The sheer rowdiness of Buffalo Bills fans has always been well-known. The past few seasons this has been well-documented and makes fans question, are we the rowdiest in the NFL?
As the spotlight on Buffalo Bills has remained unchanged for nearly a decade, the spotlight on Bills fans has been growing steadily. Videos popping up on the internet showing Bills fans breaking tables, fighting Tom Brady punching dummies, and a long list of other wild activities that would take a while to write out.
“It’s never going to be perfect, but we strive for perfect.” – Russ Brandon
Deadspin even created a compilation video named “The Year In Bills Fans” to pay tribute to what seems to be a new-norm at Ralph Wilson Stadium, but does all of this media notoriety hold any water?
Russ Brandon commented on this while speaking with Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News in late March.
"“The facts are that our game experience has never been better, the facts are that arrests are down significantly, ejections are down significantly”, Brandon said."
What Brandon is saying is true. The Bills averaged a record-low three arrests per game this past season, down two from the year before and averaged a club-low of 57 ejections per game in 2015, down 23 from the year before.
The trends are also agreeing with what Brandon is saying. Average arrests and ejections have drastically decreased, not just from 2014 to 2015, but even further back. The Bills averaged 25 arrests per game in 2010 and 134 ejections per game in 2011, significantly higher than this past year.
"“…But what’s nice to know is you see it in your surveying, and in your data, and when we get tremendous notes and letters from fans about what a great experience they had. Fifteen years ago, I’m not sure how comfortable some people were bringing their family to a game, but I think we have turned the worm there."
Although the statistics may show that arrests and ejections are down, the craziness of the antics that Buffalo Bills fans have been filmed doing is very high.
The trend started in Week 1 with a fan playing “dizzy bat” in the parking lot of Ralph Wilson Stadium. Unfortunately for the fan, they went face-first into a parked bus. You can check it out in the compilation video on Deadspin that was mentioned earlier.
It seemed like week after week there was another video. Another interesting video of someone being body-slammed into a table or even being slammed onto a burning one.
The fact of the matter is that most of the incidents are harmless incidents. Yes, Buffalo Bills fans may end up embarrassing themselves by being drunken, table-crushing fanatics but they do not represent the majority of Buffalo Bills fans.
As Buffalonians, we are insanely passionate about our teams. We will scream until we have a headache, and then we will scream some more if it means stopping the Patriots on a 3rd down.
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I feel as though Buffalo Bills fans may be the rowdiest in the NFL because of our hunger. Most teams that are considered to have rowdy fans have tasted victory. They’re used to the success and attention but not Buffalo. We all come from a small-city that hasn’t won in a long while and we yearn for a chance to be the best and not be a punchline.
As Buffalo Bills fans we are rowdy because we feel like we’re the only non-corporate, non-seat licensed football town that has a chance to scream and shout without knocking your neighbors’ pinot grigio onto their just purchased jersey. We’re in your face and we love it. We thrive on it.
So Buffalo Bills fans, keep being rowdy, keep crushing tables, and keep being you because that’s what makes a Buffalo Bills fan a Buffalo Bills fan.
Do you feel like Buffalo Bills fans are the rowdiest in the NFL? Feel free to comment in the space provided below.