From Tailgates to Turf: The Cultural Significance of Bills Mafia in Shaping Buffalo's Social Landscape In the busy city of Buffalo, New York, stands a building known as Highmark Stadium, which looks just like your ordinary football stadium. Although Buffalo is known for a lot—the home of hot wings, its rich architecture, and its close proximity to Niagara Falls—one item seems to trump all of these, and that is the Buffalo Bills. The Bills Mafia, the collection of Buffalo Bills fans, surpasses the traditional boundaries of sports fandom. Unique traditions, tailgate experiences, and community pride are all examples of how the Mafia exceeds these boundaries. Sports fandom has a profound impact on urban dynamics and societal cohesion, as demonstrated …show more content…
A recent example of the donation tradition of the Bills Mafia came after Bills kicker Tyler Bass missed a game-tying field goal against the Kansas City Chiefs. After the missed kick, fans were flooding the Ten Lives Club (a local no-kill cat shelter) with phone calls asking to donate $22 in honor of Tyler Bass’ number 2. Cindy Boren, a sports reporter, claims that the Bills Mafia and NFL fans are trying to take the heat away from the missed field goal “by donating more than $200,000 to one of the kicker’s favorite charities, continuing an activity that has become a tradition over the years.” (Boren). Whether through charity, volunteer work, or fundraisers, the Bills Mafia demonstrates a desire to give back and positively impact the community of Buffalo, New York. More examples of these charitable donations led by the Bills Mafia include 2017 when the Bengals beat the Ravens to send the Buffalo Bills into the playoffs thanks to a late touchdown thrown by Andy Dalton (a quarterback at the time). Within two days, more than $250,000 was donated in increments of $14 for Dalton’s jersey number and $17 for the 17-year playoff drought that was broken …show more content…
The support from fans and the passion for the gameday traditions are just some of the pieces of Bills Mafia’s culture that have shaped the local and national identity of Buffalo, New York, and promoted a sense of community spirit and social unity within the city and throughout social media. The research into the dynamics of sports fandom and community engagement underlines the importance of cooperation between fan culture, social identity, and urban dynamics. Bills Mafia serves as a great example and source for studying fan activism, the impact of digital media on fan communities, and the role of sports fandom in promoting social change. It is also a promising spot for other fandoms, either football-based or not, to look for inspiration on how to evolve their own fandom. Despite the challenges and controversies faced along the way, the enduring legacy of the Bills Mafia in Buffalo, New York, is one of resilience, camaraderie, and civic
These social connections and sense of community created by the team for the fans, is a key factor in fan experience (Fairley & Tyler, 2012). The final solution addressed in this paper is one that will aim to create both a sense of community and social environment outside of the ballpark. Marketing executives of the Braves should consider setting up off-site locations so non-game attendees
Thomas Reppetto’s book is a solid account of the events that took place between 1880 and 1995. The events are detailed and contain fact and evidence, he uses first hand knowledge, being a former chicago commander of detectives, Reppetto was well equipped to write this book. In American Mafia, and its rise to power, Reppetto shows the different parts of the mafia and their communication with the police and italian civilians. The book starts off showing the worst part of the mob, or mafia, and how bad they truly are. Using examples like how many people they’ve taken out and how they’d be one of the richest fortune 500 companies, ift was legal. The book also has how the police reacted to the crimes, in chapter one, they take you into the lives
Buffalo Wild Wings is a sports bar with the slogan, “Beer, Wings, Sports!” This restaurant chain was founded in 1982; all the employees wear shirts with the number 82 on them. The location of the store being discussed is 1598 Nixon Dr. Moorestown, NJ 08057. This restaurant is designed to resemble a football stadium. As you enter, there are benches with lockers underneath which resemble a locker room which leads up to the host stand and a Behind the host stand is a colossal “Buffalo Wild Wings” sign, just like there would be in an actual football stadium. The seating revolves around the bar, which is the focal point of the restaurant. Above the bar are two projection screens around 15x12 feet each, which simulates where the football field. The dining areas are spread out on the 3 sides of the bar that are visible to customers and arranged in a way that mirrors that of the stadium seating. Displayed on each wall are different jerseys that were signed by players from each professional sport.
In a generation focused on social justice and the elimination of prejudice from our society, there is still a use of offensive language and terminology in the area of professional sports. In “The Indian Wars” by S. L. Price, Price attempts to make the reader aware of sports teams that use derogatory terms as their team name and their mascot. He does this by highlighting football, and trying to determine whether Native-Americans are offended by team names in sports, or more specifically, the Redskins. Price’s essay is ineffective because although he raises good points, he doesn’t help the reader to form an opinion by adding historical context to the derogatory names used. He also uses inaccurate poll results to make assumptions about the feelings
H.G. Bissinger’s Friday Night Lights brings to mind the cold, autumn nights of 1988 where a town, just like any other rural town in America, was brought together in such a raw and emotional way. From the rise and fall of Boobie Miles to the push for the playoffs, it is clear that 1988 Odessa was swept up in the glory of football to replace the grandeur of the 1950s, which seemed to deteriorate throughout that hectic decade. While a modern reader may view Bissinger’s masterpiece as a tale from a dated and faraway place, several factors have kept it in the public’s eye. What is it about Friday Night Lights that still resonates today? The answer can still be found in the same rural towns of America. Though it may seem incredible, Texas is still football crazy, and it may be fairly concluded that emotions have only slightly receded from the obsession they once held towards high school football. People’s inability to analyze themselves, the impact a community can have on younger generations, and the way priorities can easily be warped all struck me as subjects that have stayed true in Texas culture over the past 26 years. I will be discussing these topics throughout this dissection of Friday Night Lights.
