Getty Buffalo Bills watch kickoff in a game against the Houston Texans.
The new name of the Buffalo Bills‘ stadium has some fans recalling a line from a cult-classic movie — and the actor from that famous scene seems to agree.
This week, the team announced that they would be renaming the Orchard Park stadium one season after New Era had pulled out of its naming rights deal. The stadium would now be taking the name of a local health insurance provider, one that took on its own new company moniker after a recent merger.
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Bills Announce Stadium Naming Rights
This week, the team announced that the naming rights for the stadium were acquired by Highmark BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York, a company that had recently undergone a merger between the Buffalo-based HealthNow New York and the Pittsburgh-based Highmark Inc. As Pro Football Talk reported, the deal ensures that for at least the next 10 years, the field where the Bills play will be known as Highmark Stadium.
It could also mean at least 10 years of jokes about the new name. Almost immediately, Bills fans drew comparisons to a line from the cult-classic movie ‘The Room’ in which a character in the midst of an emotional breakdown stops to greet a friend named Mark. The line “Oh, hi Mark” has become a favorite for fans of the movie, and many drew comparisons between the line and the new Highmark Field.
Greg Sestero, the actor who plays Mark in ‘The Room,” even joined in this week, taking to Facebook to share the team’s announcement of the new name.
New Name Brings Other Reactions
There was plenty of trepidation from other Bills fans regarding the new stadium name. Some expressed weariness about the third different name in three seasons — including last year, when it went by the simple Bills Stadium after New Era ended its partnership with the team. Many believe that fans will still refer to it as The Ralph, the nickname that came from its time as Ralph Wilson Stadium.
“Highmark Stadium… Not sure the marks will be high from #BillsMafia,” tweeted Syracuse.com reporter Matt Parrino. “I wouldn’t be too worked up over it though. You can call it whatever you want. Most people I know have called it ‘The Ralph’ for years.”
Naming Competition Was Fierce
According to the Buffalo News, there was some high competition for the naming rights. Ron Raccuia, executive vice president of Pegula Sports and Entertainment, said there were a number of regional and national companies interested in buying the rights to name the stadium where the AFC East champions make their home.
“We had over a dozen interested parties, and four to six strong conversations with local and national and regional partners,” Raccuia said, via the Buffalo News. “The interest was really fast and pretty intense right from the beginning.”
Bills say Highmark prevailed in competitive field for naming rights
The report noted that there were some other organizations with a strong Western New York presence in the mix, including M&T Bank. Independent Health, the closest competitor for Highmark in the insurance industry, chose not to make a bid, the Buffalo News reported.
READ NEXT: Bills Make Major Announcement About Stadium Naming Rights