Fans to ride Verizon ‘wave’ in Bills new home

Article posted by Coliseum, May 26^th, 2025

Image: Buffalo Bills

The National Football League (NFL) team Buffalo Bills announced recently that the American telecommunications major Verizon will be the exclusive wireless telecommunications partner of the new abode of the Bills – the New Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York (US) – set to open in 2026. The agreement also establishes Verizon as a Founding Partner of the New Highmark Stadium.

‘verizon’ quoted Pete Guelli, Executive Vice-President (EVP) and Chief Operating Officer (COO), Buffalo Bills, as stating, “Partnering with Verizon as the Official 5G Network and a Founding Partner for the new Highmark Stadium is a major step in enhancing the fan experience at every level. Verizon’s technical expertise and leadership in 5G will transform how our fans connect with the game and each other bringing cutting-edge connectivity to our stadium and its surrounding campus. Together, we’re setting a new standard for live sports, creating immersive, seamless experiences that will keep our fans at the forefront of innovation.”

The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls Metropolitan area (New York, US). The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference East Division.

The 71,608-capacity Highmark Stadium is a stadium in Orchard Park, New York, United States, in the Southtowns of the Buffalo Metropolitan area. It is the home venue of the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). The stadium opened in 1973 as the Rich Stadium.

The 62,000-capacity New Highmark Stadium, colloquially known as The Pit, is an American football stadium under construction in Orchard Park, New York (US). It will replace the existing Highmark Stadium as the home field of the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL) starting with the 2026 NFL season.

New York (US)-based the National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams it is divided equally between the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference.

In conjunction with the premium live events company Legends and the architectural firm Populous the Bills have left no stone unturned in covering every innovative element of new stadium design and fan amenities featuring iconic Buffalo architecture and the deep-rooted spirit of the Bills Mafia (the enthusiastic and passionate fan base of the Buffalo Bills). The open-air, football-first venue will feature premium, reserved seating that delivers an elevated gameday experience and atmosphere. A striking canopy structure will provide seating bowl coverage enhancing the fan comfort and protection from the elements. The fans will enjoy 360-degree concourses, frictionless food and beverage marketplaces and cutting-edge audio/visual features that will set a new sporting stadium standard. With expandable capacity the Highmark Stadium will be the premier destination for major events beyond football. This transformative project is a public-private partnership between the Buffalo Bills, New York State and Erie County.

The Verizon Communications Inc. is an American telecommunications company headquartered in New York City. It is the world’s second-largest telecommunications company by revenue and its mobile network is the largest wireless carrier in the United States with 146 million subscribers as of March 31^st, 2025.

‘verizon’ further stated that as the Official 5G Network for the new Highmark Stadium Verizon will own the neutral host Distributed Antenna System (DAS) in the new stadium and provide state-of-the-art technology and wireless solutions to keep the fans connected. The Bills will also integrate the Verizon Business Solutions and services in the new stadium to drive sustainability, power operations and streamline the fan experiences. While the new stadium is under construction Verizon Business is providing temporary WiFi access points to the site to power the design, integration/logistics and installation of the facility.

Commented Chris Flood, Atlantic North Market President, Verizon, “The Bills fans are some of the most passionate in the league and we’re excited for the opportunity to bring them the power of Verizon 5G at the new Highmark Stadium to elevate their gameday experience like never before. From ultrafast connectivity to enhanced in-stadium features our partnership with the Bills is all about delivering an immersive experience that keeps the fans engaged every play of the game.”

In addition to always-on connectivity the Bills fans and the stadium attendees will benefit from premium programming, sweepstakes and onsite activations. Unique access and experiences will be available for the Verizon customers throughout the season/year. Furthermore, Verizon is donating an additional $20,000 to the Veterans One-Stop Center – a Buffalo-based nonprofit that improves the quality of life of the local veterans, the service members and their families – following the company’s November 2024 donation of $20,000 to the same organization for a total donation of $40,000 toward the cause.

The Bills collaborated with the global premium experiences company Legends to secure Verizon as a Founding Partner for the New Highmark Stadium. Legends are the Bills Consultant on project development, global partnerships, premium sales, ticket sales, retail, and hospitality for New Highmark Stadium.

Verizon brings a mix of public and private network capabilities, a robust technology ecosystem and 5G partnerships that enable the leagues, the teams and the stadium operators to create and deliver a first-class fan experience and achieve desired venue operations outcomes.

Continue to follow Coliseum for latest updates on venues business news. Coliseum is dedicated towards building the best global community of sports and entertainment venue executives and professionals creating better and more profitable venues.

Become a member of the only Global Sports Venue Alliance and connect with stadiums, arenas and experts from around the world. Apply for membership at coliseum-online.com/alliance and make use of the 365Coliseum Business.

Watch 420 member-exclusive videos with valuable tips for your venue