The Buffalo Bills came out swinging Thursday against the Detroit Lions. However, before the fun began, fans were in for a surprise. Standing for the US National Anthem is tradition, but the Bills also played the Canadian National Anthem as a mark of respect.
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This is not an international matchup. The Bills’ brand-new $2 billion Highmark Stadium is hosting the game, very well within US territory. However, the franchise had announced before the game that ‘O Canada’ would be played before the game by Canadian band Barenaked Ladies, to celebrate the franchise’s massive Canadian fanbase.
However, home fans were not happy.
“You guys play in the United States don’t need to sing the Canadian national anthem,” a fan wrote.
“Are the @BuffaloBills a Canadian team? What the H is the @NFL doing playing the Canadian National Anthem? You suck!!! Turned the channel!!” an upset fan wrote.
“First time I’ve heard the Canadian anthem being sung before an NFL game what is happening 😳” the pre-game event surprised another fan.
“This isn’t Canada!! Why the hell are we singing another country’s song??” questioned a fan.
“WTF are we singing the anthem of another county who is not playing in the game?” wrote a fan.
“Why tf is another country given credit for two USA teams???????” read a comment.
“Why on the hell are we doing o Canada,” a fan wrote.
For decades, fans from across the border up north have been coming to Buffalo to celebrate the team; Toronto is only a two-hour drive away. Per Pete Guelli, the Bills’ chief operating officer, Canadians made up approximately 10% to 15% of the team’s season-ticket members.
“For us, it’s all about the business,” Guelli told The Athletic. “This is part of a broader marketing effort into Southern Ontario and Toronto. It’s been a critical part of our business model, and it’s going to continue to be. This has been in the works prior to anything that’s come up on the (geopolitical) front.”
NFL bylaws describe a club’s territory as everything within a 75-mile radius around its stadium, which brings Canada’s Toronto into Bills territory. A little over 20% of Canadian population is right in the franchise’s market. And the team needs the market, because it is not Los Angeles, New York, or a major city.
“Buffalo’s a small market,” Guelli said, “but when you combine it with the Greater Toronto Area, it’s a top-five NFL market. … We’ve built a multibillion-dollar stadium and firmed up this team in our market for the next 30-plus years; Canada was an important part of that and always will be.”
Besides, it’s not just football where the Buffalo-Canada connection is honored. ‘O Canada. The NHL has been playing both anthems since 1987. Along with the Buffalo Sabres, the Detroit Red Wings also sing the anthem. Canadians regularly flock down to this side of the border to watch the games.
This May, there was a heartwarming gesture from American fans. Singer Cami Clune was singing O Canada before a Sabres game, and her mic malfunctioned. The crowd, which was mostly American, stood up and completed the anthem. Clune later remarked that the moment was “crazy but cool.”
The Bills are really zeroing in on growing this rare and rewarding market. Per The Athletic, the NFL gave Buffalo marketing rights to all of Canada through the league’s Global Markets Program. The Bills are also now in partnership with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment to further youth football, including joint camps with the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts.
The fan experience will also include exclusive apparel collaborations, watch parties at Real Sports Bar & Grill, Bills prizes and giveaways at select games across the portfolio of MLSE properties (which also includes the Toronto FC and Toronto Raptors, and more.
This season, the Bills also expanded their radio network to TSN affiliates in Canadian cities, and will be available throughout the country on iHeartRadio Canada.
“We’re thrilled to be part of such a unique event and to celebrate the connection we share with Bills fans across Southern Ontario,” Kate Hussmann, Buffalo Bills Chief Strategy Officer, said in a statement. “The passion and support we feel from our Canadian fans is incredible, and we look forward to continuing to deepen those relationships and create memorable experiences together for years to come.”
The Buffalo Bills also put on a spectacle before gameday to celebrate the Buffalo-Canada connection. Franchise icon Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a few passes to former Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson, who was across the border. The venue for this showcase? Niagara Falls!
The NFL has long been pushing to grow its international market. The Bills catering to this special community only hours away from Buffalo is only adding to that momentum.