It’s snow joke. Dedicated fans of the Buffalo Bills are serious about helping to clear their team’s home turf ahead of Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Hundreds of snow shovelers showed up at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, to clear the 2 feet of snow that has buried the aisles and seats, according to Andy Major, the Bills’ vice president of operations.
They “worked through the night and they are still going,” Major told NBC News on Sunday afternoon.
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The Bills put out a call for help last Sunday, asking fans over age 18 to sign up to shovel snow at Highmark Stadium this winter in anticipation of excessive snowfall ahead of their home games.
This request comes as lake effect snow heads into the Buffalo area for Sunday night’s game. A lake effect snow warning will run through Sunday at 7 p.m. ET, and Orchard Park may receive anywhere from 8 to 20 inches of snow before Tuesday morning.
Snow, frost and icy winds continue to pummel much of the northern U.S., causing post-Thanksgiving travel disruptions and hazardous conditions — including for fans traveling to Sunday night’s game.
While aisles and walkways will be clear for the matchup, Major said fans should expect to see snow in seating areas, as the stadium received around 24 inches over a 16-hour period.
Bills fans interested in helping prepare the stadium for future games can fill out a Google form to provide their availability. Shovelers will be paid $20 an hour and receive food and hot drinks during their shifts. The Bills and management company ABM provide shovels, but shoveling fans are welcome to bring their own equipment as well, the team said.
Prospective snow shovelers are likely notified about their shifts only a day in advance due to “unpredictable snowfall,” according to the Bills. The team advises those selected to dress appropriately for the weather, suggesting that shovelers bundle up with gloves, scarves, hats, coats and boots.
The Bills have called on their “mafia” to help shovel the stadium several times now when the western New York region has been hit with heavy snowfall during football season.
