Jewish World Review April 24, 2006 / 26 Nissan, 5766

NFL and small town America wherewithal

By Evan Weiner

http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | The National Football League's collective bargaining agreement has come under congressional scrutiny as New York's senior senator Charles Schumer wants to know if the Buffalo Bills franchise will survive the new pact.

Schumer invited National Football League commissioner Paul Tagliabue to his office to talk about the new deal which still needs to be finalized.

Schumer is concerned that New York could lose its only NFL team because Buffalo does not have the financial wherewithal that big market teams have.

Tagliabue assured Schumer that the new deal will take care of not only Buffalo but other small market cities like Jacksonville, Green Bay and Kansas City and that Bills owner Ralph Wilson will be on the committee that will figure out a revenue sharing plan.

Wilson has been an opponent of the deal and claims the agreement threats the stability of his and other small market franchises.

Wilson, who says he doesn't plan to sell or move his team, has picked up a big ally in his fight to make sure the Bills are financially solvent in Schumer who apparently will be keeping an eye on NFL operations.