Tell Me About Average Bills Fans

[NobesBLO13]

3 hours ago, Rocky Landing said:

My neighbor put up a Patriots* flag in his front yard. I spray-painted "cheaters" across the front of their house, slashed all the tires of their cars, and killed their child's pet hamster, which the kid had named Tom. That makes me "average," right?

I would have just started out by leaving a phallic shaped sex toy in their driveway. So I think you’re slightly above average.

Edited August 19, 2021 by NobesBLO13

[Patrick Duffy]

1 hour ago, TheBrownBear said:

never met an "average" fan until I moved from Buffalo to California in my late teens.  I hated those people when I met them and I still hate them today.  Lol

How about the ones that claim they are big fans of a team and a conversation starts, only to realize they know next to nothing about the team they claim to be a huge fan of, or football in general? Lol

 

Have had the pleasure to speak very briefly with a good handful of those. All of a sudden they say to you, " How you think Tyrod gona do for yall this year"? Honestly thinks Tyrod is still Bills QB and it's been 5 years lol

Edited August 19, 2021 by Sheneneh Jenkins

[Don Otreply]

All I can tell you is they are all F ing crazy… 

[Blainorama5]

3 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

but they will miss a game here or there because the wife wants to shop for furniture

If my wife forced me to miss a game because of furniture?  Houston, we'd have a seeeerious problem.

Thankfully, she's a fan too and would never even attempt such a thing.  I would call her more of an average fan though.  She knows (recognizes) a bunch of player names, certainly some history (we've been married 15 years) and has definitely shared in some of the emotional scars that came along with the drought as well as recent playoff losses.  But any real details, more depthful back stories, or camp battles, etc. - she's just not tuned into that stuff.  She's just a Sunday Bills fan - but I love her anyway.

 

And no, she doesn't read fan forums, so I'm not just sucking up.  😉

[Shaw66]

5 minutes ago, Blainorama5 said:

If my wife forced me to miss a game because of furniture?  Houston, we'd have a seeeerious problem.

Thankfully, she's a fan too and would never even attempt such a thing.  I would call her more of an average fan though.  She knows (recognizes) a bunch of player names, certainly some history (we've been married 15 years) and has definitely shared in some of the emotional scars that came along with the drought as well as recent playoff losses.  But any real details, more depthful back stories, or camp battles, etc. - she's just not tuned into that stuff.  She's just a Sunday Bills fan - but I love her anyway.

 

And no, she doesn't read fan forums, so I'm not just sucking up.  😉

My wife is the same.  She knows five players, tops, but watches all the games to me.   She wants me to take her to Boston for away games, so we can go to the Harp and watch with all the other Bills fans.   That's pretty serious.  

[Blainorama5]

4 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

My wife is the same.  She knows five players, tops, but watches all the games to me.   She wants me to take her to Boston for away games, so we can go to the Harp and watch with all the other Bills fans.   That's pretty serious.  

She's clearly a good woman!

[Patrick Duffy]

13 minutes ago, Blainorama5 said:

If my wife forced me to miss a game because of furniture?  Houston, we'd have a seeeerious problem.

Thankfully, she's a fan too and would never even attempt such a thing.  I would call her more of an average fan though.  She knows (recognizes) a bunch of player names, certainly some history (we've been married 15 years) and has definitely shared in some of the emotional scars that came along with the drought as well as recent playoff losses.  But any real details, more depthful back stories, or camp battles, etc. - she's just not tuned into that stuff.  She's just a Sunday Bills fan - but I love her anyway.

 

And no, she doesn't read fan forums, so I'm not just sucking up.  😉

 

6 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

My wife is the same.  She knows five players, tops, but watches all the games to me.   She wants me to take her to Boston for away games, so we can go to the Harp and watch with all the other Bills fans.   That's pretty serious.  

My wife has always been a Ravens fan being from MD. Not a serious type fan or anything. She like Bills also just because of me. She would never force, or ask me to miss a Bills game unless it's an emergency of course. If something has to be done on Sunday, she will literally plan around the game. She knows how dedicated I am and have been all my life since the age of 7.

 

She knows many of the Bills players now and former players. She knows more about Bills than she does of her hometown Ravens lol. Anyways, saw you guys brought up wives and figured I'd mention the ways of mine.

[PonyBoy]

Well...I look at this sight literally at least 2 or 3x a day even during the off season. That would probably label me as above average I guess. 🙂

[Augie]

5 hours ago, ndirish1978 said:

I would posit that there aren't really any "average" fans on this board, as they have taken the effort to sign up for and spend a decent amount of time on this board. Have you been to the boards of some other teams? There are still threads on the front page that are 6 months-1 year old with 16 replies total. 

