Bills add new tailgate policy to curtail 'embarrassing' fan behavior

The Buffalo Bills believe Bills Mafia requires some reining in.

The Bills are introducing a "Tailgate Village" for the 2019 season in an effort to "improve fan safety and the game-day experience," the team announced Wednesday. Bills pregame tailgate parties are renowned for their rowdiness and routinely feature fans putting one another through tables.

"The viral videos on social media, it's embarrassing when we see that," Andy Major, the Bills' vice president of operations and guest experience, told Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News. "It affects the community, affects the team negatively. We know our fans aren't like that. That's what's disappointing for us."

Fans who arrive by bus or limo bus will no longer be allowed to tailgate by their vehicles. Instead, they'll use the Tailgate Village, access to which costs around $15 per person. The area will have tents, tables, and a house DJ. Different packages are available for groups of various sizes and include parking passes that must be purchased ahead of game day.

"Our No. 1 concern as an organization is fan safety. When you're seeing what was happening in the bus lot the last couple seasons, especially last year, it gets very concerning," Major said.

"It's dangerous behavior, not just negative fan behavior. It's dangerous to security, the sheriffs, and staff who are trying to police things."

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