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The Buffalo Bills are making a significant change to their front office, with the public face of the team’s recent stadium deal leaving in an unexpected move and co-owner Terry Pegula taking over as team president.
The Bills announced on July 19 that they “parted ways” with Ron Raccuia, the executive vice president and chief operating officer. As The Athletic’s Tim Graham noted, the move to the business side of the franchise was surrounded by mystery as the team did not reveal a reason for his departure, suggesting he may have been pushed out.
“Raccuia’s departure is creating the most buzz in Western New York business circles,” Graham wrote. “The Bills chose to say they and Raccuia ‘have parted ways,’ a phrase that leads many to wonder how willingly he’s exiting.”
‘Face’ of Team’s New Stadium Deal Suddenly Gone
As Graham pointed out, Raccuia emerged as the “face of the organization throughout its campaign to build a new stadium in Orchard Park,” one that recently came to fruition as the team broke ground in a parking lot opposite the existing stadium.
Pegula issued a statement thanking Raccuia for his work as the team announced the shake-up on Wednesday.
“We would like to thank Ron for his many years hard work and dedication with the Bills and PSE,” Pegula said. “We wish he and his family the best of luck in his future endeavors.”
Graham reported that Raccuia was also cutting other business ties with the region and team.
“Word has gotten around WNY business community that Ron Raccuia is selling his AdPro Sports apparel manufacturing company to Legends, the firm handling Bills’ new stadium sales, PSLs, partnerships and concessions,” Graham tweeted.
As Graham noted, Terry Pegula’s decision to step into a lead role seems to hint that his wife, co-owner Kim Pegula, will not be able to return to work anytime soon.
“She hasn’t been around the club since going into cardiac arrest in June 2022 and continues to recover from brain damage caused by prolonged lack of oxygen,” Graham wrote. “Their oldest daughter, pro tennis player Jessica Pegula, revealed in February her mother still was dealing with significant speech and memory issues.”
Bills Moving Forward on New Stadium
After months of negotiations, the Bills closed a deal in June for a new stadium that will cost $1.4 billion including $850 million in public funding. As SI.com’s Jonathan Alfano reported on June 28, the deal appeared precarious at times and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz hinted that the team could have been at risk of relocation if they didn’t come through with public funding.
“They have the ability, like a lot of the other businesses that we’ve seen in our town, to move if they feel it’s better for them,” Poloncarz told the Sports Business Journal. “They have a business goal in mind, which is, in general, to make as much money as possible.”
The risk of relocation is gone — at least for the next three decades. The Buffalo News reported that the new stadium deal includes a 30-year non-relocation agreement.