 

Agreed, if you are here on this board you are more than an “average” fan. Most people do not go to this effort.

 

Our next door neighbor is from Tonawanda and thinks she’s a Bills fan, but in reality I doubt she could name more than a half dozen current players on the team. She will still give you a “Go Bills!” on game days or when I’m wearing Bills gear. But she lacks the deep passion and unhealthy, warped emotional obsession that afflicts so many of us! 

[Coastie]

I always considered myself a bit more than an average fan. I was in my second year of PeeWee football when OJ ran for 2,003 and I abandoned the Vikings (I was a fan because that was the name of my team my first year, I still have fond memories of watching Tarkenton and Foreman) for the Bills and never looked back. It was hard to get much information about the Bills when I was in the service outside my Shout subscription and reading the Sporting News but I always had Bills garb and there always seemed to be a least one other Bills fan at every unit I served at.

 

Once I retired, I began following more closely and found this forum and with Bills Daily it was my lifeline for knowledge. I don't follow college football other than very casually for the local schools so I know next to nothing about the guys coming in or their backstories unless I read it here. I had no preference over which Josh we should draft, I wanted us to trade back for Lamar Jackson since I had watched every game he played at Louisville, my hometown and my college for a few years.

 

I considered myself more average because other than a single overnight on a buoy-tender, I have never even been to Buffalo. Only seen a single Bills game, once in Indy in 1990. I am constantly amazed at the level of knowledge of the posters here and during the season I read nearly everything though my memory is like a sieve so I don't retain most of it. I can't tell you specific play from even last years games, much less from 20 years ago like some of you folks can. But during the game, I am emotionally invested. I enjoy the game day experience and my emotions run high so I do have that trait in common with you all.

Edited August 19, 2021 by Coastie
typos

[Augie]

2 hours ago, Blainorama5 said:

 If my wife forced me to miss a game because of furniture?  Houston, we'd have a seeeerious problem.

Thankfully, she's a fan too and would never even attempt such a thing.  I would call her more of an average fan though.  She knows (recognizes) a bunch of player names, certainly some history (we've been married 15 years) and has definitely shared in some of the emotional scars that came along with the drought as well as recent playoff losses.  But any real details, more depthful back stories, or camp battles, etc. - she's just not tuned into that stuff.  She's just a Sunday Bills fan - but I love her anyway.

 

And no, she doesn't read fan forums, so I'm not just sucking up.  😉

 Our son had an elaborate plan to propose to his wife In Asheville, NC at the Biltmore Estate. Had it all worked out to have both sets of parents there (staying at a different hotel so as not to run into us and give it away) for dinner afterwards, photographer at the proposal site, etc. He proposed while we watched the Bills play at a Bills Backers bar. His wife said “I knew something was up! You NEVER miss a Bills game!” Well, this ONE time he did. 

 

On a related note, their wedding date got moved several times because…..well, you know about the virus thingy. When they settled on a final date he called me and said “OMG, I’m so sorry! That’s the weekend of the draft! I’ll see if we can move it again!” I told him we would survive this one time.  BUT, I did have it all recorded and we ate at the Grove Park Inn’s sports bar that first night!

[Blainorama5]

3 minutes ago, Augie said:

 Our son had an elaborate plan to propose to his wife In Asheville, NC at the Biltmore Estate. Had it all worked out to have both sets of parents there (staying at a different hotel so as not to run into us and give it away) for dinner afterwards, photographer at the proposal site, etc. He proposed while we watched the Bills play at a Bills Backers bar. His wife said “I knew something was up! You NEVER miss a Bills game!” Well, this ONE time he did. 

 

On a related note, their wedding date got moved several times because…..well, you know about the virus thingy. When they settled on a final date he called me and said “OMG, I’m so sorry! That’s the weekend of the draft! I’ll see if we can move it again!” I told him we would survive this one time.  BUT, I did have it all recorded and we ate at the Grove Park Inn’s sports bar that first night!

Love the thorough planning!  Nice to see our loved ones have learned to understand and accommodate our obsession with the Bills!! 

[Rc2catch]

I think Facebook is actually a good spot to see average fans honestly. 
Can’t be too many on here. 
Almost anyone on here has suffered greatly and average fans don’t stick around for what we went through. 
Id have to guess another big year this year and we’ll see a lot of new faces on here. Josh is starting to take that step to national media love and he’s been killing it for fantasy football, it’s silly but that creates a lot of fans. 

