Buffalo may be one of the smallest television markets in the NFL, but according to a new Nielsen study, it has the biggest heart.
Nielsen released its first-ever NFL Fandom Index Monday,ranking Buffalo as the most passionate fan base in the league, ahead of Kansas City and Green Bay. The study, called the Nielsen Scarborough NFL Fandom Index, measured fan engagement across eight categories, including game attendance, merchandise purchases, TV viewership, streaming habits, radio listening and social media activity. A score of 100 represented the average NFL market.
The ranking comes despite Buffalo being one of the smallest media markets in the league by television households, trailing only Green Bay.
For John Pirrone, owner of Rustic Buffalo, an artisan market filled with local Bills and Buffalo-themed gear, the news came as no surprise.
“Buffalo is amazing,” Pirrone said. “Everybody loves their teams, the Buffalo Bills, the Sabres, the lacrosse teams. We are all one big family. We’re all cheering the same people on.”
Pirrone said that loyalty doesn’t waver when the team struggles, and with a new stadium and a new coaching staff heading into this season, he’s already seeing the excitement translate into business.
“We’re feeling the momentum week by week,” Pirrone said. “We’re seeing more and more customers come in for their gear or their tailgating items, and they’re getting so excited.”
Shoppers browsing the market echoed that sentiment. One longtime fan, who has followed the Bills since attending games at the old Rockpile with his father, said the number one ranking simply confirms what Buffalo fans have always known.
“They support their team through thick and thin,” Bills fan Michael Piwowarski said. “I was a season ticket holder many, many years ago. I saw them in three of the four Super Bowls. That was incredible. They’re my favorite team of all the sports out there.”
He said Bills fans stand out from the rest of the league because of their willingness to represent Buffalo no matter where they are.
“No matter where you go, wear something Buffalo,” Piwowarski said. “Whether it’s just a shirt, a hat, anything, I’ll wear it. I love it.”
From the Rockpile to Rich Stadium to the new Highmark Stadium, Buffalo’s fan base has stayed loyal through every era of the franchise. With a new stadium opening and optimism building around a retooled defense, fans and business owners alike say this may just be the beginning of another chapter in that reputation.
