With the Buffalo Bills moving out of Highmark Stadium to their fancy new digs across the street next season, the team is throwing an everything-must-go sale from their historic home.
And when we say everything must go, we really mean everything.
In fact, one of the items that will be put up for sale that is expected to get the most attention is one every male fan who has attended a game in Orchard Park knows all too well: The trough urinals.
The team is partnering with sports memorabilia company CollectibleXchange and site founder Brandon Steiner to offload all sorts of goods from the stadium, which the Bills have called home for 53 years.
“It’s daunting when you have a fan base and a team and just their loyalty and commitment,” said Steiner, who has headed similar sales for such venues as Yankee Stadium, Texas Stadium and Madison Square Garden. “I’ve got to make sure that we get as many different of these items and products out of the stadiums and into people’s homes. I want to make sure they’re authenticated and done correctly.”
While the stadium’s seats and turf will be among the more popular items on the block, it’s the bathroom fixtures that seemingly have drawn the most attention.
“People want those troughs. They want that kind of stuff, so we’ll make that available … you’re talking about Buffalo, and people take a lot of pride in the stadium,” Steiner said.
What is for sale?
According to TMZ, more than 12,000 orders already have been placed with prices starting at US$549 for a single seat while chunks of turf and goalposts cost $100.
More rare and unique items will be put up for auction in the coming weeks.
While there currently is no estimate how much the sale will generate, New York’s Erie County — which owns the stadium — will receive 50% of the proceeds to help fund local initiatives.
Buffalo’s playoff path
The Buffalo Bills scored a thrilling win over the Jacksonville Jaguars to advance Sunday to the division round of the playoffs, however, they won’t be playing at home for the remainder of the post-season.
They are set to face the AFC’s No. 1-seeded Denver Broncos next weekend and, should they come out victorious in the Mile High City, would then visit either the New England Patriots, Houston Texans or Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Bills are set to move next door to their new $2.1-billion stadium – which also will be called Highmark Stadium — next season. There are no reports — yet — about what type of urinals are in the men’s washrooms.