Question for my son's first Bills home game.....

[DCBills_OG]

I am excited to bringing my 11 year old son to Buffalo for his first ever game at Orchard Park!!  I feel it is important to get him to this stadium before the new one is finished so that he can have the "Orchard Park" experience!   My son and I will be going to the Nov 19th Bills vs Jets game.   We will be flying and therefore I will not be able to have my truck load of tailgating equipment (grills, coolers, canopies...etc).   Are there any "family" friendly tailgates that my son and I could pay for and join?  Anything near where Kenny Pinto is?

[4th&long]

Just go join pintos tail gate. Act like you know everyone. They are all so drunk no one will care. The pre game tail gates are like one big family bash. If I was going I would have you join us!

[npeartisgod]

Honestly, that game is going to be a mess of drunken people. Depending where your seats are, get inside early. You get to chill, watch warm-ups, sometimes Diggs plays catch with kids, etc. The tailgates and the stadium as a whole are sadly no place for kids. My sons’ memories of that age (my fault) are remembering the beard full of puke, the boobies on display, etc. 

 

If you don’t yet have seats, scalp in the 225 section (s) these are “family friendly” and the cursing is really low and no booze allowed at seats. You can get beers in the pub directly behind this section of you want . Good luck. Hope he has fun.

[RoyBatty is alive]

35 minutes ago, 4th&long said:

Just go join pintos tail gate. Act like you know everyone. They are all so drunk no one will care. The pre game tail gates are like one big family bash. If I was going I would have you join us!

That is quite the "promotion" for an 11 year old.

 

Waiting for someone to lecture me about "they have to grow up sometime" or "get off my lawn" memes.

[mikemac2001]

9 minutes ago, npeartisgod said:

Honestly, that game is going to be a mess of drunken people. Depending where your seats are, get inside early. You get to chill, watch warm-ups, sometimes Diggs plays catch with kids, etc. The tailgates and the stadium as a whole are sadly no place for kids. My sons’ memories of that age (my fault) are remembering the beard full of puke, the boobies on display, etc. 

 

If you don’t yet have seats, scalp in the 225 section (s) these are “family friendly” and the cursing is really low and no booze allowed at seats. You can get beers in the pub directly behind this section of you want . Good luck. Hope he has fun.

[boyst]

@Royale with Cheese

Has brought his son up to several games from out of towns and might have some good info.

[BillsfaninSB]

22 minutes ago, npeartisgod said:

Honestly, that game is going to be a mess of drunken people. Depending where your seats are, get inside early. You get to chill, watch warm-ups, sometimes Diggs plays catch with kids, etc. The tailgates and the stadium as a whole are sadly no place for kids. My sons’ memories of that age (my fault) are remembering the beard full of puke, the boobies on display, etc. 

 

If you don’t yet have seats, scalp in the 225 section (s) these are “family friendly” and the cursing is really low and no booze allowed at seats. You can get beers in the pub directly behind this section of you want . Good luck. Hope he has fun.

[Haslett_Stomp]

43 minutes ago, npeartisgod said:

Honestly, that game is going to be a mess of drunken people. Depending where your seats are, get inside early. You get to chill, watch warm-ups, sometimes Diggs plays catch with kids, etc. The tailgates and the stadium as a whole are sadly no place for kids. My sons’ memories of that age (my fault) are remembering the beard full of puke, the boobies on display, etc. 

 

If you don’t yet have seats, scalp in the 225 section (s) these are “family friendly” and the cursing is really low and no booze allowed at seats. You can get beers in the pub directly behind this section of you want . Good luck. Hope he has fun.

 

I had the completely opposite experience with my 13 year old son at his first Bills game, albeit that was ~ 10 years ago.  We went with a group of my high school friends and parked in one of the main lots (6 or 7).  We tailgated, threw the football and had a great time.  Ironically, the rowdiest fans near us in the parking lot happened to be a group of Sabres players who attended the game (Cody Hodgson is the only one I remember). 

