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Bills thrill Toronto

Bills thrill Toronto

More than 70,000 passionate football fans participated in the first Bills Toronto Series events held this month, including the Samsung Bills Toronto Kickoff Party, the Budweiser Bills Toronto Tailgate and the Bills 24-21 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Final attendance figure at Thursday’s game was 48,434.

“Thank you to Toronto and its football fans for helping us celebrate the arrival NFL football in Canada,” said Phil Lind, Vice Chair, Rogers Communications Inc. “We look forward to building upon the success of these opening events and seeing these same passionate fans back at Rogers Centre on December 7.”

On August 13, 2008, the Bills Toronto Series officially kicked off with a free football festival and concert called the Samsung Bills Toronto Kickoff Party at Yonge-Dundas Square. More than 12,000 football fans came to the square throughout the afternoon and evening to witness NFL interactive games, NFL films presentations, a chicken wing eating contest and a ‘Biggest Bills Fan’ contest.

After live interviews with Bills and Steelers legends including Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, Steve Tasker, Steve Christie and Jerome Bettis, Toronto’s football fanatics were treated to an appearance by the 2008 Buffalo Bills and a performance by Canadian Rock Band Hedley.

On August 14, 2008, prior to the Bills/Steelers preseason game at Rogers Centre, more than 10,000 fans attended the free Budweiser Bills Toronto Tailgate Party, and 48,434 fans watched the Bills defeat the Steelers 24-21 under a closed roof at Rogers Centre in Toronto.

The Bills Toronto Series includes a regular season game each year (2008-2012) and preseason games in 2008, 2010 and 2012. The series concept received the endorsement of several key NFL committees and was then approved unanimously by the NFL owners prior to Super Bowl XLII in Arizona. Ticket information is available at www.billsintoronto.com

On December 7, with the 2008 NFL season reaching its culmination, the Bills will face division rival Miami at Rogers Centre. The game will be played at 4:00 p.m. EST and broadcast nationally in Canada on Citytv and Rogers Sportsnet. The game will be the first NFL regular-season game ever played in Canada. The regular season game against the Dolphins will complement the already announced pre-season game on Thursday, August 14 which will see the Bills face the Pittsburgh Steelers at Rogers Centre. The Bills-Steelers game will be played at 7:30 P.M. EDT, the day following the Bills Toronto Kickoff Party, and will also be televised.