Toronto Slipping Away with Buffalo's Beloved Bills

The Bills have been a historic franchise for a very long time and are fueled by some of the most supportive, passionate fans in the league.

We will soon find out how far that support reaches the beloved franchise called the Buffalo Bills.

Is it supportive enough to reach across the border?

There are reports that Rogers Communications, an Ontario media giant, is seeking more Bills games in Toronto over the next couple of years. Do not be surprised if you see a quarter of the Bills' home games being played in the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario by the 2010 season.

What is startling about this report is that the Buffalo Bills franchise is supporting the possibility of more gridiron action up north.

The NFL's first stint in Canada was hardly a success; ticket sales were slumping for the regular season game, which pitted two heated rivals, the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins, against each other. Rogers Communications had to frantically sell and even give away last-minute tickets to ensure a packed stadium full of fans to please the several broadcasting companies having coverage for this historic event. Overall, around 49,00 people attended the event, a full 6,000 less then full capacity at the Rogers Centre.

This might look like signs of a failure to fans and media alike.

Rogers Communications, however, is in for the long haul.

The last several months saw mass surveys and questionnaires in the Ontario region asking how popular the NFL is in Canada, and which teams those taking the surveys were most supportive of. Can you guess which team was chosen the most?

Yes, Buffalo's beloved Bills.

Also, the NFL and Rogers Communications agreed to cut ticket prices for this season's Buffalo Bills vs. NY Jets game. Less ticket prices equals more people filling those 6,000 empty seats.

There is a great possibility that Toronto is testing the market for an NFL franchise in Toronto. If future Bills games can sell out consistently, there might be a new stadium in the works to properly host an NFL game.

The NFL is a cash cow, and Toronto might just be an option for the Bills to at least permanently share half the home games with Buffalo.

All good things, eventually, come to an end.