Edited November 3, 2023 by Haslett_Stomp

[947]

As a fellow out-of-towner, I took my 2 sons to their 1st game vs Atlanta in January 2021. Sons were 12 & 14 at the time, I hadn't been to a home game in several years & expected it to be much more raucous than it ended up being. We walked around throughout the tailgates & went into the stadium pretty early. We also got out of there immediately after the game to head to the airport. I didn't see any crazy behavior at all, no fights and not a single boobie. During the game was a pretty calm atmosphere too, nobody was screaming f-bombs or anything. There was a random guy next to me with his 8yr old kid at his first game too, zero issues.

 

We had seats in the 12th row on the 45yd line, so that probably helped avoid the riff-raff. The fact that it was 10 degrees also probably helped keep the atmosphere more tame. I'd suggest getting good seats, the cheaper the seats, the more sloppy drunks you'll encounter.

[Ramza86]

5 hours ago, DCBills_OG said:

I am excited to bringing my 11 year old son to Buffalo for his first ever game at Orchard Park!!  I feel it is important to get him to this stadium before the new one is finished so that he can have the "Orchard Park" experience!   My son and I will be going to the Nov 19th Bills vs Jets game.   We will be flying and therefore I will not be able to have my truck load of tailgating equipment (grills, coolers, canopies...etc).   Are there any "family" friendly tailgates that my son and I could pay for and join?  Anything near where Kenny Pinto is?

 

I went to my first game last year in December against the Jets. Flew from Miami. I paid the money to park at the Hammer lot. 

I dont think it was that crazy when I went and pinto ron did not do the mustard and ketchup bit... but it was quite the experience. 

 

 After the game The girlfriend and I sat with some of the lot guys and gals around a fire waiting for the traffic to go down. Pinto fed the group some baked potatos with cheese and talked football. 

 

Good times.

[Augie]

1 hour ago, boyst said:

@Royale with Cheese

Has brought his son up to several games from out of towns and might have some good info.

 

This should come with a caveat. He is a “Ranch Guy”, so take anything you learn with a grain of salt. 

 

But I bet he has good advice regarding attending from out of town with a young(ish) son. 

[transient]

11 years old… seems like a perfect age to teach him how to pee in the sinks. 😂

 

Admittedly, it’s been a while since I’ve been a regular at games (not since ~2005)… when it’s really crowded at halftime, is that still a thing? 🤔

[GottaRun]

Walk around the stadium nearest to the Bills store.  There will be a few tents with giveaways and stuff to see.  Go in the Bills store (closes 2 hours before kickoff but does reopen with access from within the stadium).  Walk around a bit of tailgate if you like but honestly that stuff is probably more for you, not a lot an 11 year old can take part in.  Get seats in the family section if you can, best chance for your kid to see the game, unless they are very tall their game experience will be looking at the back of the person in front of them.  Definitely go in early enough to see the warm up.  Your kid doesn't need the jostling or chaos of trying to go in 30 minutes before kickoff.

[Augie]

This is not to advise or judge anyone for anything, it is just an indication of how different the world is today. When I was maybe a year older, my father took me and a friend to a game against the Chiefs at The Rockpile. It was a rainy day, and my father gave our two seats for the kids under the “cover” (that leaked like a sieve) to his buddies, and put us in their seats in the end zone where we got soaked.

 

I can’t believe nobody lost an eye for all the umbrellas surrounding us in the seats. You could barely see the game, but it was just great to be able to see anything.  But the exciting part was when they kicked FG’s or extra points……prior to nets keeping the balls from landing near a couple 12 year old kids who would then be trampled by drunken men looking for a souvenir. My buddy had his program ripped out of his hands in the restroom, but we otherwise survived. Then we drove home without seatbelts. 

[Gugny]

3 hours ago, boyst said:

@Royale with Cheese

Has brought his son up to several games from out of towns and might have some good info.

I’m sure he could recommend appropriate footwear!

