Philly Front Office

Other than same dirty plays on the Birds last year, most of us have no reason to hate the Buffalo Bills…yet. Before literally anything happens that we take some exception to, I figure now is a good time to talk about how their stadium situation is completely ridiculous.

51 years ago the city of Orchard Park unveiled Rich Stadium to replace the old “Rockpile” that the AFL Bills had been using. This 73,000 person stadium was basically mandated by the NFL and owner Ralph Wilson threatened to move unless the stadium was built (old reliable in stadium negotiation). A few name changes later, Highmark Stadium is still serving up the best tailgate in the league despite regular, stuff-of-my-nightmares, bad weather. Being located so close to Lake Erie, the stadium regularly gets feet of snow and horrific wind gusts. Last year, the team, the county, and the state announced they were building a brand new, $1.7b, OPEN WEATHER, replacement right across the street.

The city of Buffalo has a population of about 250k, but let’s give the metro area some credit for its 1.1m population. That ranks…(scrolling)…about…(scrolling)…50th in the US and dropping with Hartford, Tuscon, and Tulsa likely to pass them by the next census. Anyway, I get it. They love their football team and want them to stay. At least the stadium can be used for other events right? RIGHT??? Well, let’s just take a gander at how the Orchard Park multiplex has been utilized over the last 50 years:

• 2 Hockey Games: Winter Classic (2008) and the World Junior Ice Hockey Championship Final (2017)
• 3 College Football Games: 2 in 1979 and another in 2013
• 1 Supercross event (1984)
• 1993 University Games
• 30 concerts (none between 2001 and 2015)
• In 2024 an arts festival was held in the parking lot
• And from July 26-28 2024 you could whack golf balls from the upper deck

…and that’s it. Did I mention that despite it being an outdoor stadium, the field is made of artificial turf??? Because of that, the field has football lines and Bills insignia on it at all times. So, basically, outside of 8 Bills home games and maybe one other event per year, that thing does not get used. Those home games aren’t even in the spring and summer time!!! The whole summer, golf ball whacking, and arts festivities aside, the place is vacant. That’s astonishing.

So despite the stadium being used for nearly nothing else but football for 50 years, the conditions being completely atrocious, and no hope of any other tenants, the area was completely up for building another one. In fact, it is apparently the single biggest public contribution to an NFL stadium to the tune of $850m in tax payer funding. The economics of this are a whole bigger deal, but I am focusing on the lunacy of the local fan base just saying SIGN US UP with the price be damned.

The whole thing is made even more crazy due to the downtown KeyBank Center that opened in 1996. Holding around 19k people, this arena is home to the Sabres and the professional lacrosse Bandits as well as a history of hosting all kinds of events and concerts. It’s not like the Buffalo area does not have things to offer, but a brand new 60k capacity, open air stadium is pure indulgence.

At least the Bills won’t be moving any time soon. Their fandom wouldn’t be nearly as likeable anywhere else. Now please, for the love of God, beat the Chiefs in the playoffs.

(all reporting done by the fine folks at Wikipedia and by Ticketmaster searches)