Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Whether the Buffalo Bills win or lose on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, thousands of fans are expected to gather outside the Buffalo Niagara International Airport to welcome the players home.
Helen Tederous with the NFTA says based on previous estimates, they're expecting around 8,000 Bills fans to be outside in the early morning hours on Monday.
"We always do encourage fans to enjoy the game, enjoy the victory at home and a nice, warm comfort of your home with your family and friends. We encourage that, but we are planning for those who do come out for a very safe experience, and safety is first for us. It's a lot of people in a small area, but we know it has become tradition, and we are all Bills fans, so we want to give the team as much luck as possible, because we're not really sleeping a lot. We're all anxious like everyone else for this big game," stated Tederous in an interview with WBEN.
For any fans who do plan on showing up Monday morning, Tederous says there's some dos and don'ts to be aware of.
"Be considerate, be kind. Understand that it's an airport facility. We had someone try to bring DJ equipment. We have to be sensitive to safety again, safety first," Tederous said. "The Bills love it. It's just been such a great tradition and just shows our team spirit. Be safety conscious, and just have a great spirit and be kind to each other."
Tederous believes the Bills will beat the Chiefs on Sunday, and says the NFTA is already preparing for an even bigger celebration for the Super Bowl.
"We have all the confidence in the world," she said. "Again, safety measures will be working with the Bills on that, but we are fully planning on a Super Bowl celebration throughout the NFTA and Western New York. So we're happy to be part of that."
The Bills and Chiefs kick off from Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. The winner of this game will move onto Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Feb. 9.