Buffalo Bills Put Toronto Series On Hold, May End It For Good

The Buffalo Bills experiment north of the border could be coming to an end after an attempt to spread the team’s fan base into Canada fell flat.

The team announced Wednesday that it was suspending for one year its annual game at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, which started six years ago as an effort to expand the team’s fan base farther into Ontario.

The team released a statement that the Toronto series would be canceled for 2014, with the game returning to Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, outside of Buffalo.

“We will use this time to collectively evaluate opportunities and build on the foundation to enhance future games,” said Russ Brandon, the president and CEO of the Buffalo Bills.

Many believe the Buffalo Bills will end up nixing the entire Toronto series, which earned the team extra revenue but came at the expense of fans. Many Bills fans from Buffalo and even southern Ontario were reluctant to make the trip to Toronto, where tailgating was forbidden.

The team ended up going 1-5 during the Toronto series, with Buffalo Bills fans often outnumber by opposing fans during games. In this year’s overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons, loud cheers went up when the Bills fumbled late in the game. Falcons fans again overpowered Bills fans when Buffalo fumbled in overtime.

“We’re trying to build a fan-base north of the border and, last year, I would say it was a neutral ground,” Brandon said on Wednesday as the pause in the series was announced.

The Buffalo Bills are still committed to fans in Canada. Estimates say that fans from southern Ontario make up about 17 percent of the crowd at Ralph Wilson Stadium on game days, up from 10 percent just a few years ago.

Though the Toronto series is only officially on hold for 2014, Buffalo Bills fans are likely hoping the split will become permanent.