ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills announced prior to the 2020 season that fans would not be allowed in Bills Stadium for at least the first two home games.

What You Need To Know

  • Erie County believes at least 7,000 fans could safely be in stadium

  • The county, organization, and state are talking

  • The Erie County executive says the Bills need a decision soon with the October 15 game coming up
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Those games are now done though, leaving questions about what happens next.

"I'm hopeful," Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said. "I've said all along I'm hopeful. It's all been in the hands of the folks to keep the COVID-19 numbers down and we have."

Western New York's coronavirus infection rate has recently been hovering around 1 percent. Poloncarz said the county Health Department feels about 10 percent of the stadium's normal capacity, roughly 7,000 people, could safely attend the game if there was timed entry and exit at the gates.

"What often happens with the football games you'll remember is everybody floods the gate in the final 10 minutes and then there's this mass amount of people," he said. "We can't afford to have that. So you would be required to go to a particular gate and you would be required to go to the gate at a particular time."

Poloncarz said there have been numerous conversations between the county, the Bills, and New York State. He said the organization has seen other teams successfully allow fans, would like to set capacity around 9,000 people, and has offered to take extra steps to ensure health and safety.

Ultimately, the county executive said the decision is in the hands of the state. That decision has not come yet, although Poloncarz said parties were meeting again Tuesday.

"Our goal in New York is to reopen as many facets of the economy as possible, while keeping infections low and New Yorkers safe, and we are working with multiple professional sports teams and leagues to ensure they operate safely. DOH continues to have regular discussions with Bills management to make sure New Yorkers are protected from COVID-19 while Josh Allen is throwing touchdowns at Bills Stadium. As of now, fan attendance is still not allowed at any professional sports games in New York," State Department of Health spokesperson Jeffrey Hammond said.

Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul said there were many times during Sunday's game when she wished there was more fan noise. Unfortunately, on Monday she said she had no new answers for fans.

"I don't have an announcement today," she said. "I am not announcing anything. All I know is that I'm receiving the information and as a Bills fan I feel it but I am not ignoring the fact that we're still in the middle of a pandemic."

The team has gotten off to an undefeated start, but that doesn't mean everybody is eager to come back and see them. One season ticket holder told Spectrum News he may not be comfortable until there is a vaccine.

Others are starting to develop a fear of missing out.

"What if they make it to the Super Bowl and this was the one year and then, OK, nobody was in the (stadium)?" Denzel Morales asked. "Nobody was supporting the team." 

Poloncarz said with a primetime game looming on October 15 against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, a decision needs to be made soon, so the team has time to sell tickets if it's allowed. He said under the plan the team presented, season ticket holders would get first shot at a limited amount of tickets based on seniority of the amount of years they've had their seats.

He also suggested tailgating is unlikely.

"We just want people to have an opportunity to come in and see the game and then leave, so this would not be an all-day affair," Poloncarz said.

The Bills are the only professional football team affected since the Jets and Giants play in New Jersey.