Best fans in the NFL (and I don't just say that because I'm a Bills fan)

[Billsfed1]

 

[hondo in seattle]

For a long time I considered the distinct possibility that I was just being a homer when I said we had the best fans in the NFL.  But not any more.  

 

I remember back in the 90s, there would be 80,000 people in the stands and, according to some estimates, maybe another 20,000 outside in the parking lot.  When have the Chicago Bears or LA Rams, for example, ever drawn 10% of the metro population to a game?

 

Pittsburgh fans are great.  But they have a competitive team year after year.  The Bills, despite recent success, still have a sub .500 all time record.  The mafia shows up even when we suck.  Few teams can say that about their fans.  

 

And I saw an article once that tried to tabulate fan giving.  No fanbase came close to the mafia.  I saw another article written by a guy who visited every NFL stadium.  He said the pregame fan experience in Buffalo was unparalleled.   

 

You can't measure fandom by attendance because some stadiums, and metro areas, are bigger.  In fact, teams like Denver and New England don't just represent a city, they represent an entire region.  And you can't measure fandom by merch sales for the same reason.  When you find ways to measure passion and loyalty, the Bills win.  

[Another Fan]

Vincent Gallo really says it best the first 25 seconds of this video below.

 

 

 

It is just deeper with this fanbase than other teams.  

 

Pittsburgh and Cleveland have great fans but I would still say unbiasedly the Bills are the most passionate in the NFL.  

[ProcessTruster]

Pretty biased opinion, but hey its a bills board.  go bills. 

 

[May Day 10]

I think we have the best game day atmosphere.  College like.  I really hope we don't lose that charm at the new stadium.

 

Our crazy transplant factor leads to some pretty good takeovers.  Several teams can do that

[Gregg]

11 hours ago, hondo in seattle said:

For a long time I considered the distinct possibility that I was just being a homer when I said we had the best fans in the NFL.  But not any more.  

 

I remember back in the 90s, there would be 80,000 people in the stands and, according to some estimates, maybe another 20,000 outside in the parking lot.  When have the Chicago Bears or LA Rams, for example, ever drawn 10% of the metro population to a game?

 

Pittsburgh fans are great.  But they have a competitive team year after year.  The Bills, despite recent success, still have a sub .500 all time record.  The mafia shows up even when we suck.  Few teams can say that about their fans.  

 

And I saw an article once that tried to tabulate fan giving.  No fanbase came close to the mafia.  I saw another article written by a guy who visited every NFL stadium.  He said the pregame fan experience in Buffalo was unparalleled.   

 

You can't measure fandom by attendance because some stadiums, and metro areas, are bigger.  In fact, teams like Denver and New England don't just represent a city, they represent an entire region.  And you can't measure fandom by merch sales for the same reason.  When you find ways to measure passion and loyalty, the Bills win.  

 

This wasn't the case in the 70's and mid 80's. Attendance was brutal.

[Billsfed1]

Hey-ey-ey-ey!

[Logic]

The Buffalo Bills are the only team in the league for whom the FANS are arguably the most famous, well known aspect of the team.

Sure, you can say that's because they haven't won any championships in the Super Bowl era, but nevertheless, the fact remains.

Ask anyone, whether they're knowledgeable about football or not, what they think of when it comes to the Buffalo Bills, and most are gonna say "I know their fans are crazy". Or they'll mention "Bills Mafia" or tables being broken or the tailgating.

Bills fans are next level passionate DESPITE a history of heartbreak and no championships. Steelers and, nowadays, Chiefs fans cannot say the same. Packers fans cannot say the same. I'll grant you that Lions' fans loyalty matches our own, but they lack the gameday atmosphere Buffalo has.

The combination of fan passion (particularly despite a losing history), loyalty, gameday tailgating and stadium experience, and things unique to Bills fans ("Bills mafia", tailgate rituals, the tables, charity donations), how well they travel to other stadiums, make them -- in my admittedly biased opinion -- the best fans in football.

[hondo in seattle]

On 12/12/2024 at 4:30 AM, May Day 10 said:

I think we have the best game day atmosphere.  College like.  I really hope we don't lose that charm at the new stadium.

 

Our crazy transplant factor leads to some pretty good takeovers.  Several teams can do that

 

I hope we set the world volume level for an open air stadium currently held by the Chiefs Kingdom: 142.2.

 

The current Bills home game record is a mere 124.8 in the open bowl of Highmark.