During the 1800s, the gangs that evolved in the New York were involved in criminal activities such as robbery, prostitution, and murder as well. It is evident that even the most fierce and crime-hardened city occupants. One of the gangs that dominated the Manhattan neighborhoods is The Forty Thieves. The group was founded by Irish thieves who first met in a grocery store and dive bar which was owned by a female named Rosanna Peers. The leader of the gang was Edward Coleman who was later hanged for being associated with the murder of his wife. The group was composed of approximately forty members who were young apprentices in the city. The gang was involved in criminal activities such as stealing a particular amount of goods on a daily basis
MAFIA - "a secret association having for its object the illicit control of any enterprise, legitimate or illegitimate, which it decides to infiltrate" (Allen 6).
Abstract: High school football in the state of Texas has become out of control. The sport is no longer played for the sake of the school but rather has become a Friday night ritual to these small towns in Texas. The players are no longer just high school kids inter acting in school sports but have now become heroes to these small town communities. Communities simply no longer support their local high school team but rally in pride of their hometown rivalry against another team. School administrators and coaches no longer are teachers and mentors for the kids but are the equivalent to what in professional football are team owners and "real coaches". Parents have become agents and sacrifice their jobs and homes so that their child may play for the right team. Finally the fans, the fans have lost the sense that it is just a high school sport and changed the game to a level of professional sports. I plan to prove and show that for all these reasons Texas high school football has become out of control. It is no longer the game that it was originally meant to be.
Obsession is something that gets thrown around a lot, to describe the way someone may feel about something. Obsession can be described by the fans of Odessa as it relates to its high school football team, so much so it is unhealthy. Sustaining the ambitions of not only themselves but the alumni and town of Odessa, Texas is a lot to ask from a young adult. There is a continuous pattern in Friday Night Lights that passion is not always a good thing. The town’s expectations of the team cause the school personnel and coaches to sacrifice the players’ overall wellbeing in return for a successful football team. Although the town of Odessa is unified and sustained by its love of Texas High School Football, Friday Night Lights provides insight into how damaging a fans obsession can be.
When one thinks of a gangster they may think of speakeasies and classy cars or maybe drive-bys, but they will always imagine a man who is not afraid to get his hands dirty to grasp for a higher place on the social ladder. They will think of a man portrayed in a genre of cinema more American than any other, the gangster film. This genre began in the early thirties and has been re-adapted each decade to fit a new time. Although gangster films may mold themselves to fit into a certain cultural era, they still stay deeply tied to the foundations of the genre and its historical relevance to the american dream. This is apparent when comparing the differences and similarities between The Public Enemy and American Gangster. To better understand this comparison one needs to understand the origination of some of the classic conventions of the gangster film genre.
Richard Estrada is a noted author, thoughtful, independent-minded associate editor of the Dallas Morning News. In his essay "Sticks and Stones and Sports Team Names," Estrada addresses the issue of whether sports teams should use names and images associated with Native Americans. Estrada believes that using Native American tribes/groups as sport team names are unacceptable. Native Americans have the right just like all other ethnic groups to rally against the world of sports entertainment. The “Washington Blackskins” would not last a week if that were a team name so why should we allow the name “Redskins.” Estrada argues that the newspapers should ban references to Native American nicknames. People of the sports entertainment world are ignoring the fact that Native Americans are a minority and they should get a say if they would like for a certain team/group to represent their symbols. Estrada establishes common ground by using all ethnic groups as an example to attract everyone’s attention. This strategy is very effective because it places all ethnic groups in the position of the Native Americans so they can see what it would be like in their shoes or to see things from their point of view. “The
During 1869-2014 the Sicilian mafia in America evolved in a number of ways such as: the change in rules, leaders, how it is run, the change in code and power over American society. These topics will be covered throughout this essay and will give you a detailed explanation furthermore the history of the evolution that took place. The Sicilian Mafia started in poor Sicilian ghettos in America and spread into the cities striking fear into the American society. With around 2,500 members it is seen as the most powerful and the most active Italian organized criminal group in the United States of America. The Sicilian mafia is more commonly known as La Cosa Nostra.
Everyone feels the need to belong. Some people find the answer to fulfill that need in sports. In the United States, the go-to sport is football. Following one’s hometown team or childhood NFL team through the regular season, playoffs, and hopefully, the Super Bowl has become a staple for today’s culture. Whether or not their favorite team makes it to the big Super Bowl game, they still find themselves cheering on one of the teams competing. T...
Sport fans, sometimes also called sport devotees, followers, or supporters, are persons who are enthusiastically devoted to a particular athlete, team or sport. They may show their enthusiasm by often attending sporting events or watch on television, being members of a fan club, follow sport news through newspapers, online websites, and creating fanzines. Their disposition is often such that they will experience a game or event by living through their favored players or teams. These behaviors manifest itself in different ways. To enable better understanding of these behavioral patterns, we have to classify these sports fans into groups based on their devotion to teams: fair-weather fans, bandwagon and the super-fans.
The roaring of the crowd on November 17 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC finally fell silent late in the fourth quarter after star linebacker Luke Kuechly was slow to get off the field after a huge hit to the head. American’s live to be entertained, and the football field is one of the main sources of enjoyment for many. Immediately after Kuechly’s hit, it was quiet in the stadium for the first time that day. The fans watched in fear, waiting to see if their star player could finish the game and bring out the win. However, they all became disappointed as Kuechly shed tears while being carted off the field, not because they were worried about the player and his head but because they feared about losing the game. Americans want excitement,