The Buffalo Bills are one of the NFL’s most popular and successful franchises, with a passionate fan base not just in Western New York but across the United States and beyond. In recent years, the NFL has expanded its international presence by staging regular season games in London, which raises the question: will the Bills ever play a home game in London?
The NFL’s International Series
Since 2007, the NFL has scheduled regular season games in London as part of its International Series. The league views London as an important market for expanding the NFL brand globally. Here is a breakdown of the International Series games held in London since 2007:
Year | Matchup | Venue |
---|---|---|
2007 | Giants vs Dolphins | Wembley Stadium |
2008 | Chargers vs Saints | Wembley Stadium |
2009 | Patriots vs Buccaneers | Wembley Stadium |
2010 | Broncos vs 49ers | Wembley Stadium |
2011 | Bears vs Buccaneers | Wembley Stadium |
2012 | Patriots vs Rams | Wembley Stadium |
2013 | Steelers vs Vikings | Wembley Stadium |
2014 | Dolphins vs Raiders | Wembley Stadium |
2015 | Jets vs Dolphins | Wembley Stadium |
2016 | Giants vs Rams | Twickenham Stadium |
2017 | Ravens vs Jaguars | Wembley Stadium |
2018 | Seahawks vs Raiders | Wembley Stadium |
2019 | Panthers vs Buccaneers | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium |
2021 | Jets vs Falcons | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium |
As the table shows, the NFL has held at least one game in London every year since 2007, with the exception of 2020 when the International Series was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most games have been held at Wembley Stadium, with Twickenham Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium also hosting occasionally.
How teams are selected
The NFL decides which teams will give up a home game to play in London. Teams can volunteer, but the league has final say. The NFL considers several factors:
– Marketability – Popular teams or star players help attract more fans.
– Competitive balance – Avoid giving significant home field advantage to one team.
– Previous London trips – Teams that haven’t yet played in London are often selected.
– Scheduling logistics – Bye weeks and other scheduling considerations come into play.
Over the years, the NFL has managed to get most teams to play in London at least once. However, some teams have never played an International Series game, including the Packers, Bills, Browns, and Titans.
Have the Bills ever played in London?
The Buffalo Bills have never played a regular season game in London. Here is a quick overview of their participation in international NFL games:
- The Bills played a preseason game in Toronto in 2008, the first time an NFL team played a regular season or preseason game in Canada. They played preseason games in Toronto every year from 2008 to 2013.
- In 2015, the Bills hosted the first regular season NFL game played in Canada, beating the Browns in Toronto.
- They have not yet played a regular season International Series game in London.
So while the Bills have expanded the NFL footprint into Canada, they have not yet crossed the pond to play in the UK.
Would the Bills give up a home game?
The Bills have a couple of factors that may make them hesitant to give up a home game to play in London:
- They have phenomenal fan support in Buffalo, selling out every home game. Bills Mafia wouldn’t be happy about losing a home game.
- Playing in a domed stadium, weather isn’t an issue for the Bills. Other cold weather teams see London as a chance to play outdoors once a year.
- As a smaller market team, the lost revenue from one home game is more impactful.
However, the Bills want to continue growing their fan base globally. Playing internationally would be one way to expand their reach. And the NFL may require them to play in London soon, as one of the few remaining teams to have not done so.
Will the Bills ever play in London?
It seems inevitable that the Bills will play a London game sooner or later. Here are some key points on when and how it could happen:
- The Bills are one of 8 teams who have yet to play in London, so the NFL will likely require them to play there within the next 2-3 seasons.
- If selected, the Bills would likely prefer to play as the away team, minimizing the impact of losing a true home game.
- The NFL may consider having the Bills play an AFC East rival, like the Dolphins or Jets, to limit travel and maintain rivalries.
- The Bills would request their bye week the following week, allowing time to recover from the trip overseas.
While Bills Mafia certainly wants as many homes games in Orchard Park as possible, one game in London seems inevitable. The novelty of seeing Josh Allen and the Bills in a different global city would certainly be exciting!
Reaction in Buffalo
How would Bills fans react if a home game was moved to London? Here are some likely responses:
- Diehard season ticket holders would be upset about losing a game in Orchard Park.
- Some fans may plan a trip to London to support the team abroad.
- Playing an international game would grow the Bills’ global brand, pleasing those who want the fanbase to expand.
- Bills Mafia would flood London with blue and red to show their passionate support.
- Local businesses around the stadium in Orchard Park would lose revenue from one lost home game.
While any lost home game would be controversial, Bills fans understand the NFL is focused on global growth. A single game in London once every 8 years or so seems like an acceptable compromise, as long as most games remain in Buffalo where they belong.
Conclusion
It appears inevitable that the Bills will play in London at some point in the next few seasons. The NFL wants all teams to expand their international reach, and the Bills are now one of the few teams yet to play in the UK. Fans in Western New York may not be thrilled about losing a home game, but the chance to see their Bills take on a division rival in London will likely make for an exciting experience. With smart scheduling such as playing an AFC East opponent and having a bye week after, the impact of one lost home game in Orchard Park every 8 years or so should be manageable. Bills Mafia will follow their team anywhere, so expect a sea of Bills fans flooding London when this historic game is finally announced.