Gauging fan interest in buying Highmark Stadium seats

The program launched last week, starting with stadium and bleacher seats
Highmark Stadium
Photo credit Brayton J. Wilson - WBEN

Orchard Park, N.Y. (WBEN) - Last week, Erie County, Legends Global, and CollectibleXchange (Cx) launched an exclusive program to sell stadium seats and memorabilia to Buffalo Bills fans from the current Highmark Stadium ahead of its upcoming demolition following the 2025 season.

This effort - managed by Erie County, Cx, and Legends Global along with the Buffalo Bills - will oversee marketing and customer outreach for the program, as well as operations involving asset removal and the creation of collectibles.

Erie County will receive 100% of the net proceeds from all county-owned assets and products sold through this program.

What kind of an interest does the sale of stadium seats with the current Highmark Stadium have for some Bills fans?

For Tom from Texas, while the sale of stadium seats may be something of interest, he admits he doesn't know that he'd buy them.

"I think, in reality, the taxpayers paid for them already, so I don't know that I want to pay for them again. Although it'd be a nice novelty to have," said Tom in an interview with WBEN.

While Jordan from Chicago personally has no interest, he loves the idea for fellow Bills fans.

"I think it's really cool for the locals here who are huge Bills fans, that they would do that," Jordan said with WBEN. "I have a nice little 'Man Cave' in my house, so I'm sure a lot of Bills fans would like to add some memorabilia like that to their collections."

Items for sale right now are seatbacks at $100, single seats and double bleacher seats at $550, and a pair of seats at $650.

Is that price range comfortable for Bills fans to cough up? Not for all.

"For a seat, $100, $200, I think that's pretty fair to say. I don't know if they're going to go for that price, but for a Season [Ticket] holder, like me and my brother were in coming for 30-something-odd years, would be a reasonable price to take one of the seats away," said Bills fan Dimitri with WBEN.

"We've been tailgating here for 35 years, and basically paid an average of about $100-$120 a ticket. So I guess when you put the fee on top of that, you have to, at least, add two-thirds to that, I would think," added Bills fan Rafael. "I don't think it's a matter of me being comfortable. I think it's a matter of what the market will bear."

Jordan can understand why many fans may be already chomping at the bit to get their hands on a piece of a stadium that bears so much significance for many Bills fans.

"Growing up loving sports, like going to football games with your dad and your family and stuff, those are really cool memories. So as the stadium goes away, I'm sure a lot of people are going to have those memories with their families at this stadium," Jordan said. "Even though they get a nice, cool new one, it'd be nice to look at that and think of all the good times in the old one."

What else from the current stadium in Orchard Park may be of interest for fans, if it's not purchasing a seat?

"I think what I'd like is the Hall-of-Famer signs that are around there, like Thurman Thomas or Bruce Smith or something like that. That would be pretty neat if I could buy one of those," Dimitri said. "Obviously, that'd be a lot of money. I'm not the richest guy in the world, either, but if I could wheel-and-deal a price with them, that would be great for one of the Hall-of-Famer signs and stuff."

"I'd like a big piece of the turf, that would be kind of fun. Or if they're cutting up the goal posts, I don't know that they're doing that, but that would be kind of fun too," Tom added. "But make an 8x10 foot piece of turf, that'd be cool. I'd put that in the 'Man Cave'."

The program will launch in phases, starting with stadium and bleacher seats.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Brayton J. Wilson - WBEN