ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — Bills Mafia will be spending some bills at the season opener this weekend.
“Buffalo does not have a lot, but we do have the Bills,” Bills fan, Joe David, said. “It’s not expensive. Anyone can come to a game.”
TICKETS
With season tickets sold out and single-game tickets hard to come by, many fans are turning to the secondary market this season. According to the event ticket search engine, Ticket IQ, the average secondary market price of an NFL ticket this season is $457. For a Bills game, the average is about $40 cheaper at $414.
While that’s lower than nearby NFL cities like Cleveland and Pittsburgh, it’s still a $159 increase over what fans here in Buffalo were paying in 2019.
PARKING
But, before you even get through the gates, you have to park. Stadium parking is $40 in Orchard Park, which is the same price as parking at Metlife Stadium.
It’s $5 cheaper than parking at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. As many fans know, you can find cheaper parking in neighboring private lots.
“Everything has gone up a little bit, and that’s just the way it is,” Bills fan, Tony Califano, said. “If you have a group of people and you split it, it's all not that much money.”
CONCESSIONS
Now, let’s talk about food.
At Highmark Stadium, a 20 ounce ice cold beer is $11 this season, and a hot dog is $7.
According to Team Marketing, a beer at an Eagles Game is the most expensive in the NFL at $0.83 per ounce. In Buffalo, it’s $0.55 per ounce.
2020 FAN COST
Team Marketing adds up a “fan cost index” each year for a family of four, which includes four tickets sold directly through the team, parking, two beers, four soft drinks, four hot dogs, and two team hats.
In Buffalo, the “fan cost index” was $457 last year.
The most expensive team to watch as a family was the Las Vegas Raiders at $783. The least expensive was the Cincinnati Bengals at $424.
But, Western New Yorkers say it’s hard to put a price tag on being a Bills fan.
“Buffalo Bills are a big part of our family and our history,” Bills fan, Sandy Drumluk said. “To do it one a year, it’s definitely worth it.”
