ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WBEN) – There will most definitely be a different vibe inside Bills Stadium this season and one that will have to be described in detail by a key voice in the Bills organization.
Because there are no fans who will be allowed inside the stadium for at least the first two home games, players will have to adjust to not seeing a packed house for each Bills home game. The traditional “home field advantage” takes on a new meaning since any crowd noise is artificially piped into the stadium.
For longtime Buffalo Bills radio play-by-play broadcaster, John Murphy, it presents a unique challenge in the art he has crafted for decades.
“It’s going to be different, no question about that,” Murphy said. “I guess the overwhelming feeling is one of sadness. I’m sad that Bills fans, these great Bills fans, won’t be able to go to this game and witness it in person. I’ve was thinking about this a lot over the last week: Most Bills home games, but especially the home opener, is more than just a game. It’s sort of a civic celebration, you know? It’s a celebration of color and light and excitement and enthusiasm. That won’t be there this Sunday and it will be tremendously missed by the players but certainly those of us observing the game, too.”
Murphy, whose exuberant touchdown calls are embedded into all Bills fans, said it’ll be a challenge to “paint the picture” of the game without the fans in the stands and bring the emotion that comes with big moments in a game.
He’s keeping the perspective that he is calling a professional game with some of the greatest athletes in the world and noted there will be artificial crowd noise that may help with his calls. But he said he won’t truly get a handle on how the emotion will be until after Sunday’s game or even a few games into the season.
The radio play-by-play man is finalizing his weekly preparation for the games, though even then there’s been challenges in that regard due to there being no preseason games. Those preseason games are something he missed.
“Typically we use preseason to get comfortable with the Bills, obviously,” Murphy said. “Who’s playing where and where they’re lining up and, at least a sense, of the type of offense and/or defense they’re running. We won’t have that this year. Before a normal regular season game I go back and look at video of the Bills opponents and watch two or three of their games. Obviously you can’t do that for the opener but we’ll get there eventually after a week or two. We’ll know who they’re playing and where they line up and who plays in what situations. We’ll make due this week.”
He said the team’s recent scrimmages helped him familiarize himself with the current roster and is confident in his ability to know the current team. As for the Jets? That’s still a work in progress, but one he’s ready for come Sunday.
“By the time we kick off on Sunday, I think I’ll be ready to go,” he said. “I’m sure I will.”