[Chandler#81]

2 hours ago, Sheneneh Jenkins said:

 

My wife has always been a Ravens fan being from MD. Not a serious type fan or anything. She like Bills also just because of me. She would never force, or ask me to miss a Bills game unless it's an emergency of course. If something has to be done on Sunday, she will literally plan around the game. She knows how dedicated I am and have been all my life since the age of 7.

 

She knows many of the Bills players now and former players. She knows more about Bills than she does of her hometown Ravens lol. Anyways, saw you guys brought up wives and figured I'd mention the ways of mine.

But.. But.. your avatar is .. well, I don’t think it’s a fella.. NOT that there’s anything WRONG with that.. 

You do you. 😉😁

[Buffalo716]

3 hours ago, Sheneneh Jenkins said:

How about the ones that claim they are big fans of a team and a conversation starts, only to realize they know next to nothing about the team they claim to be a huge fan of, or football in general? Lol

 

Have had the pleasure to speak very briefly with a good handful of those. All of a sudden they say to you, " How you think Tyrod gona do for yall this year"? Honestly thinks Tyrod is still Bills QB and it's been 5 years lol

Been there lol 

 

Not recently, but been there lol 

 

 

[mjd1001]

I'm probably what you would consider an average fan now.

 

Growing up as a kid through the late 80's and 90's I was a lot more than that. Season tickets for 10+ years since I was a teenager. Watched every game. Played as the Bills on all the video games. Took pride in knowing virtually the entire roster every year, knew where each Bills starter ranked among the league leaders in stats, etc. I had Bills hats, t-shirts, jerseys, a Buffalo Bills clock on my wall, posters, all of it.

 

Now, I'm not there anymore, not even close. I follow the conversation on this message board and on Twitter (that is MOST of how I am a fan.)  I watch most games, but not all of them. Haven't been to a game in person in years. Sometimes I start watching the game on Sunday, and after about a hour just start doing something else, checking in on it before it ends.

 

Why?  Not quite sure.  I'm like that with all sports now (especially baseball).  I think a large part of it is...when actually watching the game I don't see much new anymore.  I have seen countless comebacks, countless 50+ yard TD runs with broken tackles, countless game clinching interceptions.  Countless 50+ yard TD throws/catches.  Not much is new anymore.  When I was younger, my first 10+ years of watching football (200+ NFL games total) I was always looking for something I never saw.  I don't really see much that I haven't seen before anymore, so I guess I'm just not that interested.  I actually find the conversation on forums and the offseason more enjoyable than watching the actual games.

Edited August 19, 2021 by mjd1001

[Shaw66]

7 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

I'm probably what you would consider an average fan now.

 

Growing up as a kid through the late 80's and 90's I was a lot more than that. Season tickets for 10+ years since I was a teenager. Watched every game. Played as the Bills on all the video games. Took pride in knowing virtually the entire roster every year, knew where each Bills starter ranked among the league leaders in stats, etc. I had Bills hats, t-shirts, jerseys, a Buffalo Bills clock on my wall, posters, all of it.

 

Now, I'm not there anymore, not even close. I follow the conversation on this message board and on Twitter (that is MOST of how I am a fan.)  I watch most games, but not all of them. Haven't been to a game in person in years. Sometimes I start watching the game on Sunday, and after about a hour just start doing something else, checking in on it before it ends.

 

Why?  Not quite sure.  I'm like that with all sports now (especially baseball).  I think a large part of it is...when actually watching the game I don't see much new anymore.  I have seen countless comebacks, countless 50+ yard TD runs with broken tackles, countless game clinching interceptions.  Countless 50+ yard TD throws/catches.  Not much is new anymore.  When I was younger, my first 10+ years of watching football (200+ NFL games total) I was always looking for something I never saw.  I don't really see much that I haven't seen before anymore, so I guess I'm just not that interested.  I actually find the conversation on forums and the offseason more enjoyable than watching the actual games.

An attitude like that may get you banned here!  It's downright normal.  

[sherpa]

Not an average fan.

First game was in Sep 63 when the Bills tied the Kansas City Chiefs. My uncle took me. Sat behind Chief's receiver Chris Burford's parents. The smell and the excitement got to me.

Throughout grammar school, my best friend's dad was an usher. He could take two with him so my friend and I went to every home game. Standing room only for usher's guests at War Memorial, but never missed a game.

Did one week as a ball boy. Long, complicated story, but got to hand Juice a roll of tape and spot the ball all week for the offense.

It was the H. Preston Ridelhuber game against the Pats. A win. Saw them practice that option a number of times during the week.

 

One game, listening on the radio to Van, my mother insisted that I wash the "storm windows" for installation during half time.

Rushed it and ended up putting my knee through one and four stitches later at Mercy Hospital, the usual loss.

