Bills fans may have uncovered Toronto group’s plans to relocate franchise

Buffalo Fan Alliance, a group dedicated to “protecting the legacy and future of professional sports in Buffalo,” tweeted out a biography of Roger Rai, a member of a Toronto-based ownership group bidding on the Bills. Included in the bio was blurb stating that Rai is “part of the ownership group attempting to acquire and move the Buffalo Bills to Toronto.”

That same Toronto group includes Jon Bon Jovi, who has been the subject of backlash from Bills fans in recent weeks as the most well-known face of the prospective buyers. Bon Jovi wrote an open letter to Bills fans earlier this month assuring them that the group would make strident efforts to keep the team in the Buffalo area.

The documents uncovered by the Buffalo Fan Alliance -- which include a July press release from a Toronto distribution company, according to the Associated Press -- threaten to undo whatever goodwill Bon Jovi was able to build with his letter. Rai responded to the AP, saying the reference to his involvement with the Bills’ purchase was “a mistake on my behalf,” and that his biography was written by a co-worker who made a misinterpretation.

Rai has been heavily involved in sports ownership before, at least according to his bio. He is currently a vice president at Keek Inc., and controlling shareholder at Rogers Communications. The bio states that Rai “assists in the sports ownership affairs of Rogers Communications and was responsible for the acquisition of the Toronto Blue Jays.”

The image of Rai’s bio can be seen below:

The Bills cannot relocate until 2020, due to a lease on Ralph Wilson Stadium that runs through the 2019 season. The Bills also have other suitors outside of Bon Jovi’s Toronto group, including Terry Pegula, owner of the Buffalo Sabres, and Donald Trump. Both men, as well as the Toronto Group, have attended presentations by the Bills that provided financial and background information about the franchise to potential owners.