Buffalo Bills NFL Football Game, Buffalo, NY
The day had finally come. All these years of living in Western New York State. All these years my family members have worn blue and red. All the solemn conversations that always have the same line, “Hey, at least we are the most loyal fans.” I finally went to my first professional National Football League (NFL) game.
Fans came out of the woodwork as it was Buffalo vs. Cleveland and it was going to be a big game.
One thing Bills fans are known for is tailgating.
Tailgating is when you and your friends go to the game early, put your tailgate down, put a bunch of cheap beer in a cooler, bring a BBQ, snacks, whatever, (we saw one group cooking a small turkey), and have a party before the game starts.
Right away I realized tailgating was an entire world itself. I could have spent an entire season walking around to all the different parking lots and talking to tailgaters. Some people tailgate out of their mini coopers and some have the biggest trucks ever. There were all kinds of styles of tailgaters. And as long as you are wearing the home team’s colors, they are a friendly bunch. We asked our neighbor tailgaters to take the picture of us below:
Paul was so happy to have Chris at the game with him.
The bills stadium is an outside stadium and there was a chance of rain in the forecast. If there’s one thing I hate it’s being squeezed in between a bunch of drunk people while freezing. To prepare I was wearing the following: 2 pairs of socks, boots, 2 pairs of fleece pants with rain pants to put over, long underwear top shirt, bills t-shirt, bills sweatshirt, red scraft, my normal jacket, and Laura and Paul let me borrow a bills jacket that was really big on me to wear over my other jacket (so that makes 2 jackets total), bills ear muffs, liner gloves and weather proof gloves to put on over them.
I was ready. It never rained and I got very hot. The temperature stayed unseasonably warm at 52 degrees F.
The mounted police officers were out and everyone loved them.
But don’t think you can fool around for a second at these games. They take security and safety very seriously. You even start to mess around, try to fight, be a jerk, they will kick you out. There were hundreds of police and event staff on hand and we saw several drunken idiots promptly removed from the stadium.
We took a walk around the stadium.
Everywhere there were just mobs of people chanting, shouting, drinking, eating and in general controlled chaos.
We went inside to check out the indoor training field which they set up with free exhibits before the game.
Laura and I spun a wheel and each won a pair of gloves!
Chris and Paul were less than impressed as they had to hold our snacks bags while we spun the wheel. They are very strict on what you can take in with you and food must be prepacked items and fit into a clear gallon zip lock bag.
One of the booths set up was to take your picture for free.
The next time through we wanted to mimic the player – Paul just put on his happy face.
It was getting close to game time so we made our way into the stadium.
Victory!
Laura and Paul at the Bills Stadium.
Tiff and Chris at the Bills Stadium.
We were like little red and blue bugs in a rug all squeezed together.
I had no idea what a football game would be like and when the Bills ran out to the field or something good happened, they set off fireworks.
They also had fire blazes when something really good happened too – which did when the Bills won! It was an epic game as its been ten years since the last time they have been 7-5.
And with a victory under belt, in the dusk we made our way back to the van and Paul and Chris carried the snack bags.
I had no idea what going to a professional NFL game would be like. I catch glimpses of this stuff on TV and of course in the news, but being there, people are so into this. This their life. This industry generates so much money. Not even thinking about the cost of the tickets or anything like that, just looking around at how much food, drink, sports specific products people purchased – wow. This is big business and such a huge part of the American culture. It was fun to get all dressed up and get into the game in a healthy and respectful way.
As they say up north, “The Bills make me want to shout! Go Buffalo!”
* * *
If you go:
You can buy tickets at www.buffalobills.com.
Parking is ~$25 cash.
You will want to bring your zippi of snacks – the food really is outrageously priced. A lot of times I will buy a treat on a special outing like this, but the when I saw the prices I was so glad I had brought my cliff bars.
Wear warm clothes and be ready for any weather. If you get too hot you can just take the layers off and sit on them.
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A Buffalo Bills game?!! And it was your first football game? And they WON?!! Now they’re going to make you go to ALL the games just to keep the streak going.
I definitely think I was their good luck charm for that day. It was interesting to finally be able to go to a game! Too bad I can’t go to the rest of the games – off to Africa in less than a week! 🙂
Attending a Bills game really is an event to go to. There is no other place I know, other than other sporting events, where people are completely dressed in team colors and there is such a sense of comradory. The energy that comes off the fans is an experience everyone should have.
Going to a Bills game was one of the most cultural things we have done in Buffalo. The sense of energy was incredible. Now, I just wanted to scheme up ways to get that massive number of people just as excited about recycling, composting, river clean ups, ect. 😉
Tiff, I had no idea you were a bills fan. I grew up in buffalo and the next door neighbor was their business manager. During their heydays in the late 60’s and 70’s the neighbor would have the team over for barbecues. As kids we would hide behind the bushes to get glimpses of OJ Simpson and we all collected football cards – wish I still had them.
Well Barb, just as Chris says he is a vegetarian by default most of the time (because I am), I am a Bills Fan by default. Chris follows sports like its his second job and a lot of my family are really into sports – particularly the Bills. My sister even has an entire Bill outfit for her dog – several I think. That’s wild you grew up in Buffalo – that’s where Chris and I both went to school and met. I was thankful to finally be able to experience the game with people who were so into and of course a winning game only made it better fun. Thanks for the comment! 🙂
Well would you at that! The Vagabonds are now the VagaBills…..bumming around the stadium with like minded VagaBills. And they won. Good for them! The energy must have been incredible. The pics were better than watching it on TV.
I hope you get to share this part of US as you tour Africa.
Yes the energy was incredible. Haha, I like the term VagaBills. That is catchy. It was awesome that they won and fans were so excited. There were some really fun, nice and very dressed up Bills fans that made cheering a lot of fun. And thank gosh for the nice weather day. Couldn’t have been better.
Great game, so glad you got to experience a rare win!
The win definitely made it more fun!!! Happy drunks are better than angry drunks. I was so thankful for the chance to go.
very cool I have a girlfriend who had season tickets for years her and hubby went to every game for years and told me many tailgaiting stories one was about a merchant marine they went with who set off a rocket my daughter has suddenly started watching bills games with her hubby I am not a football fan but I bet it was a blast going to a live game the excitement the cold the food the beer the crowds yaaaaa hooooo
Whoa – setting off a rocket while tailgating sounds pretty epic. It was fun to go to a live game and even better because it was such nice weather. Any time I see fans on tv during rain, sleet, snow and they look so miserable, I always hoped I hadn’t been them, and I wasn’t, yahoo!
The sense of energy was incredible last year and It was fantastic. I really enjoyed that NFL game and look forward visiting it next year.
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