While the Buffalo Bills look for a new naming-rights sponsor for their stadium following the conclusion of their partnership with New Era, they will now be calling their home “Bills Stadium”, according to ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques.
New Era reached a seven-year, $35 million agreement with the team for the naming rights back in 2016, but the brand asked to be released from the contract and both sides mutually decided to end the contract.
New Era Company, which is based in Buffalo, New York, backed out of its naming rights agreement last month at a time the global sports headwear and clothing apparel company was laying off employees.
“As we continue the transition process from New Era Field to a new naming rights partner, we will officially use the name Bills Stadium for our home in Orchard Park,” the Bills announced in an official statement.
The Bills have had some interest, as Bidet company TUSHY announced a bid of up to $12.5 million to rename it “TUSHY Stadium” and eventually bring a college football game to Orchard Park, New York and calling it the “Toilet Bowl.”
As you can imagine, the plan didn’t go over well as Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz rejected the bid on Twitter, saying that the company wouldn’t win the bid even if they were the highest bidder, given that stadium names are subject to state and county approval and anything that “embarrasses the community is dead on arrival.”
There have also been efforts from Bills fans in giving the stadium a name steeped in the franchise’s history, with a group of fans petitioning team owners Terry and Kim Pegula to rename the stadium after Bills Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy, who is the longest-tenured and winningest coach in franchise history.
Levy, who turned 95 earlier this month, led the Bills to four straight Super Bowl appearances from 1990-1993, but failed to win a championship.
It may be worth watching the betting lines at sportsbooks or a casino to see what the odds are on the next Bills name.
When the stadium first opened in 1973, it was named Rich Stadium. It was renamed Ralph Wilson stadium in 1998, named after the Bills former team owner.
The Bills have updated their official website to reflect the name change.
