Buffalo Bills fans heading to St. John Fisher University for training camp will find a few notable changes waiting for them this year, starting with a smaller slate of open practices in Rochester and a different parking setup.
The Bills will hold seven open practices in Rochester this summer, down from 11 last season. The team has said the reduction is not a sign of a broader shift, pointing instead to how the schedule worked out with the Blue and Red scrimmage set for the new Highmark Stadium on August 8.
Parking is the biggest logistical change for fans. This year, attendees will not be able to park on campus.
Instead, they’ll use parking at Nazareth University and take a shuttle over to St. John Fisher.
"Parking is a little bit different," Gianna Ortolani, manager of events and experience, told 7 Sports. "We have parking at Nazareth University off campus. So once fans get to Nazareth and park their car, there will be shuttles where they will be transported straight to campus and dropped off right at the entry."
There will still be plenty for fans to do once they arrive. Wegmans is now the official training camp sponsor and will hand out complimentary snacks. Fans can also buy additional food and drinks, while kids will have access to free games, a bungee jumping activity, a misting station, and merchandise stands.
Autographs remain part of the draw, and Ortolani said fans who want the best chance should get there early and work their way to the fence line.
"I think if you can get to the gates very early, I think a lot of people do that, try to get to the fence line," Ortolani said. "At the end of practice, we will have select groups of the team, you know, trying to do autographs post-practice. We can't promise anything, but if you can get along a fence line, you have a pretty good shot there."
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