The Bills’ “push into Southern Ontario will take another step” Tuesday night as the Raptors will host a “Bills Night” for their game against the Knicks at Scotiabank Arena, according to Jay Skurski of the BUFFALO NEWS. As part of the festivities, Basketball HOFers and Bills minority owners Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady “will be heavily involved.” They will “host a pregame fireside chat with fans, then during the game will be courtside, hyping up the home crowd.” Some members of “Bills Mafia” are also “expected at the game — and beforehand, to introduce Buffalo’s tailgate culture to Toronto.” Each fan in attendance will receive a “Bills Night” black T-shirt, while the night will feature “several Bills-related game-presentation elements.” Bills Chief Strategy Officer Kate Hussmann said that since September, the Bills have partnered with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment on a “number of different events, including youth football camps that have reached about 1,500 participants.” Hussmann said, “We’re very aligned with MLSE on this.” Skurski noted Real Sports Bar & Grill in Toronto hosted watch parties for five regular-season Bills games and both of the team’s playoff games, with those watch parties having “more than 1,500 fans in attendance.” Hussmann said that fans from Southern Ontario “make up about 10% of the Bills’ season-ticket base” entering the first season in the New Highmark Stadium. Skurski noted perhaps “most importantly, about 18% of the deposits made for new season tickets have come from Southern Ontario” (BUFFALO NEWS, 3/2).
