corta765 Posted May 2, 2019 Posted May 2, 2019 In the wake of recent tailgate change in the Bus & Limo lot it seems a massive debate has ignited about what Bills Culture or Bills Mafia is to us the fans. To me Bills Culture as a fan is not just simplistic rowdy tailgate which while great seems to be overriding the general goal which is to win. To me being a Bills fan I am proud of the loyalty the fans have shown, the willingness to donate as seen with Dalton & the Titans fanbase contest, supporting Pancho, fans showing up at the airport in droves with the drought broken, taking over Miami yearly (if you've never went its amazing), and above of the fact in a league dominated by commercialism Buffalo is an Alamo league wide of fans who support the team thick and thin, not an LA Rams where people only come when they are in the limelight. Green Bay & Pittsburgh get credit for being similar but I ask those fans to go through even a decade of what we have when they have had HOF QB's for decades on end. The day when Mario signed, when he Pegula's bought the team, when we broke the Drought etc.. I couldn't stop listening to the radio to hear Bills fans all over on what it means to them, where they were, and how awesome everything is. There is something truly special and unique about being in this fanbase that you do not get in 95% of the league (Cleveland I will give them this prop). One of the things I do not like that the tailgate debate has absolutely centered on though is that we have to solely be defined as passionate fans by some wild crazy frat party. I love that reputation wise people now have marked Buffalo as a place to go nationally I think it is a great credit to the team, but I don't like that a large segment of fans solely care about that tailgate as our defining trait. I have got to the lot at 6:45 and had some great tailgates, I tell my friends from other place that they have never seen a tailgate and game until they go to Buffalo. But its kinda insane that the ability to not jump off a buss will forever alter the reputation of the fanbase in many fan's eyes. This goes into my frustration with the team not getting night games. Tons of people were thrilled because it meant then 1pm tailgate parties were kept. BUT the general more important goal is missed with all of this. I want the Bills to win the Super Bowl. Like a lot of fans my dad and family got me into the Bills and some of my favorite memories with him have been at the Ralph. He is older now and I hope that someday I get that chance to watch a SB with him when the Bills finally do it and win. I'd rather have 3 night games, 3 4pm games, and stuff that throws it all off because it means the team is winning and matters for the main prize. I'd rather then just being a party, we could have the tailgate culture just a piece of what Bills fans have created across the board. The entire tailgate debate basically shows that for some people its the party not the actual team performance that they give care about and truthfully good riddance then. I get that this team has been a crater of crap from two decades and the Bills need to be extremely careful with modifications to tailgating because the tailgate scene is a decent reason the fans still have come. But in general culture wise I just think frankly we can be better straight up expectation wise on who we are. I do not need some drunken moron jumping off a buss to define how passionate our fans are when since just 2017 I could name a list of great things this fanbase have done. I want the fan expectations to be better then anger on a policy change that will not effect most Bills fans attending. This is just my .02 I am very curious how others value Bills Culture regardless if it differs greatly 1
mushypeaches Posted May 2, 2019 Posted May 2, 2019 I think the larger point here is that "Bills Culture" means a lot of different things to different people. There's varying levels of engagement, history, passion, knowledge, and alcohol consumption. I like the fact that we have a passionate fanbase, affordable tickets, a great gameday scene, and a fun team. It will be even more enjoyable when we win. 1
corta765 Posted May 2, 2019 Author Posted May 2, 2019 1 minute ago, mushypeaches said: I like the fact that we have a passionate fanbase, affordable tickets, a great gameday scene, and a fun team. It will be even more enjoyable when we win. Exactly. The team even said with their guy that their not concerned about the occasional table jump and they know how important the scene is to their scene. For me getting out of the car on gameday is the equivalent to christmas a few times a year. I love the smells and noise from everyone and how much everyone interacts from sharing food drinks music etc.. It is something that is truly organic and not replicable. 1
oldmanfan Posted May 2, 2019 Posted May 2, 2019 I think you want fan culture vs. Bills culture. Bills fans are defined by faith and passion. Bills fans have faith that this year is the year, every year, never mind what others say. No fan base is more passionate; Bills fans proudly wear their Bills gear wherever they are. They come out in any weather, under any circumstances to support their team, in opposing stadiums or not. That passion is sometimes shown in extreme ways such as table diving. But passion and faith, even after 17 years with no playoffs. That's the basis of the culture. 3
corta765 Posted May 2, 2019 Author Posted May 2, 2019 2 minutes ago, oldmanfan said: I think you want fan culture vs. Bills culture. Bills fans are defined by faith and passion. Bills fans have faith that this year is the year, every year, never mind what others say. No fan base is more passionate; Bills fans proudly wear their Bills gear wherever they are. They come out in any weather, under any circumstances to support their team, in opposing stadiums or not. That passion is sometimes shown in extreme ways such as table diving. But passion and faith, even after 17 years with no playoffs. That's the basis of the culture. Great description
NoHuddleKelly12 Posted May 2, 2019 Posted May 2, 2019 Great post OP. Being a Bills fan is the very definition of loyalty and hope of things yet to come, regardless of whether or not a payoff is ever realized. Man, it makes the good times, few they may have been, that much sweeter as well.
