ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — Bills Mafia is ready to see fans in the stands for the Wild Card game Saturday, but for that to happen those in attendance must be ready to follow the rules.
"Our protocols are different," Bills VP of Operation Andy Major said, "they're strict, but it's what has gotten us to this point of allowing fans."
Every fan attending had to already have gotten a COVID-19 test. Once it is a confirmed negative, they can arrive at the parking lots starting at 10:30am. They must stay in their cars until timed entry begins at 11:30am. Proof of the negative COVID-19 test plus an ID must be shown.
If they have a positive test result then we will get those tickets refunded. We will take care of those folks," Major said.
According to Governor Andrew Cuomo, of the 7,000 COVID-19 tests conducted for the Bills game, 1.9% were positive. Many of those tickets will then go unused like for Celeste Cline and her husband. Both of whom tested positive Thursday night and are unsure if this was their one and only chance at a home playoff game
"I cried last night," Cline said, "We don't know if we're going to try or not (for tickets to another home game) because we don't want to take those from anyone else."
The only ways that Cline could even be eligible for the next round of tickets is if the team wins and fans behave themselves. Orchard Park Police are handling a lot of the detail and say they aren't very worried about the banning of tailgating.
"As far as the private lots are concerned we have not issued any permits for those lots to open and operate and we don't anticipate any issues with those," Orchard Park Police Captain Patrick Fitzgerald said.
If the Bills win, the decision on fans in the stands for the divisional round is expected to come by the end of the weekend.