[kkim0904]

I live in Long Island NY and I took 13 years old son his first NFL game when bills visited to play Jets in 2017.  He was Giant fan before the game but after the game he jumped on the Bills bandwagon.

Edited November 3, 2023 by kkim0904

[4th&long]

3 hours ago, Ramza86 said:

 

I went to my first game last year in December against the Jets. Flew from Miami. I paid the money to park at the Hammer lot. 

I dont think it was that crazy when I went and pinto ron did not do the mustard and ketchup bit... but it was quite the experience. 

 

 After the game The girlfriend and I sat with some of the lot guys and gals around a fire waiting for the traffic to go down. Pinto fed the group some baked potatos with cheese and talked football. 

 

Good times.

This is what I’m talking about. People will let you hang and I would be surprised if they didn’t feed you. Just go up to someone and start shooting the crap with them. Tell them it’s your kids first game. Guarantee they welcome you. 
 

maybe it’s just me but I can go up to anybody on the street and start a conversation.

[RiotAct]

2 hours ago, Augie said:

This is not to advise or judge anyone for anything, it is just an indication of how different the world is today. When I was maybe a year older, my father took me and a friend to a game against the Chiefs at The Rockpile. It was a rainy day, and my father gave our two seats for the kids under the “cover” (that leaked like a sieve) to his buddies, and put us in their seats in the end zone where we got soaked.

 

I can’t believe nobody lost an eye for all the umbrellas surrounding us in the seats. You could barely see the game, but it was just great to be able to see anything.  But the exciting part was when they kicked FG’s or extra points……prior to nets keeping the balls from landing near a couple 12 year old kids who would then be trampled by drunken men looking for a souvenir. My buddy had his program ripped out of his hands in the restroom, but we otherwise survived. Then we drove home without seatbelts. 

The good old days!

[Since1981]

It’s like Vegas. “What happens at Bills game stays at bills game”. Night and Jets not great clientele. Buy hand and FEET warmers. Don’t go anywhere near low end zone seats. 100, 200s. Seems to be better lately as prices and quality have gone up. Try to get inside a little early. 

[Bills!Win!]

6 hours ago, npeartisgod said:

Honestly, that game is going to be a mess of drunken people. Depending where your seats are, get inside early. You get to chill, watch warm-ups, sometimes Diggs plays catch with kids, etc. The tailgates and the stadium as a whole are sadly no place for kids. My sons’ memories of that age (my fault) are remembering the beard full of puke, the boobies on display, etc. 

 

If you don’t yet have seats, scalp in the 225 section (s) these are “family friendly” and the cursing is really low and no booze allowed at seats. You can get beers in the pub directly behind this section of you want . Good luck. Hope he has fun.

great section but the speakers are blaring in your face 10x louder than anywhere else in the stadium

[SoonerBillsFan]

I took my grandson to the Vikings game last year and it even snowed some.  We got there 3 hours early and made a trek through all the pre game stuff we could.  We got into the stadium about 45 min before kickoff so he could see players warm up.  

 

It was one of the best experiences of my life to share that with him.  I have video of him singing the shout song after our 1st TD.  He absolutely loved it. 

[GottaRun]

My first football game was a CFL game in Hamilton, I was 9 or 10.  The men in front had a big briefcase that opened into a bar with 4 bottles of liquor in it.  They mixed drinks and smoked cigars all game.  No idea what happened in the game but the guys in front were wonderfully hammered.

[Just Jack]

Buffalo Bills Highmark Stadium Family Friendly Information | Highmark Stadium | Buffalo Bills - buffalobills.com

Quote

 

My 1st Game Certificates:

Guests attending a game for their first time at Highmark Stadium can receive a certificate from the Buffalo Bills commemorating their first game. Certificates are available at any Guest Service Booth and a Guest Service Ambassador can assist with placing the guest's name on the document.

 

 

[boyst]

5 hours ago, Gugny said:

I’m sure he could recommend appropriate footwear!

I take his advice for what slides to avoid at chick filets.