BTPM News Managing Editor Michael Mroziak attended the Buffalo Bills’ "Return of the Blue and Red" open practice Saturday, Aug. 8 with his family, as a casual fan on an evening off. But like the thousands of others there for the first public event at the new Highmark Stadium, he took pictures, and offers his thoughts.
In the interest of full disclosure, my attendance Saturday evening was made possible by my wife being able to secure tickets through her workplace. We do not own season tickets, nor do we plan to acquire them. But when we took our seats Saturday evening, we were surrounded by fans and families who willingly and happily put down the money to secure their regular spots for the coming Bills season. They were certainly enjoying their first experience.
The first, and most noticeable, difference between the new Highmark Stadium and its now demolished predecessor is the wider gap between the security gates and the entrances. Security, who were working their first event at the new stadium, kept the fans moving rather efficiently. That longer walk to the stadium allowed some fans to wander and see sights, including the giant metallic bison statues standing in a square that also features the jersey numbers of great Bills players of the past.
Getting inside the stadium itself was quite easy. Once inside, the tricky part was staying together with your group. As people wandered the concourse to see the new place, folks walked in their own directions. The wider corridors make that possible.
Along the way, in addition to the various food and beverage stations, a metal beam featuring countless signatures is fixed for viewing along part of the walkway. Elsewhere, a giant folding table is fixed into the framework, celebrating what started as a drunken social media stunt and has since been entered in Bills Mafia lore, the falling and crashing through such tables.
Those wider corridors also give you an early glimpse of the field, something you couldn’t see back in “the Ralph” until you were making your way through the tunnels that led to the seats. The view of the field itself didn’t feel too different from the past.
However, it wasn’t long before people pointed out the partially obscured seats that are found in portions of the new Highmark. I did not take the time to explore all the stadium’s nooks and crannies, but after a quick glance around the stadium bowl it was easy to spot some of those seats from a distance.
The new stadium features a canopy, but it was soon learned that weather will still play a significant factor in Bills games, especially later into the season. We could see the clouds roll in, dark, thick, and rapidly moving. Within moments, a steady and heavy rain drove many of the fans — my family and I included — back into the corridor to see what other features and food we may have missed. Those who advocated for a dome might feel the need to say "I told you so," while other fans who welcome the weather as part of the game experience will now know to prepare as they would for the former stadium across the street.
Sports tickets don’t come cheap. As I mentioned, I do not own season tickets and have other needs, so for my family and me, this was an enjoyable visit to Highmark Stadium. In the meantime, there are thousands of others who willingly and happily fit the Bills into their plans, and their budgets. To them I say, congratulations on your new Sunday home. I think you’ll like it.