As an adult, during the Super Bowl loss to the Cowboys, fractured a small hand in my right hand as the result of pounding it in a sofa wood trim piece screaming "go" at the Nate Odom's interception in the first half.

 

Three kids, two born in San Francisco during the 49'ers heyday. The two boys are lifelong Bills fans who we share every Sunday afternoon game at my house. Sunday Ticket, big meals.

My daughter is as well, but not in the area.

Two grand daughters, both are being well groomed as Bills fans 

Last week, my son was reading a book with his three year old that had a number of cupcakes displayed. She asked him which cupcake each one of the family would like the most. When she got to me, he told her grandpa would probably like this one with the football on it.

She said, "Grandpa loves the Buffalo Bills." 

[WhoTom]

My Dad was a casual sports fan. The Indians and Browns were the regional teams, and both teams were good ... before my time. I came of age in the early 70s, and while I did cheer for the Cleveland teams like Dad (and my older siblings), it was more likely that there'd be a Mets or Bills game on TV. I became a four-season fan (Bills, Braves, Mets, Sabres), but lost interest in the NBA after the Braves left. By the time I had a driver's license and a job, school, work, and a social life took precedence, especially when I went away to college, so sports went on the back burner. (I did watch the Mets win the '86 World Series when I was in grad school.) Got married in '88, and in '89, we moved to the Midwest for a job. By that point, I hardly ever watched sports.

 

When the Bills made their first Super Bowl, I had to watch. Every year after that, I'd watch them when they were on TV, which wasn't a lot. In '98, when the Magic Flutie took over, my interest was rekindled. Got DirecTV in '99 and thanks to Sunday Ticket, I suffered through the entire drought, game by game. Now I find myself on a Bills message board, pretty much every day.

 

 

[slipkid]

One of my former students down here in SC is probably an “average” fan. A few years ago, she didn’t watch football at all, but after she graduated, her friends in Augusta would meet in a sports bar. They were Falcons or Panthers fans, so she joined in and happened to catch the coverage of Kyle Williams and kids celebrating Boyd’s TD. She got excited, read up on the Bills, thought of me and better understood, and  texted me something like “Go Bills! The playoffs! New fan here—won’t miss a game.”

 

Then she watched “Four Falls of Buffalo,” and as far as I know, hasn’t missed a game since. I do know for certain, however, she couldn’t name more than a half dozen players.

 

All this is to say that the Bills have fans because of their fans. That’s pretty cool!

[GunnerBill]

I am definitely not an average fan. I have never been to Buffalo and the story of why I am a fan features an escape from the Nazis, a shop in Poland and a jacuzzi in California. Seriously. 

 

I have been a fan since 2002. I would say I have been a serious fan since 2008. Since 2010 I have failed to watch just 1 game live - our last trip to New Orleans which came in Marrone's first year. I was at Wembley watching the 49ers pulverise the Jags at the time. 

 

I pretty much know every player on the Bills first and second string and could, at least at some level, break down their strengths and weaknesses. I listen to every presser McDermott does (and believe me that takes effort... love Sean to bits but man his pressers are dull) this place is my refuge during the working day when I need to think about something other than my job for a bit and I stay up until the early hours of the morning UK time to get a look at that UDFA corner in a pre-season game. 

 

Add to that I fill my spring with hunting around the internet for film on division II guards I saw make one play at the East - West Shrine game. 

 

I am not average. I am not normal either. But who wants normal? Normal is boring.

[gdabillsfan]

8 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

I found myself wondering what an average Bills fan is like.  I don’t consider myself average.

 

When I was a teenager in the 60s, I was a serious fan.  I knew everything about the Bills.  Then I left Buffalo and ended up in Connecticut.  Got married, got a job, had kids, so by the 80s, I was in Bills blackout.  There was no quality coverage of the Bills easily available, they weren’t on TV very often, no internet, and I was busy with other things.  There were, I’m sure, plenty of weekends where I didn’t know if the Bills had won or lost until I read the Monday morning paper. 

 

I got more serious in the 90s, of course, watching the Bills every time they were on TV.  The Kelly years forced me back into more serious fandom.  I continued that way until about 2004, when I discovered fan forums on the internet.  I realized that I could stay current with the Bills even from Connecticut. 

 

Then, in 2005, I went to a game.  I hadn’t been to the Stadium in 20 years.  One game, and I was seriously hooked.  A year or two later, I had season tickets.  Sometime around then, the Rockpile Review started. 

