BISONS DEBUT NEW ITEMS FOR 2024

by Tony Fiorello

It’s the start of a brand-new baseball season and the Buffalo Bisons will celebrate the beginning of 2024 with a slew of new things.

Which begs the question – what’s new for this year? Among other things, that includes merchandise, alternate uniforms, concession items and promotions:

OPENING DAY

The Bisons will play the earliest home opener in their 139-year history on Friday, March 29 against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at 2:05 p.m. Opening day will feature giveaways of a 2024 magnetic schedule to the first 3,000 fans in attendance and an ice scraper giveaway to the first 2,000 to walk through the turnstiles.

Luces de Buffalo merchandise. Photo courtesy of Tony Fiorello.

LAS LUCES DE BUFFALO

The Herd will have an “alternate identity” for the first time in six years and, for three games this season, will take to the field as ‘Luces de Buffalo’ – Hispanic for ‘Lights of Buffalo’. Created in collaboration with the Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York and as a part of minor league baseball’s Copa de la Diversion, it pays tribute to Buffalo’s Latino community.

“The Bisons organization is thrilled to launch ‘Luces de Buffalo’ to pay tribute to not only the impact that so many great Hispanic and Latino players have had on the field for the Bisons, but also to celebrate the cultures and contributions of the many Spanish-speaking people that help make the Western New York community a special place to work and live,” president of Rich Baseball Operations Mike Buczkowski said.

Buffalo will wear the alternate uniforms in 2024 – on May 26, July 25 and September 6.

GOOD NEIGHBORS WEDNESDAYS

In 2024, all Bisons home games on Wednesdays will be “Good Neighbors Wednesdays” in honor of Buffalo’s moniker of The City of Good Neighbors. A portion of every ticket sold will go back to the fans’ town, and the town from which the most per capita ticket sales comes from by the end of the season will get a $2,000 grant from the Bisons’ Charitable Foundation to benefit their youth sports or recreation department.

PROMOTIONAL SCHEDULE

In addition to the annual promotions the Herd hosts (Friday Night Bash, Family Funday Sundays, Twosdays, Star Wars Night, Father’s Day, Independence Eve Celebration, Logo Baseballs, Obscure Jersey Night, Team Photos, Hockey Night and Lacrosse Night), Buffalo will host a few new themed games this year. Those include Meet Bingo and Bluey Day, Obscure Cap Night, Friendship Bracelet Night and Too Early For Halloween. For more information on when those promotions are happening, please visit bisons.com.

NON-GAMEDAY EVENTS

In addition to the annual Micah Hyde Charity Softball Game, this year the Bisons will also host the Savannah Bananas for a three-game stand from July 5-7 and on April 8 the team will have Total Solar Eclipse at Sahlen Field. The eclipse will include discussions, demonstrations and a Q&A with scientists from NASA.

“We challenge ourselves as a staff to get almost every weekend from May to September – when the Bisons aren’t here – with as many events in here as we possibly can throughout the season,” Bisons general manager Anthony Sprague said.

Loaded nachos and various sliders that will be available at Sahlen Field in 2024. Photo courtesy of Tony Fiorello.

NEW CONCESSION ITEMS

One year after making their debut at Sahlen Field, Alexandra’s Pierogis will have two new choices for 2024 – mini dumplings in Buffalo chicken and beef flavors. Additionally, beef shot rib skewers and crab cake sliders with coleslaw will be available as well as super weekly nachos (the nachos will change during each homestand).

Weber’s Mustard is now available as well as ice cream nachos (soft-serve ice cream in a nacho-style dish with wafer crackers and caramel sauce). Also to be available are charcuterie boards, tater rings with truffle oil and grated parmesan cheese and crab cakes with remoulade.

NO MORE CASH

Except for the box office, to try and improve convenience Sahlen Field will now be cashless for concessions, merchandise, vending and at the Consumer’s Pub at the Park. All credit and debit cards are accepted as well as digital payments such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.

“We think that will speed up service and help out – the comments we usually get after a homestand is that it took a while to get some food and this will certainly speed up everything that we’re doing through there,” Sprague said.