Buffalo "rarely is considered as a venue" for big soccer events in the U.S., but that "may change" with last week's announcement of the Bills's new $1.4B stadium, according to Michael Petro of the BUFFALO NEWS. The stadium will feature a "grass field surface" built "primarily for football but with soccer also in mind." While it "likely won’t bring" an MLS team to Buffalo, it is a "significant boost for soccer fans in the city." It also is a "chance to bring other large-scale events to a stadium" that right now is "only used 10 times per year for NFL football and for the occasional outdoor concert or local sporting event." Erie County Exec Mark Poloncarz said that he hopes Buffalo is "considered for international friendly matches involving USA soccer teams and European club games" once the new stadium in Orchard Park is completed in '26. Poloncarz: "Soccer has been mentioned multiple times during the design discussions between the county, state and Bills." Petro noted the Bills will use architectural firm Populous, which worked on Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, to "design their new stadium." The facility also will be "built to specifications for lacrosse" (BUFFALO NEWS, 4/3).
TURNING TO SEAT LICENSES: The BUFFALO NEWS' Petro in a separate piece wrote the Bills are "turning to seat licenses to help pay for the team's portion of construction costs" for the new stadium. The move has "left some season ticket holders wondering what they'll be asked to pay -- and whether they will be able to afford the new prices." PSLs are "expected to raise" between $50M and $100M in revenue for the Bills. Team Owners Kim and Terry Pegula said that the PSLs would "start at about $1,000 and would be a requirement for all season ticket holders." The Bills have "started holding focus groups with fans as they plan for the new stadium." One longtime season-ticket holder said that the price of PSLs was the "main topic at one recent focus group," with about 45 of the session's 90 minutes "spent on the topic." The Bills have said that a price range for PSLs has "not yet been determined by the team." But two fans who attended one of the sessions said that potential seat license prices of "up to $7,000 for some season ticket holders and even higher prices for club and suite season ticket holders" have been "discussed as possibilities during these fan listening sessions." Those kind of prices have "some fans concerned" (BUFFALO NEWS, 4/4).