 

I’d call myself a serious fan.  My simple measure of a serious fan is someone who can name all the starters, can name at least some of the balance of the roster, and knows the back story of many of the players.  That is, a serious fan knows more about Josh than he grew up on a farm in California.   Maybe a better measure of a serious fan is someone who doesn’t go more than a few days without checking in to see what’s happening with the team, and that means in March, in June, 365.

 

There aren’t a lot of Bills fans in Connecticut, there isn’t a good Bills bar for the few to gather and watch the games.  When I run into a Bills fan, more often than not, they’re a serious fan like me. 

 

So, I hang out on this forum, and I get to talk to a lot of other serious Bills fans, some who know a lot more about the team than I do, but even those who may know less that I know still know a lot.  I think of us and others like us as the hard core. 

 

I’m guessing there are plenty of average Bills fans in Buffalo, people who care a lot about the team and care whether they win, people who watch most of the games, but they will miss a game here or there because the wife wants to shop for furniture.  People who don’t pay a whole lot of attention to the details.  People who can’t name the entire offensive line, let alone the backups.  People who if pressed can name only a half dozen players on the team. 

 

My guess is that there are more than a few season ticket holders who don’t think about the Bills in depth like people on this forum.  My guess is that there are plenty of people who go to the games faithfully, people who are thrilled when Allen goes deep to Diggs, but people who are stumped if you ask them who starts at defensive tackle. 

 

So, I’m asking you if you know average fans.  What are they like?   Maybe more importantly, what’s wrong with them?

 

Wow, 2 posts in the same day for me after years of none. I must be feeling loquacious, so here goes.

 

FANDOM

 FROM CASUAL FAN

TO DIE HARD

(And no, I am not shouting)

 

 

Anyway, just like you Shaw, I loved the Bills when I was a kid growing up in Rochester. I moved to Phoenix in the late 70's, and then to Anchorage,Ak., and back to Phoenix, where I stayed until the 90's. I was for the most part a casual fan then, catching a game whenever the were on national TV (which wasn't very often)

I started to seriously get into the Bills again in the very late 80's, early 90's because my Dad would always talk them up every time I would call home during football season.

I moved back to Rochester in 94, to be closer to my mom, as Dad had passed away in 91, and she needed the help.

It was around then I found the BBMB, and really became a diehard, and thanks to posters like Shaw, Wyo,and many others I learned more than I ever knew about the Bills and other things (thanks again Shaw for the Rockpile Review and for all the hard work you put in with the Ball Burglars). Some of the discussions on that board were the greatest threads, especially when they were talking Oline strategies,etc. I relocated here after BBMB shut down, and really don't post hardly at all, but I read these boards everyday and believe these forums are one of the best ,as NFL message boards go, but I digress.

8 hours ago, I am the egg man said:

If you scream and swear at the Bills or refs like they hear you, while watching the game on TV, you are an average Bills fan.

I must be above average, when the Bills are on, my wife, the dogs and some of my neighbors all run away.

Go figure.

[Giuseppe Tognarelli]

There are tons of neutral, average Steelers fans in my neck of the woods. I assume that's the same for every NFL region.

 

Come to think of it, two of my brothers are definitely "average" Bills fans. My third brother is serious, and I am hardcore.

[TailgateChef]

Most of the fans I know are "average":  they know around half the starters, they attend a few games a year (some even have season tickets), and they follow the coaching and GM hires.  I would say the majority of us on this forum are not average.  We have, as some described, "the Sickness".  I would say we're all pretty pleased that there really is no cure:  one Super Bowl victory will only make us hungry for another.

[Augie]

7 minutes ago, TailgateChef said:

Most of the fans I know are "average":  they know around half the starters, they attend a few games a year (some even have season tickets), and they follow the coaching and GM hires.  I would say the majority of us on this forum are not average.  We have, as some described, "the Sickness".  I would say we're all pretty pleased that there really is no cure:  one Super Bowl victory will only make us hungry for another.

 

And the Jags are so jealous they have no words…..  

[rockpile]

I guess I am an average fan, with some high points.

 

My father was a founder of the Buffalo Bills Boosters Club, Inc. in 1960. I wear his Boosters coat to snow games. 

 

I went to many games at the Rockpile. I was escorted out of one game for throwing snowballs at the Dolphins. 

 

I went to games during the 80's drought.

 

I watched the comeback game standing in a bar to the finish.

 

I have been with TBD since day one.

 

I have been to all but one or two TBDAHOTs and camped out at Hammers for several.

 

I am a cofounder of the WNYTBDGPS.

 

But I am not great at names and Jersey numbers. I do not go crazy about the draft, although I did get suite tickets in 2001 for the draft.

 

I am a Lot One Pole 6 veteran.

 

I do not post at TBD as often as I used to, but I enjoy the comments of those who have something to say.

