On the same day that Sen. Chuck Schumer announced a plan that he says will keep the Buffalo Bills playing in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that a “nationally-recognized sports expert” is advising the state on how to keep the sports franchise in western New York.

“New York State is committed to doing all we can to keep the Bills a part of the Buffalo community, while also protecting taxpayer dollars and seeing that the team can thrive in Western New York for years to come,” Cuomo said in a statement. “Irwin Raij has years of experience working together with sports franchise owners, local communities, and government in sports development projects, and he will be a valuable addition to the state’s efforts to keep the Bills right here in New York.”

Among Irwin Raij’s credentials:

  • Represented Guggenheim Baseball Management in the recent acquisition of the LA Dodgers
  • Appointed by the MLB commissioner to serve on a three-person panel to determine whether a new stadium for the Oakland A’s is feasible
  • Represented Major League Baseball in the re-location of the Montreal Expos, while also working with the Miami Dolphins in helping them renovate Sun Life Stadium.

There’s been a creeping concern in Buffalo that the team, which has played several games across the lake in Toronto since 2008, will leave its Orchard Park stadium for a different community altogether.

To that end, Schumer was in western New York today pushing a plan that would alter the NFL’s loan program in order to receive up to $25 million earmarked for renovations at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

So do we have a case here of good team work, or as Liz suggested in the morning memo, another case of the statewide elected officials being a team of rivals?

 

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