Goodbye, old friend. Paying tribute to Rich Stadium-Highmark Stadium. Post your memories.

[BuffaloBill]

On 2/22/2025 at 7:21 PM, HOUSE said:

On opening day I was the first fan to run up the stairs than pee in the sink, great memories there, I really had to go...

 

.

Yeah I will miss the men’s room pee troughs…..

[Shortchaz]

25 years ago, got blackout drunk in the parking lot, fell down the stairs on the way to my seat. 

[Beast]

The first Bills team to play at Rich Stadium.

 

 

[stevewin]

13 minutes ago, Beast said:

The first Bills team to play at Rich Stadium.

 

 

I'm sure I had this hanging in my bedroom when I was a kid - it might still be in the bedroom closet at my Dad's house lol

 

This is still in there (1971)

Edited Saturday at 12:09 PM by stevewin

[machine gun kelly]

I’ve brought this up before, but my favorite Rich Stadium memory was in 1988 around thanksgiving.  Big old Freddy Smerlas blocked the one field goal against the Jests.  We won the AFCE the first time in years, and stormed the field.  I had my 4 closest HS friends with me and 8 of my fraternity brothers from Oswego.  Together we were in the end zone on the tunnel side, and across the tunnel was 30 Gamma guys also from Oswego.  They made it a big road trip as many of them were from downstate.  I was in Sig Tau, but we got along with the Gamma guys.  
 

Heck the night before 14 guys and the Gamma guys were at PJ Bottoms by UB, and all got in a roadhouse fight against the Rugby team.  It was crazy so a bunch of us went to the game with black eyes and one guy had a broken nose, but had a blast.  So when we clinched it we went flying down to the field, and was congratulating the players as they ran into the locker room.  I was the 5th or 6th guy up on the goal post for all of 7-8 seconds.  Then I was used as a ladder by other to get up to the top and went flying into the crowd.  The worst part was by then the crowd was all falling forward and I had layers of fans on top of my legs.  It was actually pretty scary, but I’ll never forget that Rich Stadium moment.

 

Thanks for the topic as it was a fond memory.  I look forward to reading other memories as I’ll miss that stadium when it’s gone.  I was a toddler when it was built so it’s always been in my life.  My sons consider our September trips as some of their fondest football memories as well.  Once we have the schedule, we always say a prayer there will be a September 1pm home game.  I’m getting too old for October and later games.

[T master]

I have a couple of great memories ! Years ago I went to a game and my brothers boss knows Jim Kelly personally and they got me & my brother their season tickets and I got to meet Jim out at there RV lot where Jim went to meet fans and sell some RV's I guess and Jim signed a football for me this was all before his cancer hit him .

 

The second was last year I got to be on the Luke Combs stadium tour and we drove to the back of the stadium parked the buses and one of the drivers was a Pats fan and while we were driving into the stadium he played the Darth Vader music across our radios saying he was entering enemy territory and it felt like his skin was melting off of him 🤣.

 

I got to walk around the entire bowl of the stadium and most anywhere coming down the tunnel it was pretty awesome to be on the field where so much Bills history has been made !! 

 

GO BILLS !!! 

[Alphadawg7]

Isn't this premature?  Lol...saying goodbye now feels like saying your goodbyes now to someone who just got a terminal cancer diagnosis but still had a year and a half to live lol.  

 

That being said...I have only been to Buffalo once and got to go to home opener we lost to the Steelers a few years ago.  One of the best trips and experiences of my life, my wife (then GF) bought me the tickets for my Bday in July and by the time we got there she was my Fiance.  Best gift I ever got until my kids were born, and she is responsible for all of it...which is why I put a ring on it ha

Edited Saturday at 03:34 PM by Alphadawg7

[Einstein]

1 hour ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Isn't this premature?  Lol...saying goodbye now feels like saying your goodbyes now to someone who just got a terminal cancer diagnosis but still had a year and a half to live lol.  

I get what youre saying, but I dont think so.

This is the last season ever at the stadium. Every game played will be one game closer to its demise.

