Wikipedia:

Ralph Wilson Stadium

Ralph Wilson Stadium
"The Ralph"
RalphWilsonStadiumsign.jpg
Location One Bills Drive
Orchard Park, New York 14127
Opened 1973
Owner Erie County, New York
Operator Erie County, New York
Surface AstroPlay
Construction cost $22 million USD
Architect HNTB
Former names Rich Stadium (1973-1998)
Tenants
Buffalo Bills (NFL) (1973-Present)
Capacity
80,020 (original); 73,967 (current)

Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home stadium for the Buffalo Bills National Football League football team. It was originally named Rich Stadium.

History

The stadium opened in 1973. The construction of the stadium and its location were the source of years of litigation, which ended with a financial settlement for a developer who had planned to erect an all-weather stadium in Lancaster, New York. However plans changed because it was not wanted near Lancaster High School. In 1972, Rich Products signed a 25-year deal for $1 million per year, by which the venue would be called "Rich Stadium"; this is one of the earliest examples of the sale of naming rights in North American sports. After the original deal expired in 1998, the stadium was renamed in honor of Bills founder and owner Ralph C. Wilson.

The first playoff game at the stadium was a 17-10 Bills victory over the Houston Oilers on January 1, 1989. The Bills won every ensuing playoff game at the stadium until they were defeated by the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 28, 1996.

Other Events

On September 17, 2007 the NHL announced their first outdoor regular season game in the U.S. will take place at Ralph Wilson Stadium on January 1, 2008. The Buffalo Sabres will host the Pittsburgh Penguins in what is being called the AMP NHL Winter Classic.[1]

Design

The stadium is open-air, with a capacity of 73,967. The field is made of AstroTurf GameDay Grass, which replaced the AstroTurf that was original to the stadium. The stadium originally had a capacity of 80,020, however the capacity was reduced in 1998 as a part of the Bills lease renewal with Erie County, New York. The stadium at that time was refitted with larger seats and more luxury and club seating. The lease agreement also stipulated that Erie County would continue to upgrade the stadium; in summer 2007 a new High Definition Mitsubishi LED board measuring 88.8' by 32.5' and ribbon boards was installed. Total cost for the project was 5.2 million dollars. The new scoreboard replaced the old 41.5' by 31.5' Sony JumboTron installed 13 years earlier for 8.0 million dollars (including inflation).

Buffalo is one of the nation's windiest cities, and as a result, Ralph Wilson Stadium often is a difficult stadium for kickers to play in, with swirling winds that change direction rapidly. This is exacerbated by the design of the stadium. The main bowl of the stadium is fifty feet under ground level, while the upper deck stands above ground. The open end lies parallel to the direction of the prevailing winds, so that when the winds come in, they immediately drop down into the bowl, causing the stadium's signature wind patterns.

Photo gallery

Notes


    External links


    Preceded by
    War Memorial Stadium
    19601972
    Home of the
    Buffalo Bills
    1973–present
    Succeeded by
    current
    Preceded by
    Arrowhead Stadium
    1989
    Host of the Drum Corps International World Championship
    1990
    Succeeded by
    Cotton Bowl Stadium
    1991
    Preceded by
    Foxboro Stadium
    1994
    Host of the Drum Corps International World Championship
    1995
    Succeeded by
    Citrus Bowl
    1996
    Preceded by
    Byrd Stadium
    2000
    Host of the Drum Corps International World Championship
    2001
    Succeeded by
    Camp Randall Stadium
    2002

    Coordinates: 42°46′25.46″N, 78°47′13.12″W


     
     
     

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