The Buffalo Bills will play the Canadian national anthem before their game against the Detroit Lions on Thursday, September 17, even though the game is being held in Buffalo, New York.
The ceremony is part of the Bills’ first regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium.
Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies will perform “O Canada” before Auliʻi Cravalho sings “The Star-Spangled Banner.
The team is using the occasion to recognise its large Canadian fanbase, particularly supporters from Southern Ontario and Toronto , which are less than 100 miles from Buffalo. Bills chief operating officer Pete Guelli said Canadian residents make up an average of 10% to 15% of the team’s Season Ticket Member base. The Canadian rock band was formed in Scarborough, Ontario, in 1988 and became widely known in both Canada and the United States.
The team has been working to grow its reach across Southern Ontario, where many fans regularly travel to Buffalo for games. The Bills also joined the NFL’s Global Markets Program for Canada and expanded their radio network into Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. The team has also partnered with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment to build stronger links in the region. The Bills have included both national anthems at home events before. Under former owner Ralph Wilson, the team held Canadian fan appreciation games in Orchard Park that featured both anthems.
The Bills have a long connection with Canadian fans, making “O Canada” a deliberate part of the home opener. “Having a world class city and one of North America’s largest less than 100 miles from Buffalo, it’s significant, not only for the Bills, but for the entire National Football League,” Guelli said. Barenaked Ladies will perform “O Canada” before the Bills vs Lions game.