BuffaloBillies Posted May 2, 2019 Posted May 2, 2019 I live in Cincinnati now and bring my buddies (who are Bengals fans) to Bills games in Buffalo. We make a weekend out of it. The first one (~10 years ago), they couldn't believe the tailgating scene and all the craziness. They were hooked. They love going to Buffalo games (vs Cincy) in Buffalo. Even though they might have on a Bengals shirt on game day, Bills fans have always been cool to them too. We haven't missed one yet and we'll be there week 3! 1
corta765 Posted May 2, 2019 Author Posted May 2, 2019 Just now, NoHuddleKelly12 said: Great post OP. Being a Bills fan is the very definition of loyalty and hope of things yet to come, regardless of whether or not a payoff is ever realized. Man, it makes the good times, few they may have been, that much sweeter as well. When we broke the drought the amount of congrats I got from friends who are not Bills fans was kinda nuts haha. But being 31 that really was a pretty special time to dump that drought and was a nice payoff for how years of crap we had. 1
The Firebaugh Kid Posted May 2, 2019 Posted May 2, 2019 Great food. Great parties. Making friends with everyone around you. Being loud and never giving up.
BullBuchanan Posted May 2, 2019 Posted May 2, 2019 I don't like when a culture has to be defined as an everything for everybody type of situation. It makes the soup so bland no one wants to eat it. In my opinion that's how you get disinterested fans like those in Miami or Jacksonville that wouldn't sell out their stadium if they played in a home Super Bowl. I understand the need to curb liability for the Bills Mafia shenanigans. You don't have to support it, but to want it to go away is to lose a part of what makes being a Bills fan so unique. Watching the game at home, at your favorite bar, in the parking lot or in the stadium it doesn't really matter. Some people like a nice sunday dinner before the game, while others get started with a liquid breakfast at 8am. it takes all sorts to really understand what it means to circle the wagons for this team. I also strongly believe that keeping the outdoor historical stadium is another part of that. If you want to build a venue to attract concerts and rodeos, go ahead and do that. I think having a church of football is a pretty cool thing. We don't share any of the winning history of Lambeau Field, but we do share the passion. I somehow think that you don't exactly get the same effect. The first game I ever went to was the 1991 AFC Championship game. It was cold, rainy and windy, and I went in my ski suit with our woolen Bills hats,, those foam bills seat cushions everyone had back then, thermos of hot chocolate and those hand warmer packs. You know the funny thing? After the game started, no one cared about the weather. Everyone in that stadium was family for 3 hours. It was loud, full of passionate people that may have spent what little money they may have had on a product that only recently started reciprocating their loyalty. The game was over at halftime, but that didn't stop the cheering and celebrating all throughout the second half. That day cemented me as a Bills fan for all time. Would it have been the same in my 72 degrees indoor stadium in my seat licensed chair and starbucks candy cane macchiato? I can't say for sure, but I'm guessing not. When I grew up, everyone I knew was a Bills fan, or at least pretended to be. You didn't make plans on Sunday afternoons to do anything other than watch ball. In multiple churches that I attended in my childhood it was a topic of conversation on more than one occasion. Chan Gailey may not have been right about a lot of things, but my favorite quote from him is that "Football is a tough game for tough people", and I'd like to see it stay that way. 1
Guffalo Posted May 2, 2019 Posted May 2, 2019 I think part of the debate stems from the thought that the moves to create a village will slowly take away the ways our fanbase gathers before games. Older Bills fans have had a long hard journey over the years and as younger ones join the the force, they bring with them their rituals. To the dismay of the NFL and the Bills, their rituals are displayed on Barstool sports and instagram for all to see. Its not that we are all different, we just celebrate and prepare differently. To answer the OP, Being a Bills fan to me is waking up on gameday in December, knowing that the playoff hopes were gone 3 weeks ago, and still hoping for a win, hoping for improvement by the young players and looking forward to a good game and having a few beers with old friends and meeting new ones. Being a Bills fan is walking down the street in Manhattan and hearing "Go Bills" because you are wearing a Bills hat or shirt. Being a Bills fan is having Dad put the radio next to the phone in 1983 so I could listen to Van's call as Dad kept shouting "Hey that's long distance, that's going to cost you a fortune" Being a Bills fan is when on vacation, and the family knows that whatever happens, Sunday at 1 PM, Dad and Mom will be in front of a TV at a sports bar near the beach where the kids can do whatever they want for the next 3 hours. Being a Bills fan is sitting at that beach bar, chatting with an ex-Buffalo cop talking about how the team is on the right track, and maybe next year we will make a run (and seriously believing it). Being a Bills fan is setting aside vacation time to make sure you can travel 900 miles round trip for each home game, shorter for some road games. Being a Bills fan is keeping your season tickets since 1982 because you didn't want the team to have another reason to leave. Being a Bills fan is spending countless hours on internet forums complaining about the latest trade or a misplaced shower mat. 4
ganesh Posted May 3, 2019 Posted May 3, 2019 In terms of business impact on the Bills, the tailgating is overrated and I am sure the Bills know their numbers/ What they have done makes perfect sense. We are in the era of Generation Z and that is zero tolerance!
