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Ralph
Wilson StadiumBuffalo, NY Sundays during the Fall, the town of Orchard Park comes alive as Bills fans invade the town for football at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Bills history in upstate New York begins in 1959 when Ralph Wilson was awarded an expansion AFL football team that would begin playing in 1960 at War Memorial Stadium in Buffalo. War Memorial Stadium was a 47,000 seat stadium built in the 1930s that was the home to a variety of events. When the Bills became a part of the NFL in 1970, it was apparent that a larger stadium was needed for the team. Owner Ralph Wilson sought a new domed stadium in Buffalo but was unable to gain support. Wilson met with officials in Seattle about the possibility of moving the team there, but instead he reached an agreement to build a stadium on a 130 acre tract of land in Orchard Park, a town south of Buffalo. Once the stadium was completed in 1973, Rich Foods bought the naming rights to the stadium for $1.5 million a year, for 25 years. The Bills became one of the first teams ever to sell the naming rights to their stadium. It was known as Rich Stadium until 1998, when the stadium was renamed Ralph Wilson Stadium.
The Buffalo Bills christened Ralph Wilson
Stadium on August 17, 1973. The stadium originally had a seating
capacity of over 80,000, consisting of three decks of
blue and red seats. The lower and second levels of seats circle
the entire Fieldturf playing field. An upper level of seats are
located on both sides of the playing field. The playing field is
located 50 feet below ground level, eliminating long walks to the
upper deck.
Ralph
Wilson Stadium has underwent many changes over the years. In 1984,
the stadium's capacity was increased to 80,290 with the addition
of 16 executive suites, and in 1992, 24 more executive suites
were added. More additions were completed in 1994. The Red Zone
and Goal Line clubs, that are enclosed of glass and
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