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Our home stadium here in Western New York has been visited by both of us many a time, but this was the
first time we got to attend a game together, so for "official" purposes this day and this event counts towards
the Ultimate Sports Road Trip.This being the annual Farrell tailgate pary, Andrew's birthday and a crisp
summery sun drenched day made for a perfect backdrop.
Getting to the venue
Ralph Wilson Stadium was opened in 1973 and has been the home of the Buffalo Bills for almost 30 years.
The venue is located in Orchard Park, south of the city, and is easily accessible by car, thanks to an elaborate
expressway network, including the NYS Thruway, the Rte 219 expressway and the Rte 5 highway which runs
along the lakeshore. Getting to the stadium is a snap, and with 16,000 parking spaces in the stadium lots,
parking is abundant. Parking costs $10, and there are many adjacent private properties near the stadium
which offer parking as well. Cost is generally $5-$10, although we could find lots as cheap as $3 along
Southwestern Blvd. Public transportation is available via Metro Bus from downtown Buffalo.
Outside the venue
Bills tailgate parties are what makes this stadium experience so very special. Buffalo easily ranks as one of
the top NFL tailgate venues. Come to the Ralph on any given Sunday and the parking lots are an ocean of
Bills red and blue, the grills fired up and footballs a plenty being tossed through the air. Partiers in campers
and RV's show up here as early as Thursday, and by 4 hours before kickoff the parking lots are packed.
Radio stations are running their booths and promos, vendors are selling their wares, music blaring
everywhere, and in short, it is just one big party and a great community experience.
The stadium and seating bowl
That being said, the stadium itself emulates the design and construction of a different era. The stadium was
built in the 70's, an open air, football only facility with outstanding sightlines for football. With the playing
surface excavated well below the surface, one enters the venue from any one of multiple entrances and
walks DOWN to the 100 level concourse, which rings the top of the 100 level seats. The sidelines along the
200 level are designated club seats, with indoor private concourses. From the entry gate it is a short ramp up
to the 300 level.
The stadium underwent a massive renovation in time for the 1999 season, which added armchair seats in
most of the 100 level, suites ringing the top of the 100 level and the scoreboard end zone in the 200 level, and
two indoor clubs in each corner of the tunnel end zone.
There is a single Sony jumbotron scoreboard at one end zone. Game information and out of town scores are
provided on small dot matrix boards accompanying the main board, as well as dot matrix boards hanging
along each sideline in the upper deck. Also lining each of the four corners on the upper deck are
synchronized changeable ad panels... very cool.
The Concourses
The lower and upper concourses again emulate the 70s era of design - narrow, congested, with pipes and
ducts exposed in the ceiling. With the renovation, the Bills have spruced up the concourses somewhat with
splashes of paint, new concession signage and brighter lighting. There are no escalators here, but again,
since everyone enters the stadium at the 200 level, it is either a quick walk up or down one ramp to one's
seats, so escalators aren't really needed here.
Concessions
For years and years all you could find at the Ralph was standard ballpark dreck. In recent years the menu has
been upgraded but the Buffalo staples - beef on weck and chicken wings are nowhere to be found except in
premiumseating areas. Satellite carts sell Subway sandwiches and fresh roasted nuts. The main team
merchandise store can actually be found outside the stadium. The new team store is located in the Bills
Fieldhouse just south of the stadium on the grounds, and is stocked with Bills souvenirs and apparel.
Smaller merchandise kiosks are scattered throughout the stadium.
Premium/club seats
The 1999 renovation placed a great deal of emphasis on the addition of premium seating which is so vital for
the financial health of a franchise. Suite seating can be found ringing the top of the 100 level, tucked
underneath the club level overhang, ringing the 200 level at the scoreboard end, and atop the old
adminstration building at the tunnel end. A pair of two level "indoor clubs" are located in the corners of the
tunnel end zone. And along the sidelines are the "outdoor club" seats, most of which are under the upper
deck overhang and have their own private indoor concourse, complete with premium food offerings, table
seating and full bar service. An interesting and unique feature here is that each outdoor club seat is HEATED,
with a thermostat under each seat controlling the heating element built into the chair.
Banners/retired numbers
At one end zone are the Bills two AFL and 4 AFC championship banners. At the other end is a "Wall of Fame"
with 15 names, and yes, one of the honorees is none other than Orenthal, #32 O.J. Simpson. Bills fans are
honored as "The 12th Man" for their contributions during the team's amazing four year run to Super Bowl in
the early 90s.
Touchdowns, Extra points, Fumbles
Extra Point - The Buffalo Bills Experience is a pregame event taking place in the adjacent Bills Fieldhouse
prior to each game. For $5 you can listen to music, take part in interactive events, buy trading cards and look
at exhibits.
