Crusader

Donald Trump remains in the running to buy the Buffalo Bills.

And so are NHL Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula, a person close to the process confirmed Thursday night to The Associated Press while speaking on the condition of anonymity because the sale is supposed to be private.

Michael Cohen, Trump's executive vice president and special counsel, confirmed in an email to the AP that his boss was chosen to advance to the next round of bidding. Cohen said he was informed of the decision by Morgan Stanley, the banking firm overseeing the sale of the team for late owner Ralph Wilson's estate.

"Mr. Trump's significant wealth, name recognition and real estate knowledge makes him a viable option," Cohen said.

Trump is bidding on his own after electing against being joined by partners. He is prepared to make an all-cash offer.

Trump is proving to be serious in his efforts to buy the Bills, who are on the market after Wilson died in March. Trump was previously dismissed by critics as using the Bills' sale as a publicity stunt.

The Pegulas have been low-key throughout the sale process in regards to their interests in purchasing the Bills.

The Bills most recently were valued by Forbes at $870 million but are expected to sell for at least $1 billion, partly because NFL teams rarely go on the market.

Morgan Stanley's selection of Trump and the Pegulas comes after prospective groups were asked to submit non-binding bids by Tuesday.

A Toronto group that includes rocker Jon Bon Jovi was expected to submit a bid. It's not known if that group has been selected to advance.

The deadline Tuesday was regarded as a soft one, meaning other interested parties can still submit bids until a prospective owner is identified. The time, however, is growing shorter for outside groups to become involved.

The next step is for groups who have been approved to advance is to meet with both Morgan Stanley and members of the estate to obtain the franchise's financial information. Bills President Russ Brandon also is expected to make a presentation to prospective bidders.

Once that is done in the coming weeks, groups will then be asked to submit formal bids. The bidding process is unsealed, meaning Wilson's estate will have the ability to ask groups to increase their bids.

Though no timetable has been established by Morgan Stanley, a prospective owner is could be identified by as early as Labor Day and presented to NFL owners for approval during league meetings in early October.

Donald Trump advances to next round of bidding for Buffalo Bills - ESPN

I just hope that whoever wins keeps the team in Buffalo. I have a feeling that the Bills are as imoprtant to that city as the Saints are to New Orleans.

W.T. Sherman is my favorite General. After all he did order Atlanta to be burned to the ground.

OldMaid

My take on it.....
John Bongiovi-Bob Jovi is out with his Toronto group.

Trump has all in his favor except for being such a bigmouth. Being a bigmouth will go against him here. He should have taken in some partners for now. Just for now.

The Pegulas Group , owners the Sabres , they have this in their favor. Not being a big mouth is also in their favor.

My take-it will go to Trump. That USFL NewJer. thing is something he sort of lost on as there is no such league anymore and it was not big and he doesn't like losing.

I agree, whoever buys the team, I sure the BBills stay in hard luck Buffalo with their devoted fans base there and everything else.

Rugby Saint II

Crap!

You're fired.

|Mitch|

Trump is a very good business man; I think he'd be a good owner. If he could stay behind the scenes unlike Jerry Jones

SaintsBro

Trump offered $1 billion — all cash, no contingencies, immediate closing. He’d have the check in one hour...Now the Donald is a little miffed that it went out for bid again.

But here is the deal. This is the NFL! It's not a condominium or a golf course that Trump is buying!

When you make that kind of brash, in-your-face offer -- "I'll buy it NOW, right now, this very afternoon, here's my cash, take it or leave it, I have a plane to catch!" -- then one thing is certain, the NFL are gonna turn their noses up at it. EVERY time. That's NOT how they do business. This is the NFL, it's not a poker game, or answering a newspaper classified ad to buy a boat.

Contrary to what many outsiders might think, cash is NOT king with these people. Clout is king. Acting like you belong in their league, is king. Knowing how to act, is king.This is the top 1% of the top 1% we are talking about. Money in and of itself does not impress them!

Contrast Trump with how the Pegulas are acting. They are all class, every step of the way. They are low-key, professional, they are quietly putting their ducks in a row and making their case.

It's like the Bensons -- they were able to secure the Pelicans largely because Benson DIDN'T act like a cigar-chomping, in-your-face used car salesman -- like the way he used to act years ago.... No, he got the Pelicans because he and his family and their organization were cool and logical and professional about it, and during the process they acted like they knew what the heck they were doing.

It's like the old touchdown adage -- "act like you've been there before." Trump getting red in the face and throwing down a suitcase of money on the table and saying take it or leave it, is stupid, and is not going to impress the NFL ownership, AT ALL. I think for that reason alone, it's highly unlikely he gets it.

jeanpierre

Good Businessman?!? Shrewd, maybe...

Won't take him long to declare some shell company bankrupt when he fails to pay his creditors, vendors as he's done in the past...

That's how the new rich get rich in this country; no honor though...

Make no mistake, Trump's ego is unchecked and he will be as bad as Jerry Jones or Jimmy Irsay...

QBREES9

As long as they stay in Buffalol