The Roycroft Inn, East Aurora (3 years), Sheraton, Blasdell (5), Niagara University, Lewiston (13), Fredonia State (19), St. John Fisher College, Pittsford (20) and now … One Bills Drive, Orchard Park.
Those are the six sites where the Bills have, or will, conduct training camp over their 61-year existence.
When Buffalo was awarded a franchise in the newly-formed American Football League in 1960, expenses were a primary concern, that’s why the Bills trained out of nearby hotels over their first eight seasons.
In 1968 the move was made to Niagara, a university without a football team where a soccer field was converted into the necessary facility thanks to temporary goal posts.
Then came the pilgrimage west to Fredonia, another non-football college also with a temporary practice area.
But after 19 years at the state school, the Bills marketing department realized it was training 55 miles in the wrong direction. A substantial part of the team’s fan base was to the east, in the Rochester area. Hence the move to St. John Fisher in 2000, a facility that welcomed fans with actual football fields, comfortable seating, close-up views, interactive entertainment options, food, drink and merchandise.
Over the years it was one of the most fan-friendly training camps of the 32 NFL teams. But the romance of “getting away” gradually dissipated for most league teams as, last season, the Bills were one of only nine teams to go away for training camp and, at that, had a fewest-ever eight practices.
This year, the decision was taken out of the franchise’s hands as the league stipulated teams had to conduct training camp at their own facilities unless they proved it was possible to go away in complete player and staff safety.
Hence, the Bills return to Orchard Park.
The team’s contract with St. John Fisher ends after the 2021 training camp but with none this year, it’s uncertain whether it will be extended to ‘22 or if the team has already had its final session there.
What’s certain is that the most disappointed person on Buffalo’s staff is head coach Sean McDermott who put a high priority on the team bonding-value of getting away for a couple of weeks.
THUS, TODAY, the Bills open camp at their $18 million Ad-Pro Sports Training Center and, for the first time in the franchise’s history, other than the normal closed practices before a preseason game, no fans will be allowed to visit camp.
It’s a National Football League nod to the coronavirus which already eliminated the exhibition schedule. It also decreed that the normal 90-player training camp roster has to be pared to 80, meaning the Bills, with 86 (they waived wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud and offensive lineman Garrett McGhin on Monday), have to drop six more players by Aug. 16, the day before hitting in pads is allowed.
And though “camp” begins today, it’s a bit of a misnomer.
Players report for Covid-19 testing and physicals and McDermott will not be available to the media until Sunday as there’s really nothing to report.
Starting then, the press will have access to a different coach each day and two players, all via Zoom.
However, unlike most years when the opening training camp workout was a big event for the media, access will be closed during the “strength and conditioning” phase and won’t be open to the press — in limited numbers (10 reporters, plus a pool photographer and videographer) — until the organized team activities (OTAs) begin on about Aug. 10.
It’s a way different season in so many ways.
(Chuck Pollock, a Times Herald senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollocl@oleantimesherald.com)
