Fans will be allowed to attend first Bills home playoff game in 25 years

Gov. Andrew Cuomo was joined by Buffalo Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula this afternoon in announcing that 6,772 fans will be allowed in the stands for the team’s first home playoff game in 25 years.

That game will be played on the weekend on Jan. 9-10. The 6,772 fans is less than 10 percent of the stadium’s capacity.

The governor said no tailgating and will be allowed and mass gatherings are discouraged away from the game. The fans also need to have a Covid-19 test within three days of the game and they must bring a receipt of that test to the game. Fans also need to wear masks once they leave their vehicles. They will sit in social distanced pods in the stadium.

“For all the Bills fans please everyone take these measures seriously,” Cuomo said today.

He sees the effort as a pilot to guide attendance and other games and venues.

Terry Pegula said the Bills organization “misses the energy of our fans at the games.”

There will be about 6,200 tickets available for purchase on Dec. 31 to Bills season ticket members that opted into purchasing tickets earlier this year. Season ticket members will be notified by email from the team based on seniority.

Cuomo said he wants to be one of the fans at the game. He said the Bills, currently at 12-3 and the AFC East champions, have captured the admiration of New Yorkers throughout the state.

“They have given us good news in a year that we really needed good news,” Cuomo said. “This is a great opportunity to cheer for the Bills and cheer for New York.”