Eddiegoofball Posted May 3, 2019 Posted May 3, 2019 To me Bills culture is resiliency, working hard, playing hard- sometimes harder in the parking lot than on the field, but the fact remains.
foreboding Posted May 3, 2019 Posted May 3, 2019 Fan Culture = Rabid, loyal, die-hard New Team Culture = Growth Mindset, grinders work ethic, humility
BullBuchanan Posted May 3, 2019 Posted May 3, 2019 5 hours ago, Guffalo said: I think part of the debate stems from the thought that the moves to create a village will slowly take away the ways our fanbase gathers before games. Older Bills fans have had a long hard journey over the years and as younger ones join the the force, they bring with them their rituals. To the dismay of the NFL and the Bills, their rituals are displayed on Barstool sports and instagram for all to see. Its not that we are all different, we just celebrate and prepare differently. To answer the OP, Being a Bills fan to me is waking up on gameday in December, knowing that the playoff hopes were gone 3 weeks ago, and still hoping for a win, hoping for improvement by the young players and looking forward to a good game and having a few beers with old friends and meeting new ones. Being a Bills fan is walking down the street in Manhattan and hearing "Go Bills" because you are wearing a Bills hat or shirt. Being a Bills fan is having Dad put the radio next to the phone in 1983 so I could listen to Van's call as Dad kept shouting "Hey that's long distance, that's going to cost you a fortune" Being a Bills fan is when on vacation, and the family knows that whatever happens, Sunday at 1 PM, Dad and Mom will be in front of a TV at a sports bar near the beach where the kids can do whatever they want for the next 3 hours. Being a Bills fan is sitting at that beach bar, chatting with an ex-Buffalo cop talking about how the team is on the right track, and maybe next year we will make a run (and seriously believing it). Being a Bills fan is setting aside vacation time to make sure you can travel 900 miles round trip for each home game, shorter for some road games. Being a Bills fan is keeping your season tickets since 1982 because you didn't want the team to have another reason to leave. Being a Bills fan is spending countless hours on internet forums complaining about the latest trade or a misplaced shower mat. I was wearing my Bills jersey when I arrived at the Atlanta airport a couple years ago (We were playing them that Sunday) and I walk past this guy leaning against the wall on his phone next to one of those walkway escalators. Without lifting his head to look at me, he let out a subdued "Go Bills" as I walked past. I was happy to be a Bills fan that day.
transient Posted May 3, 2019 Posted May 3, 2019 FYI, publicly discussing Bills culture without prior consent is a HIPAA violation, Schefter. 1 1
RiotAct Posted May 3, 2019 Posted May 3, 2019 Being able to tailgate with 12 or more people in the Bus/Limo lot.
LabattBlue Posted May 3, 2019 Posted May 3, 2019 If you are in a long winded way of asking what is most important to me as a Bills fan, there is only one thing...winning a SB Championship.
corta765 Posted May 3, 2019 Author Posted May 3, 2019 9 hours ago, BullBuchanan said: I was wearing my Bills jersey when I arrived at the Atlanta airport a couple years ago (We were playing them that Sunday) and I walk past this guy leaning against the wall on his phone next to one of those walkway escalators. Without lifting his head to look at me, he let out a subdued "Go Bills" as I walked past. I was happy to be a Bills fan that day. I think it is the coolest thing when you are out of town and you wear something Bills and someone walks past and remarks "Go Bills" or vise versa. I can't believe the places I have had that happened including Europe haha 1
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