Legends, a sports consulting firm co-founded by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, has a growing influence over the Buffalo Bills stadium project.
The Bills began working with Legends a few years ago with feasibility studies, focus groups and fan surveys. Since then, Legends’ role has expanded greatly, including lead roles in some of the most financially important aspects of the stadium project, including taking over the Bills' merchandising and retail operations and upgrading the Bills Store at Highmark Stadium.
The News recently spoke with Mike Tomon, co-president and COO of Legends.
Q: How has Legends influence grown on the Bills stadium project?
A: We’ve been a company for 15 years now and have been growing a platform to really be a premium experiences company that provides an end-to-end solution. When we look at the Bills opportunity, this is why this platform has been built – to be an executioner on behalf of the team’s vision. To be subject matter experts on this project has been important.
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Q: Is this involvement similar to the SoFi Stadium project that Legends helped lead?
A: We point to it being transformational and think of what it will do for Bills fans in Buffalo. Being able to be in early from a planning perspective, not only in providing feasibility studies, but also from a strategic side and advising as we grow this process, and how you engage in a successful way with a partner of this size, that’s where the similarities jump out. And that builds to supporting other services.
Q: How has the relationship with the Bills evolved?
A: When you look to build credibility with your partner, there’s a certain level of trust that comes with it that allows you to move faster and be more effective working together. The Bills have a great vision, great understanding of the business and great knowledge of the market and their fans. When the fans approach this, they’ll sit back and think, ‘they thought of everything.’
Q: Has having Jones in the picture helped Legends expand its NFL relationships?
A: When you have Jerry as part of the ownership group, being authentic and understanding the NFL at a very deep level comes from our foundation. It’s really about applying all of our experiences and best practices as a global platform specifically into the NFL relationships with a very boutique approach.