 

I took the stage the year there was a band on game day and sang Funk 49 by the James Gang. There is something kind of cool hearing your daughter yell "Mom, Dad's on stage singing with the band. "

 

So I am an unusual average fan, I guess.

[Buffalo716]

MALE

5'11 

235 lb 

Likes red meat 

Labatts blue 

Sleeves probably cut off

 

FEMALE 

5'4 

155lb 

Likes tequila, clear liquor's 

Likes kielbasa 

Multiple tattoos 

Bills leggings 

 

Your average Bills fan 🤣😬😎😏 

 

Love you all

 

 

(This is full on sarcasm too) 

 

We are the best in the world

 

 

Edited August 21, 2021 by Buffalo716

[Cusefan66214]

I'd say about 85 percent of male bills fans are serious

About 85 percent of female bills fans are average

 

 

 

 

 

[Shaw66]

11 hours ago, Cusefan66214 said:

I'd say about 85 percent of male bills fans are serious

About 85 percent of female bills fans are average

 

 

 

 

 

Although I try to avoid gender-based generalizations, I'd have to say this may be as good a take as any.   As I've thought about the question, I've kept coming back to the men generally being serious about the Bills and the women being interested by not so knowledgeable.   Of course, there are plenty of exceptions, but I'd guess it's a relatively valid generalization.  

 

According to the Football Girl, 47% of NFL fans are women.  https://thefootballgirl.com/women-now-make-up-47-of-all-nfl-fans/  That's up from 40% eight years ago.   Searching Google, I found something that said the NFL has the highest percentage of women fans of any major sport.  The Steelers apparently have the highest percentage of women fans among NFL teams.  

 

So, if you're 85-15 conclusion is correct, and if 47% of Bills fans are women, then out of 1000 fans, 530 are men and 450 are serious fans, and 470 are women and 70 of them are serious fans.  

 

But I'd guess that what others have said is true - that the fan base grows as the success of the team grows.  The down-and-out teams have relatively smaller fan bases, and they have a higher percentage of serious fans.  I'd also guess that in those down-and-out fan bases, there's a higher percentage of men in the fan bases.   That is, as the team becomes successful and the fan base grows, it's because women are joining the fan base.   That's why, for example, the Steelers have a lot of women - it's a long-term successful franchise, or at least has that reputation. 

 

If all of that were true, that would mean that five years ago the Bills fan base was mostly men.  The women were just putting up with the fact that their husbands had the sickness.   Since there were more men rooting for the Bills than average, a higher percentage of the fans overall were serious fans.   It may still be true today, but I'd guess that now it's beginning to change.  Now, the fan base is growing, and it's growing by adding women.   

 

It makes sense from my personal experience.   I've told this story before, but it's relevant here.  As the Bills were getting good in the late 80s, I kept telling my wife that the Bills were getting good.  She'd say, "yeah, yeah, I've heard it before."  Then, in 1990, around the middle of the season, I reminded that I'd told her if the Bills ever go to the Super Bowl, I was going.  "Yeah, yeah."  Every couple of weeks, I'd remind her, and every couple of weeks, "yeah, yeah."  Finally, when the Bills won in week 14 to go 12-2, she said, "If you go to the Super Bowl, can I go too?"   That's an average fan.  

 

Another example.   My daughter grew up in a Connecticut in a Bills household in Connecticut.  She knew from an early age that her father was wacko about the Bills, and her two older brothers got the sickness from their father.   She wasn't an NFL fan generally, but if she was hanging with the family on Sunday afternoon and the Bills were being broadcast in Connecticut, she was watching the Bills.  Fast forward to today.  She lives in Boston.  One of her best friends from college is from Elmira, and her friend's father always followed the Bills and bought season tickets maybe five years ago.  This season, my daughter asked me to buy six tickets to the home opener so she and her friend and their boyfriends and some other couple could go to the game.  She's a classic woman being drawn into the fan base.   She doesn't understand the game very well, she knows maybe a half-dozen players, but she's now a fan.   My 12-year-old grandson is a much more serious Bills fan than she is, and he's been serious since he was 5.  

 

 

[Buffalo716]

7 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

Although I try to avoid gender-based generalizations, I'd have to say this may be as good a take as any.   As I've thought about the question, I've kept coming back to the men generally being serious about the Bills and the women being interested by not so knowledgeable.   Of course, there are plenty of exceptions, but I'd guess it's a relatively valid generalization.  

 

According to the Football Girl, 47% of NFL fans are women.  https://thefootballgirl.com/women-now-make-up-47-of-all-nfl-fans/  That's up from 40% eight years ago.   Searching Google, I found something that said the NFL has the highest percentage of women fans of any major sport.  The Steelers apparently have the highest percentage of women fans among NFL teams.  

