Why Buffalo Bills Training Camp Should Move To Canada

Training camp in Rochester has been a success for the Bills, the Rochester community, and fans throughout Western New York. Is it time to consider a move, though?

The reality is Bills Trainignm Cmapo can be anywhere, including at their home facilities in Orchard Park. Plenty of teams hold their training camps on their home grounds and don't travel. Others do hold it elsewhere to grow fan interest outside of their home market. The Bills have been doing things like this for a long time. SOm e of it has been successful, like their current setup at St. John Fisher University in Rochester. Others, not so much. Specifically, in Toronto.

Bills in Toronto Series

People in Western New York often have a visceral reaction to the words “Bills” and “Canada” in the same sentence. It’s understandable. Up until Terry and Kim Pegula bought the team in 2014 there was a very real fear the Bills would be moved to Toronto. This became even worse when they started playing regular-season games at Toronto's Roger's Centre from 2008 to 2013.

It failed to work though. The Bills in Toronto series was a fan and attendance disaster that was officially ended by the Pegulas soon after their purchase.

Toronto seemed uninterested in supporting a team that wasn't theirs. Buffalo has no interest in giving them a reason to move to Toronto. Fans saw through the entire thing and it bombed, to most of Bills Mafia's joy.

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At the time as well, the Bills were struggling in a playoff drought. They were not a good team, and no matter what the Bills tried to do to market themselves their play on the field made them undesirable to anyone outside of Buffalo.

This experience left Bills fans very sour toward Canada, Toronto, and doing anything there ever again. It's understandable and they are right to feel that way. However, I believe it may be time to get over that.

Fear Of Losing The Bills is Over

The team isn’t going anywhere. The playoff drought is very much over. In fact the Bills are a widely popular team in the United States and Canada. A new stadium is currently being built right next to the old one in Orchard Park, which will house the Bills for decades to come.

The unfortunate part of this is the hefty price. Not just the taxpayer burden for building it either. Personal seat licenses, and likely increased ticket costs, are going to make things a little difficult to afford.

Despite their popularity, it remains vital for the team to market itself beyond just Western New York. Note I wrote for the team, not for the fans. We don't care. We should because having more members of the Bills Mafia in the world is a good thing. Their time holding training camp at St. John Fischer College in Rochester has done exactly that. It’s helped build a younger generation of football fans who are now Buffalo Bills fans.

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Make no mistake about it: the Rochester contingent of the Bills Mafia is large and loyal, and training camp absolutely was successful at growing it.

That’s why it’s time to leave.

Time To Move On From St. John Fisher College

It’s nothing against Rochester. It’s about further expanding the fan base and growing to areas that can help the Bills even more so financially. It's also about forgiveness. Our friends in Fort Erie, Niaraga Falls, and St. Catharines ALSO make up the NIAGARA region. Then there are the people in Hamilton, Burlington, Mississauga, Brampton, Guelph, Kitchener, and yes TORONTO. All of these places are the same or less distance away from Buffalo as is Rochester but with A LOT more people.

Plus, they did nothing wrong. Rich men created the problem, not Canadian fans.

Let’s break it down. Here are 3 reasons why the Buffalo Bills Should Move Their Training Camp to Canada:

Where to Hold Bills Camp in Canada

All that being said, where? Where are the possible places to hold Bills training camp IF it were to ever move to Canada? First of all, you have to take out any palace the CFL plays because their season is going on full force during that time. So, for the sake of ease, I looked for colleges that have football facilities because they will also have dorms and such to house them. I also tried to keep the travel time similar to that of Rochester. I admit a couple of things:

1. Obviously, the border plays a role here. Maybe it takes a few minutes to get across.  Maybe not. We’re going to go based on the straight time that is traveled according to Google Maps. 
2. There is only one spot that works perfectly, but that doesn’t disqualify others. Plus that one spot is very good. 

With that being said here are the 5 Best Canadian Spots For Buffalo Bills Training Camp.

Now, there's no doubt some of you are... unhappy with this article. Totally get it and would LOVE to know why and what you think is a better idea. Including not changing a thing if you like. Let me know: Pat@WBUF.com