Bills announce training camp headed back to SJF

[gmanbfan]

The move to Rochester was a big thing with respect to their regionalization initiative in the late 90s early 2000s. 

 

Ticket sales were volume based back then, needed to pack that stadium with 74K fans.

 

With the new stadium, almost all tickets will be sold to season ticket members.  The volume aspect is no longer a factor, meaning the regionalization efforts won't be the same.  I see it moving to OP permanently in the near future, especially if they are to plan future development around the stadium.

[yall]

We went to SJF once, never again.

 

I don't feel like riding in a yellow oven with 40 other sweaty fans.

[Don Otreply]

2 hours ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

I think they should move it to Atlanta personally.

No way man, I want camp here in Baltimore, ( I live here now). Can you imagine the uproar with the crow fans?  I got an idea for a poster/ t-shirt, a big ass Buffalo stomping a raven, with “Never more” printed on it, 😁👍

[Neo]

2 hours ago, Wacka said:

Houghton Park on Cinton St. in Buffalo like one year in the 60s!

Thruway Exit 56, Blasdell.

[Dukestreetking]

2 hours ago, corta765 said:

The list of where training camp use to be is quite wild honestly.

 

Dearest Terry, please bring Bills TC back to Niagara University, as it is now 3 min from my house. Your biggest fan, DSK

 

(Hoping this will sway the organization, as I'm sure they monitor TBD)

[Bills!Win!]

It any club seat members have any VIP field passes I will purchase them for whatever you feel they are worth. Looking forward to going again this year 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

17 minutes ago, Dukestreetking said:

 

Dearest Terry, please bring Bills TC back to Niagara University, as it is now 3 min from my house. Your biggest fan, DSK

 

(Hoping this will sway the organization, as I'm sure they monitor TBD)

 

Oh, you can bet they monitor TBD. 🤨

*
🎵He's making a list

🎶And checking it twice,

🎵Already knows who's naughty or nice,

🎶Terry P is making a list.

[PromoTheRobot]

3 hours ago, Peevo said:

 

Training camp these days is like 2 weeks at most. I don't know the numbers, but the margin on SJF has gotta be tight.

 

Yes, they sell sponsorships (Connors and Ferris), and I'm sure the gift shop does well. 

 

But still, the operating expenses of packing up the entire training department (the Bills training staff literally pack up all their gear in a truck and unpack it every year), for 2 weeks, can't possibly be worth it.

 

Look at this way. You're a Buffalo/WNY area fan. Under McDermott, the team has retired night practices completely.

 

You want to go to training camp in Pittsford, NY?

 

• Take PTO for the morning drive on some random Tuesday morning in August
• Wake up at like 5:30/6 AM
• Drive 90 minutes plus down the highway - depending where you live (Fredonia, NY for example, you're 2hrs or more)
• Park at a random high school parking lot 25 ish minutes away from SJF
• Wait in line to get on a bus / shuttle to campus
• Wait in line through security to enter Training Camp
• Walk the entire campus to finally reach the facilities
• The grandstands are already packed to the gills, and there are 0 spots available to see anything
• You resort to sitting on some grassy knoll across the street from the practice field
• You see literally nothing
• It's 12:30 PM on a Tuesday in Rochester
• You get an underwhelming garbage plate
• It's now 1:40 PM on a Tuesday in Rochester
• What do you do now?

Back when the team actually used Rochester as a marketing vehicle, there were weekend night practices.

 

You could go out, get a dinner, go see a band at BugJar something. Make a night of it!

 

Now it's a waste of resources for just about everyone except immediate residents of Pittsford / the surrounding burbs. 

 

The only reason they went to SJF in the first place is because of Russ Brandon's affiliation with the team. He hasn't been employed by the Pegulas in 6 years. 

 

Pittsford training camp has long surpassed its useful life. Maybe it was important to "regionalize" the fanbase in the Drought Era. I get it. But Josh Allen negates all of that.

 

Or do what I did once. Arrive at 4am and park on campus. Nap in your car until camp starts.

[Bills!Win!]

1 hour ago, yall said:

We went to SJF once, never again.

 

I don't feel like riding in a yellow oven with 40 other sweaty fans.

Good thing they invented Uber. That’s what we do 

[ClosetFan]

here's my take on it. I'm from Rochester and I used to enjoy going to the Bills training camp at SJF. But now that they have a lottery for tickets it no longer makes any sense. The fact that the camp is held in Rochester has nothing to do with what people can attend. I suspect very few locals can even get tickets. I would much prefer they hold camp at the stadium where there is plenty of parking and seating.

[machine gun kelly]

FWIW, I think it’s a great idea, and being away at camp is good for the team.  The camaraderie, bonding, and team building with so many new players where the families are away, and it’s just the guys.

[yall]

2 hours ago, Bills!Win! said:

Good thing they invented Uber. That’s what we do 

To be fair at the time Uber wasn't an option. 

 

The bus ride wasn't the only annoying part, but it certainly was the worst. 

 

I'm content with the blue/red scrimmage in OP. They can hold camp in Timbuktu for all I care.

[Chandler#81]

7 hours ago, corta765 said:

 

Respectfully Pegula could care less. Beane & McD both have actively said they like going to Rochester even if it is more prorated at 2 1/2 weeks now compared to the nearly month long time they use to be here. The Bills already do the return of the Blue & Red at the stadium which is big draw for the fans.

 

Now in the future is Rochester maybe more of a week long thing? Possibly. But they updated their facilities back in 2019 and still have choose Rochester since so the idea of the new stadium being the changer really doesn't hold water because the facilities at their home base matter way more then the stadium which they only really use for major events.

50 word sentence? You’re high aren’t you?

[Einstein]

5 hours ago, gmanbfan said:

The move to Rochester was a big thing with respect to their regionalization initiative in the late 90s early 2000s. 

 

 

They certainly don’t need it for the tickets anymore. They’ll sell regardless. But I do think it’s a mistake to leave Rochester.

 

The team is truly regional. They’re less the Buffalo Bills as they are the Western New York Bills.

 

Wish they kept it in Rochester.