Bills Statement Regarding Labor Situation

The Bills joined the list of NFL teams to release statements to their fans about the current labor dispute. CEO Russ Brandon had this to say:

"We share our fans' disappointment with the news on Friday that the NFLPA has filed for decertification and a work stoppage has begun. We remain hopeful that a new and fair agreement can be reached in time to avoid any significant disruption to our preparations for the 2011 season. We believe that the quickest way to a fair agreement for everyone -- players, teams and fans -- is through negotiations facilitated by the mediator and not through litigation.

"As an organization, winning a championship continues to be our No. 1 goal. Under the direction of general manager Buddy Nix, our entire football staff is hard at work, preparing for the upcoming 2011 NFL draft, where we have the third overall selection. Coach [Chan] Gailey and his staff are also hard at work, preparing for when our team returns to the field. Concurrently, the administrative departments continue to work diligently on the day-to-day business operations in preparation for the season. ...

"We certainly appreciate the support and patience of our fans and we look forward to presenting a full season of exciting Buffalo Bills football in 2011."

It's encouraging to hear something out of the Bills front office during this work stoppage. There is certainly a small jab at the NFLPA for their actions throughout the negotiations, but that is expected since the owners (much like the players) want to come out smelling like roses. All in all, I found the most important part of this statement to first sentence of the second paragraph. Take another read.

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