Are Buffalo Bills Tickets Worth Shoveling 220,000 Tons of Snow?

[herding cats]

I cannot conceive of anyone thinking this is a workable plan, but I'm not a diehard sorts fan either.

The NFL team in western New York is offering free tickets and $10 an hour for fans to dig out the stadium before the Jets game on Sunday.

As of Wednesday evening, the Buffalo Bills still planned to host their Sunday game against the hapless New York Jets, despite the four feet of snow that has already covered the city. (Another foot of powder is on the way.)
According to the organization, 220,000 tons of snow needs to be shoveled before kick-off on Sunday.

According to the organization, that still leaves 220,000 tons of snow to be shoveled at Ralph Wilson Stadium before kick-off on Sunday. To do so, the Bills are hoping to enlist the help of its fans. But the Queen City is hardly offering a king's ransom: Those willing to shovel snow will be paid $10 an hour and will also receive free tickets to the game.

The team also tweeted photos of just how deluged the stadium is with snow. One field level photo described the winter snowfall as "waist deep."



http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/11/Buffalo-bills-Offer-Free-Tickets-and-10-an-hour-for-Help-Shoveling-Snow-at-Ralph-Wilson-Stadium/382973/

[Egnever]

1. Absolutely

[tokenlib]

2. I don't think they'll have a problem getting volunteers..

..that is unless they can't dig themselves out...

[GreatGazoo]

3. looks like Buffalo is expecting temps above freezing from Saturday morning on, 41F+

that should help if only to keep more snow from falling. also some rain maybe, and then in low 40s going into Sunday. Snow is self-insulating so it won't melt at those temps without direct sun, and even then it is stacked up so deep that it would take days.

So they have to move all of that off the field and parts of the stands. They say "shovel" but likely they can use snow blowers and dump trucks to clear the field. The stands are going to be the real work.

[Inkfreak]

4. They've got a decent defense starting to really form.

Sammy Watkins is a badass. And people should have a lil town pride and help Em out. Wish I could but I'm outta town for work.

[B Calm]

5. What if you get hurt, do you get workmans comp?

[Calista241]

7. The team refers to the fans here as "volunteers", so I suspect there are

No benefits. Despite the fact they're being paid.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

20. I suspect that the remuneration takes them out of the "Volunteer" category

"Casual Labor" perhaps. Like paying a kid to sweep your loading dock.

[HereSince1628]

6. Green Bay regularly steps up to shovel the stands...though not from four feet of snow

Clearing the stands will be an historic memory for the fans that participate... a story that will be told everytime it snows there for decades.

Best Wishes to Buffalo

[Javaman]

8. one would think, that in such snow heavy locals...

someone would invent a snow Zamboni just for astroturf.

[GusBob]

9. I would do it for free, and I am not a Bill's fan

hell, I would even pay 10 bucks to do it, just for the experience

[HappyMe]

10. I would go shovel.

Why not? Extra $$ and tickets - what's not to like.

[WillyT]

11. K & R !!!

[bullwinkle428]

12. County Executive SLAMS Bills for encouraging people to violate driving ban:

"Despite the hazardous conditions, some Buffalo Bills fans were still planning to travel to the Orchard Park stadium to assist with the cleanup of the 220,000 tons of snow from the stadium. Bills officials on Wednesday announced that they would pay $10 an hour, and give free game tickets to anyone who showed up to shovel the stadium.

That proposal, however, raised the ire of County Executive Mark Poloncarz, who during a Wednesday press briefing chastised the organization for encouraging people to disobey the driving ban. As of Thursday morning, Sunday’s game against the New York Jets was still scheduled.

“I’m sorry Buffalo Bills, we have a major emergency in this community,” he said. “That’s more important than a football game.”"

http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/weather/day-3-eight-dead-roofs-collapsing-many-roads-remain-impassable-20141120

[Algernon Moncrieff]

17. The Bills are a big unifying factor in that part of the world

Mr. Poloncarz will likely regret that impolitic remark.

[bullwinkle428]

18. Oh, I grew up in that area, so I'm well aware what a big deal the Bills are!

In fact, I have plans to travel there this Saturday assuming that I-90 will be re-opened by then. My Mom still lives in the Northtowns area which was barely affected by the storm, so her neck of the woods is fine, but the interstate is the primary concern for me at the moment.

Cuomo has now doubled down on Poloncarz' statement, saying that holding the game is "impractical".

[Algernon Moncrieff]

19. It's a helluva lot of money they lose not holding the game

..even in front of a sparse crowd. I think they'll find a way.

[dembotoz]

13. if they were Packer ticks

hell yes

bills-yeah why not

[dilby]

14. If it were Cleveland Tickets oh hell yes.

I would even tell them to keep the money because it would be beyond worth it to help my team on Sunday. I would take the tickets though.

[BubbaFett]

15. Only if you can bring beer too

[Algernon Moncrieff]

16. For free tix AND $10 per -- I'd do it

NFL tix are expense, and a lot of hard-working folks rarely get to go to games. The Holidays are coming, and they'd make a great early-season gift.