 

So, if you're 85-15 conclusion is correct, and if 47% of Bills fans are women, then out of 1000 fans, 530 are men and 450 are serious fans, and 470 are women and 70 of them are serious fans.  

 

But I'd guess that what others have said is true - that the fan base grows as the success of the team grows.  The down-and-out teams have relatively smaller fan bases, and they have a higher percentage of serious fans.  I'd also guess that in those down-and-out fan bases, there's a higher percentage of men in the fan bases.   That is, as the team becomes successful and the fan base grows, it's because women are joining the fan base.   That's why, for example, the Steelers have a lot of women - it's a long-term successful franchise, or at least has that reputation. 

 

If all of that were true, that would mean that five years ago the Bills fan base was mostly men.  The women were just putting up with the fact that their husbands had the sickness.   Since there were more men rooting for the Bills than average, a higher percentage of the fans overall were serious fans.   It may still be true today, but I'd guess that now it's beginning to change.  Now, the fan base is growing, and it's growing by adding women.   

 

It makes sense from my personal experience.   I've told this story before, but it's relevant here.  As the Bills were getting good in the late 80s, I kept telling my wife that the Bills were getting good.  She'd say, "yeah, yeah, I've heard it before."  Then, in 1990, around the middle of the season, I reminded that I'd told her if the Bills ever go to the Super Bowl, I was going.  "Yeah, yeah."  Every couple of weeks, I'd remind her, and every couple of weeks, "yeah, yeah."  Finally, when the Bills won in week 14 to go 12-2, she said, "If you go to the Super Bowl, can I go too?"   That's an average fan.  

 

Another example.   My daughter grew up in a Connecticut in a Bills household in Connecticut.  She knew from an early age that her father was wacko about the Bills, and her two older brothers got the sickness from their father.   She wasn't an NFL fan generally, but if she was hanging with the family on Sunday afternoon and the Bills were being broadcast in Connecticut, she was watching the Bills.  Fast forward to today.  She lives in Boston.  One of her best friends from college is from Elmira, and her friend's father always followed the Bills and bought season tickets maybe five years ago.  This season, my daughter asked me to buy six tickets to the home opener so she and her friend and their boyfriends and some other couple could go to the game.  She's a classic woman being drawn into the fan base.   She doesn't understand the game very well, she knows maybe a half-dozen players, but she's now a fan.   My 12-year-old grandson is a much more serious Bills fan than she is, and he's been serious since he was 5.  

 

 

That's a pretty decent take 

 

There are definitely a lot of women Bills fans around the city , some are very knowledgeable

 

A lot like watching the support but don't really understand the rules

 

There's about 10 15% of women though, who are calling out penalties from the stands lol

 

 

[SirAndrew]

22 hours ago, Cusefan66214 said:

I'd say about 85 percent of male bills fans are serious

About 85 percent of female bills fans are average

 

 

 

 

 

I think a lot of it has to do with Bills football being such a huge part of WNY culture. I’ve noticed most other NFL games seem more like a guys day out. I know it’s changing as the league has tons of female fans, but it’s still difficult not to notice the ratio of dudes at most stadiums. Bills fans seem more apt to take the entire family, groups of friends, wives, and girlfriends to games. Many of whom might be more causal fans. 

[Buffalo716]

22 hours ago, rockpile said:

I guess I am an average fan, with some high points.

 

My father was a founder of the Buffalo Bills Boosters Club, Inc. in 1960. I wear his Boosters coat to snow games. 

 

I went to many games at the Rockpile. I was escorted out of one game for throwing snowballs at the Dolphins. 

 

I went to games during the 80's drought.

 

I watched the comeback game standing in a bar to the finish.

 

I have been with TBD since day one.

 

I have been to all but one or two TBDAHOTs and camped out at Hammers for several.

 

I am a cofounder of the WNYTBDGPS.

 

But I am not great at names and Jersey numbers. I do not go crazy about the draft, although I did get suite tickets in 2001 for the draft.

 

I am a Lot One Pole 6 veteran.

 

I do not post at TBD as often as I used to, but I enjoy the comments of those who have something to say.

 

I took the stage the year there was a band on game day and sang Funk 49 by the James Gang. There is something kind of cool hearing your daughter yell "Mom, Dad's on stage singing with the band. "

 

So I am an unusual average fan, I guess.

I would say that put you as a hardcore fan, who just doesn't care about names and numbers ..