Touchdown - to the Bills for making their tickets available at very reasonable prices, compared to some the
NFL venues which we have visited. Non club seats are priced from $41-$48. Parking $10...no PSL's, no
contracts or big dollar commitments. That brings us to...
Fumble - Bills fans like to proclaim themselves as the BEST in the country, yet even at bargain prices, this
team struggles to hit 40,000 season tickets each year. Granted, the building usually sells out, but it is the
same tired ritual each home game to see if the last few seats will be sold in time to lift the blackout.
Buffalofan - you have no idea how good you got it here. If you don't believe us, talk to the Green Bay fan who
sits mired on a season ticket waiting list approaching 50,000 names. Talk to the St. Louis fan who plunks
down thousands of dollars for his personal seat license. Talk to the New England fan who pays $25- $35... to
PARK!
Touchdown - The Bills Wall of Fame. For honoring OL Bob Kalsu, though he only played a single season
during the 60's. Bob will forever be remembered as the only US pro athlete to perish in combat during the
Vietnam War.
Fumble - No constant scrolling out of town scoreboard and only one jumbotron. This venue should have a
second jumbotron directly across from the one that exists now.
Summary
Bills fans are great and very passionate about their team - this is our home field and we love the Bills and
own season tickets so we come here often. But after seeing the places we have seen, our conclusion is that
Ralph Wilson Stadium falls in the lower echelon of NFL venues in terms of bricks and mortar, and as cities
build dazzling new facilities this stadium's ranking will not improve without further upgrades and capital
improvements.
But do not let our rating fool you or dissuade you - this is still a very pretty and a very functional stadium that
simply lacks the architecture, amenities and bells and whistles of the newer stadiums. And a day at the
Ralph is still an awesome football experience - plan to tailgate and plan to experience the electricity of the
crazy Bills fans who eat, breathe and sleep football with the best of them!
SCORING:
Architecture: 5
Food and team store 4
Scoreboard and electronics 2.5
Ushers 6
Fan support 6
Location and neighborhood 6
Banners and history 7
In game entertainment 3
Concourses/fan comfort 4
Bonus: Tailgate scene 3, Bills Experience (fieldhouse) 2
Total 48.5
first time we got to attend a game together, so for "official" purposes this day and this event counts towards
the Ultimate Sports Road Trip.This being the annual Farrell tailgate pary, Andrew's birthday and a crisp
summery sun drenched day made for a perfect backdrop.
Getting to the venue
Ralph Wilson Stadium was opened in 1973 and has been the home of the Buffalo Bills for almost 30 years.
The venue is located in Orchard Park, south of the city, and is easily accessible by car, thanks to an elaborate
expressway network, including the NYS Thruway, the Rte 219 expressway and the Rte 5 highway which runs
along the lakeshore. Getting to the stadium is a snap, and with 16,000 parking spaces in the stadium lots,
parking is abundant. Parking costs $10, and there are many adjacent private properties near the stadium
which offer parking as well. Cost is generally $5-$10, although we could find lots as cheap as $3 along
Southwestern Blvd. Public transportation is available via Metro Bus from downtown Buffalo.
Outside the venue
Bills tailgate parties are what makes this stadium experience so very special. Buffalo easily ranks as one of
the top NFL tailgate venues. Come to the Ralph on any given Sunday and the parking lots are an ocean of
Bills red and blue, the grills fired up and footballs a plenty being tossed through the air. Partiers in campers
and RV's show up here as early as Thursday, and by 4 hours before kickoff the parking lots are packed.
Radio stations are running their booths and promos, vendors are selling their wares, music blaring
everywhere, and in short, it is just one big party and a great community experience.
The stadium and seating bowl
That being said, the stadium itself emulates the design and construction of a different era. The stadium was
built in the 70's, an open air, football only facility with outstanding sightlines for football. With the playing
surface excavated well below the surface, one enters the venue from any one of multiple entrances and
walks DOWN to the 100 level concourse, which rings the top of the 100 level seats. The sidelines along the
200 level are designated club seats, with indoor private concourses. From the entry gate it is a short ramp up
to the 300 level.
The stadium underwent a massive renovation in time for the 1999 season, which added armchair seats in
most of the 100 level, suites ringing the top of the 100 level and the scoreboard end zone in the 200 level, and
two indoor clubs in each corner of the tunnel end zone.
There is a single Sony jumbotron scoreboard at one end zone. Game information and out of town scores are
provided on small dot matrix boards accompanying the main board, as well as dot matrix boards hanging
along each sideline in the upper deck. Also lining each of the four corners on the upper deck are
synchronized changeable ad panels... very cool.
