy on the front line taking all the abuse.

Not really. I would agree if you were talking about two completely different markets, but at this point one guy doing both might be a good thing. The fan experience at both games should be relatively on par. It probably isn't that difficult to put together a marketing campaign that works for both teams.
- HonkFortheGoose

Considering most Buffalo sports fans are built of the same mold it does make sense.

my 2 cents

Black is much better at marketing

Pegula dropped a lot of coin to get these teams and the harbor project

Makes sense to report to 1 guy instead of 2, esp. since I have a feeling in the next 10 years they will want an all star game, world jrs. and a super bowl once the new stadium is figured out

Considering most Buffalo sports fans are built of the same mold it does make sense.
- Stripes77

Exactly. Think about it, the Pegula's already put out the "OneBuffalo" thing. This pretty much just pulls that together even more.

I know its off the ice marketing, but doing two major campaigns seems a bit much
- hubie

Think of it more like managing two large assets under the same umbrella, PS&E.

Per BB.com:

“When it comes to the 53 (man roster) and player personnel, that’s under the purview of Doug Whaley,” said Brandon. “The game-day roster and the coaching staff is obviously Coach Ryan and I will have business ops and administration ops and football administration budgets. But as Terry said earlier and as Coach said, it’s not only one direction, it’s one mindset and we’ll be in lock-step in everything that we do as an organization.”

Business Ops can be combined as one. It's like one company promoting two different products.

Admin Ops and Admin budgets is basically just money management for two companies instead of one. I don't want to make his job sound simple, but I think it's different than, say, being the GM of the Bills and Sabres at the same time.

Exactly. Think about it, the Pegula's already put out the "OneBuffalo" thing. This pretty much just pulls that together even more.
- HonkFortheGoose

Do the sabres or bills change team colors first......

AM I the only one who thinks the fan bases of both teams are completely different?
If you going to try to make the Bills a family atmosphere your barking up the wrong tree and if your going to make the Sabres a keg party that wont go over well either

my 2 cents

Black is much better at marketing

Pegula dropped a lot of coin to get these teams and the harbor project

Makes sense to report to 1 guy instead of 2, esp. since I have a feeling in the next 10 years they will want an all star game, world jrs. and a super bowl once the new stadium is figured out
- homiedclown

Can't say Black is the better man. Could have just as easily made Black president of football ops.

That is true, Also the failure of the third jersey, that thing bombed.

Black was a good PR guy though. Wonder if he got frustrated and with all the questions and the blame for the team being bad. He was the guy on the front line taking all the abuse.
- ImThatGuy

I don't see it. He said time and again how he completely understood...The Process.

AM I the only one who thinks the fan bases of both teams are completely different?
If you going to try to make the Bills a family atmosphere your barking up the wrong tree and if your going to make the Sabres a keg party that wont go over well either
- hubie

Fans different, I have no idea. But experiences, dead on accurate. You cant put the bills atmosphere in the arena or vice verse, it just won't work.

I don't see it. He said time and again how he completely understood...The Process.
- TheSabresTaco

This seems to be the biggest BS line IMO

Can't say Black is the better man. Could have just as easily made Black president of football ops.
- TheSabresTaco

the fact he only worked with Brandon for months instead of the years with Black speaks volume IMO

Do the sabres or bills change team colors first......
- ImThatGuy

I don't think that happens for either team. Terry is very much about the roots of both franchises. If anything, the only change I could see is the Sabres going back to more of the royal blue they had when they started out.

the fact he only worked with Brandon for months instead of the years with Black speaks volume IMO
- homiedclown

You're absolutely right. I'm very interested in seeing what Black was doing wrong. Sounds a little twisted.

AM I the only one who thinks the fan bases of both teams are completely different?
If you going to try to make the Bills a family atmosphere your barking up the wrong tree and if your going to make the Sabres a keg party that wont go over well either
- hubie

The fan bases are the same. What type of atmosphere occurs at each game is different, but I can tell you that the fans themselves are the same. It's just the way they approach being at each game that's different.

We're still the same passionate group that wants to see our teams succeed.

You're absolutely right. I'm very interested in seeing what Black was doing wrong. Sounds a little twisted.
- TheSabresTaco

Maybe he was involved in shipping Sekera out. Scumbag.