 

Everything else you describe says you're an original Bills fan, who helped build the fan base into what it is

[Beerball]

On 8/19/2021 at 10:31 AM, Shaw66 said:

I found myself wondering what an average Bills fan is like.  I don’t consider myself average.

 

When I was a teenager in the 60s, I was a serious fan.  I knew everything about the Bills.  Then I left Buffalo and ended up in Connecticut.  Got married, got a job, had kids, so by the 80s, I was in Bills blackout.  There was no quality coverage of the Bills easily available, they weren’t on TV very often, no internet, and I was busy with other things.  There were, I’m sure, plenty of weekends where I didn’t know if the Bills had won or lost until I read the Monday morning paper. 

 

I got more serious in the 90s, of course, watching the Bills every time they were on TV.  The Kelly years forced me back into more serious fandom.  I continued that way until about 2004, when I discovered fan forums on the internet.  I realized that I could stay current with the Bills even from Connecticut. 

 

Then, in 2005, I went to a game.  I hadn’t been to the Stadium in 20 years.  One game, and I was seriously hooked.  A year or two later, I had season tickets.  Sometime around then, the Rockpile Review started. 

 

I’d call myself a serious fan.  My simple measure of a serious fan is someone who can name all the starters, can name at least some of the balance of the roster, and knows the back story of many of the players.  That is, a serious fan knows more about Josh than he grew up on a farm in California.   Maybe a better measure of a serious fan is someone who doesn’t go more than a few days without checking in to see what’s happening with the team, and that means in March, in June, 365.

 

There aren’t a lot of Bills fans in Connecticut, there isn’t a good Bills bar for the few to gather and watch the games.  When I run into a Bills fan, more often than not, they’re a serious fan like me. 

 

So, I hang out on this forum, and I get to talk to a lot of other serious Bills fans, some who know a lot more about the team than I do, but even those who may know less that I know still know a lot.  I think of us and others like us as the hard core. 

 

I’m guessing there are plenty of average Bills fans in Buffalo, people who care a lot about the team and care whether they win, people who watch most of the games, but they will miss a game here or there because the wife wants to shop for furniture.  People who don’t pay a whole lot of attention to the details.  People who can’t name the entire offensive line, let alone the backups.  People who if pressed can name only a half dozen players on the team. 

 

My guess is that there are more than a few season ticket holders who don’t think about the Bills in depth like people on this forum.  My guess is that there are plenty of people who go to the games faithfully, people who are thrilled when Allen goes deep to Diggs, but people who are stumped if you ask them who starts at defensive tackle. 

 

So, I’m asking you if you know average fans.  What are they like?   Maybe more importantly, what’s wrong with them?

 

I drive a BMW.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

I wonder if the average fan is more or less likely to live in WNY anymore? 

I moved away in 1988. I see more road games in person than I do home games.  

 

[Bookie Man]

Avg Bills fan >= Die hard Bucs Fan

[JMF2006]

Not every fan can be a FANATIC

 

Some people are normal and don't get obsessed with sports  

 

Just saying

[The BLUES Brothers]

Any fan on here is likely to be well Above Average. 

 

Do other fans look at roster spot battles as intensely as this group of dedicated fans? I think not.

 

As for me Born in '64 - growing up in grade school - other kids liked the current Super Bowl winners but I became a fan because my Dad was a fan and been rooting hard ever since. so many great memories with this team ( grateful to attend about 50 games including Home openers, 51-3, Comeback game - have met Darryl Talley, Andre Reed, Jeff Nixon, Jim Kelly, Thurman, Fred Smerlas, Joe D, Steve Tasker, Don Bebee, Jon Fina) and looking forward to more team successes.

 

As stated by other brothers - Coming here for an update and reading is a daily routine that I always look forward to.  I don't always chime in but I don't need to - the content and updates are amazing. Thank you for all of it and Go Bills!

 

[Beast]

In my first marriage I pretended to be sick on Thanksgiving (1995) so I didn’t have to go to the in-law’s house and I could watch the Bills play in peace.

[Shaw66]

2 hours ago, Beast said:

In my first marriage I pretended to be sick on Thanksgiving (1995) so I didn’t have to go to the in-law’s house and I could watch the Bills play in peace.

Beast

 

Appropos of nothing except, I think, your former avatar, what I regret most about being a casual fan in the 80s is that I never watched enough to develop an appreciation of Fred Smerlas.  I missed his career, and the careers of a few other stars in the 80s.  

[fergie's ire]

On 8/19/2021 at 10:31 AM, Shaw66 said:

 

 

There aren’t a lot of Bills fans in Connecticut,

 

There are some.  This one had really been looking forward to laying around watching the game this afternoon....but will, instead, be fleeing the coast.