The Buffalo Bills are preparing to hold their first practice in their new $2.1 billion stadium on Saturday. The team will play their annual Blue and Red scrimmage in front of a full house at Highmark Stadium.

Entering the Modern Age

The Bills are making the transition into the modern age with their new stadium, which features new sightlines, a sound system, and a natural grass field. The stadium also has a curved overhang to reduce the effects of the wind and elements.

First-year coach Joe Brady regards the practice on Saturday as the first of several key test runs. The Bills will hold several more practices in the new facility, along with playing two preseason games, before their prime-time Thursday home-opener against Detroit on September 17.

Getting Accustomed to the Elements

For most players, it won’t take long to get accustomed to their new surroundings. However, the special teams unit, including kicker Tyler Bass and the team’s two punters, will have to take into account the wind and elements.

The new stadium is not covered, but it has design elements to reduce the effects of the wind. The curved overhang is one element, and the stadium’s north-south orientation is another. This is different from the team’s former home, which had a west-east facing orientation that allowed gusting winds to funnel and swirl into the stadium bowl.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.