The Concourses
The lower and upper concourses again emulate the 70s era of design - narrow, congested, with pipes and
ducts exposed in the ceiling. With the renovation, the Bills have spruced up the concourses somewhat with
splashes of paint, new concession signage and brighter lighting. There are no escalators here, but again,
since everyone enters the stadium at the 200 level, it is either a quick walk up or down one ramp to one's
seats, so escalators aren't really needed here.
Concessions
For years and years all you could find at the Ralph was standard ballpark dreck. In recent years the menu has
been upgraded but the Buffalo staples - beef on weck and chicken wings are nowhere to be found except in
premiumseating areas. Satellite carts sell Subway sandwiches and fresh roasted nuts. The main team
merchandise store can actually be found outside the stadium. The new team store is located in the Bills
Fieldhouse just south of the stadium on the grounds, and is stocked with Bills souvenirs and apparel.
Smaller merchandise kiosks are scattered throughout the stadium.
Premium/club seats
The 1999 renovation placed a great deal of emphasis on the addition of premium seating which is so vital for
the financial health of a franchise. Suite seating can be found ringing the top of the 100 level, tucked
underneath the club level overhang, ringing the 200 level at the scoreboard end, and atop the old
adminstration building at the tunnel end. A pair of two level "indoor clubs" are located in the corners of the
tunnel end zone. And along the sidelines are the "outdoor club" seats, most of which are under the upper
deck overhang and have their own private indoor concourse, complete with premium food offerings, table
seating and full bar service. An interesting and unique feature here is that each outdoor club seat is HEATED,
with a thermostat under each seat controlling the heating element built into the chair.
Banners/retired numbers
At one end zone are the Bills two AFL and 4 AFC championship banners. At the other end is a "Wall of Fame"
with 15 names, and yes, one of the honorees is none other than Orenthal, #32 O.J. Simpson. Bills fans are
honored as "The 12th Man" for their contributions during the team's amazing four year run to Super Bowl in
the early 90s.
Touchdowns, Extra points, Fumbles
Extra Point - The Buffalo Bills Experience is a pregame event taking place in the adjacent Bills Fieldhouse
prior to each game. For $5 you can listen to music, take part in interactive events, buy trading cards and look
at exhibits.
Touchdown - to the Bills for making their tickets available at very reasonable prices, compared to some the
NFL venues which we have visited. Non club seats are priced from $41-$48. Parking $10...no PSL's, no
contracts or big dollar commitments. That brings us to...
Fumble - Bills fans like to proclaim themselves as the BEST in the country, yet even at bargain prices, this
team struggles to hit 40,000 season tickets each year. Granted, the building usually sells out, but it is the
same tired ritual each home game to see if the last few seats will be sold in time to lift the blackout.
Buffalofan - you have no idea how good you got it here. If you don't believe us, talk to the Green Bay fan who
sits mired on a season ticket waiting list approaching 50,000 names. Talk to the St. Louis fan who plunks
down thousands of dollars for his personal seat license. Talk to the New England fan who pays $25- $35... to
PARK!
Touchdown - The Bills Wall of Fame. For honoring OL Bob Kalsu, though he only played a single season
during the 60's. Bob will forever be remembered as the only US pro athlete to perish in combat during the
Vietnam War.
Fumble - No constant scrolling out of town scoreboard and only one jumbotron. This venue should have a
second jumbotron directly across from the one that exists now.
Summary
Bills fans are great and very passionate about their team - this is our home field and we love the Bills and
own season tickets so we come here often. But after seeing the places we have seen, our conclusion is that
Ralph Wilson Stadium falls in the lower echelon of NFL venues in terms of bricks and mortar, and as cities
build dazzling new facilities this stadium's ranking will not improve without further upgrades and capital
improvements.
But do not let our rating fool you or dissuade you - this is still a very pretty and a very functional stadium that
simply lacks the architecture, amenities and bells and whistles of the newer stadiums. And a day at the
Ralph is still an awesome football experience - plan to tailgate and plan to experience the electricity of the
crazy Bills fans who eat, breathe and sleep football with the best of them!
SCORING:
Architecture: 5
Food and team store 4
Scoreboard and electronics 2.5
Ushers 6
Fan support 6
Location and neighborhood 6
Banners and history 7
In game entertainment 3
Concourses/fan comfort 4
Bonus: Tailgate scene 3, Bills Experience (fieldhouse) 2
Total 48.5
| Ralph Wilson Stadium |
#4
Ralph
Wilson
Stadium
Orchard
Park,
New York
September
20, 1998
St. Louis
Rams at
Buffalo Bills
(originally
named
Rich
Stadium -
name
changed
effective
1998
season)
Ralph
Wilson
Stadium
Orchard
Park,
New York
September
20, 1998
St. Louis
Rams at
Buffalo Bills
(originally
named
Rich
Stadium -
name
changed
effective
1998
season)
