Buffalo Bills don't need new stadium to make money, succeed in NFL

The Buffalo Bills' ownership situation aside, one of the hot topics in Western New York is whether the team will need a new stadium at some point in the not-so distant future.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell believes the team will need a new venue to replace Ralph Wilson Stadium. Goodell sees the $130 million renovations to The Ralph as more of a short-term fix. In order to stay in the Buffalo area, Goodell believes the team will need a new stadium.

But is a new stadium necessary? If some of the stadiums around the NFL are any indication, it's not.

Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears, underwent renovations in the mid-2000s and is still a great venue for football, even though the stadium has been open for 90 years.

Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium is another great stadium. Renovations to the stadium were completed a few years ago.

Lambeau Field in Green Bay was also renovated in the mid-2000s and is one of the great venues for football. Sure, it won't host a Super Bowl. But it's one of the most historic stadiums in the NFL.

This is where Goodell is wrong. The Bills don't need a new stadium to guarantee the team's long-term viability in the league. The Bills need good ownership and, let's be honest, a winning team. The Bills have been a losing team for 15 years. The lack of on-field success hurts any team. It's one of the biggest challenges facing the Bills today.

The renovations at Ralph Wilson Stadium should help. The team should also consider a naming rights deal for the stadium. That could be a nice source of revenue for the team.

More renovations may be needed down the road. But the fact of the matter is that Buffalo doesn't need a Super Bowl-caliber stadium. Most NFL cities don't have such a stadium.

A total of 14 current stadiums have either hosted a Super Bowl or will host a Super Bowl in the next few years. That leaves 18 stadiums, including the aforementioned Arrowhead Stadium, Lambeau Field and Soldier Field, that haven't hosted a Super Bowl and probably won't host one.

Yes, the Bills should upgrade their stadium and make significant renovations to improve the fan experience. But building a new stadium isn't necessary.

If a new owner comes in and decides a new stadium is needed and wants to invest at least some of their money into a new home for the Bills, that's their decision. But the NFL suggesting that the Bills need a new stadium to remain viable is wrong.