Since 1973, the Buffalo Bills have called the original Ralph Wilson Stadium, or the “Rockpile” as some fans coined, home. The future home of the franchise is at the brand-new Highmark Stadium, which is across the street from the old Orchard Park venue.
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York currently has the 10-year stadium rights for the Buffalo Bills, as well as the official health plan sponsorship for the team. They agreed to the deal in 2021, which renamed the former stadium from its previous title.
The new stadium cost $1.7 billion to construct, and was designed by Walter P. Moore. With additional fees, the total amount for the stadium was about $2.2 billion. Construction began in June 2023, and officially opened in June 2026.
The old stadium had a capacity of 71,608, which included 121 Suites and 8,325 Club Seats, while the new stadium has a capacity of 60,108, 79 Suites, and approximately 4,500 to 6,162 club seats. The 16.06% decrease in the capacity is significant, causing cost inflation as additional overhead costs such as maintenance, management, and more must be spread over a sixth of the units that were available prior.
During the 2025 season, the average cost for home game tickets was about $294/unit, which harshly contrasts the new ticket prices that are upwards of $600-$700/unit. A 104% increase in price reflects the inherently inflated prices for the new stadium, yet it also accounts for the diminished number of seats in the stands. ‘
The Buffalo Bills are welcoming the Detroit Lions on Thursday night for week 2, which will mark the first game played on the Highmark turf. Country star Kenny Chesney also announced that he will be performing in Orchard Park in June 2027, which will establish him as the first full-time performer at Highmark.