I'm actually fairly emotional about the whole thing - and I dont become emotional over much. This is a stadium I 'grew up' in (so to speak). Every home Bills memory I have, took place in that stadium. AFC Championship games, Jimbo and Bruuuuuuce, and Reed, and the comeback, and Marv, and Van Miller (damn I miss him). 

So many core memories in that crumbling concrete for so many people.

[Alphadawg7]

21 minutes ago, Einstein said:

I get what youre saying, but I dont think so.

This is the last season ever at the stadium. Every game played will be one game closer to its demise.

I'm actually fairly emotional about the whole thing - and I dont become emotional over much. This is a stadium I 'grew up' in (so to speak). Every home Bills memory I have, took place in that stadium. AFC Championship games, Jimbo and Bruuuuuuce, and Reed, and the comeback, and Marv, and Van Miller (damn I miss him). 

So many core memories in that crumbling concrete for so many people.

 

That is a fair point...respect

[Draconator]

My first Bills game was in 78 I believe. It was a Monday Night Game against Miami, early in the season. I remember this guy being carried INTO the stadium by 4 friends, each one had an arm or a leg. He was definitely passed out but his buddies weren't going to let him miss the game lol. I also remember a sign in the end zone, the infamous "Howard, Yuck" with the Mr. Yuck logo as the O in Howard. Such good times at that Stadium. Also saw Van Halen during the Monsters of Rock, but just VH. My girlfriend at the time and I decided at like 3 pm in that afternoon to go. 

[ColoradoBills]

On 2/22/2025 at 2:41 PM, Don Otreply said:

Saw The Rolling Stones at Rich when I was sixteen, the the place was packed, it was a really good show, great atmosphere, although that atmosphere was clouded with refer smoke, lol, 😁🍸🚬 good times👍 

 

We're the same age, and I was there too.  Stones played with Bobby Womack and the Outlaws.

Those 70s Summerfest's were great!

 

 

[SectionC3]

30 minutes ago, Einstein said:

I get what youre saying, but I dont think so.

This is the last season ever at the stadium. Every game played will be one game closer to its demise.

I'm actually fairly emotional about the whole thing - and I dont become emotional over much. This is a stadium I 'grew up' in (so to speak). Every home Bills memory I have, took place in that stadium. AFC Championship games, Jimbo and Bruuuuuuce, and Reed, and the comeback, and Marv, and Van Miller (damn I miss him). 

So many core memories in that crumbling concrete for so many people.

I feel like I grew up there too.  I look at the place nearly every day.  It's going to be very weird to not have it there anymore.  I'm going to miss the memories.  

[US Egg]

😥

 

 

[BillsPride12]

2 hours ago, SectionC3 said:

I feel like I grew up there too.  I look at the place nearly every day.  It's going to be very weird to not have it there anymore.  I'm going to miss the memories.  

That's the beautiful thing about memories, you don't have to miss them they can stay with you the rest of your life

[Don Otreply]

3 hours ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

We're the same age, and I was there too.  Stones played with Bobby Womack and the Outlaws.

Those 70s Summerfest's were great!

 

 

Yup, it was an experience wasn’t it 👍

[Einstein]

On 2/26/2025 at 7:53 AM, BuffaloBill said:

Yeah I will miss the men’s room pee troughs…..

I fear i'll never get to experience pee-steam again.

[Bills!Win!]

On 2/25/2025 at 9:09 AM, Brianmoorman4jesus said:

Hopefully the best memory in stadium history didn’t happen yet. A home AFC championship game before winning the Super Bowl. Got 1 more shot to send it off right 

This is what it’s all about 

[davefan66]

1 hour ago, Einstein said:

I fear i'll never get to experience pee-steam again.

OMG. I actually could feel and smell that!!  🤮

[BuffaloTX]

On 2/22/2025 at 3:06 PM, Straight Hucklebuck said:

Flutie bootleg against the Jaguars 

My first game!!!

[ColoradoBillsFan91]

When I went to the games the team on the field wasn't the best but the fans were nothing short of amazing, I have been gone from the area for quite some time but love seeing the stadium filled with what I am sure are some of the same folks finally getting to see the team they deserve.