Bills Toronto Series to Kickoff with Free Football Festival and Concert

2008 Buffalo Bills to be introduced to Toronto fans;
Top selling Canadian Rock Band Hedley to join the Buffalo Bills, Jills, Steelers great Jerome Bettis and Bills Hall of Famer Jim Kelly on stage

TORONTO, ON – Bills Toronto Series organizers announced today that the eight-game series of Buffalo Bills games in Toronto will officially begin with a free football festival and concert called the Samsung Bills Toronto Kickoff Party.

The Samsung Bills Toronto Kickoff Party is free and will be held on August 13, 2008, from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Dundas Square in Toronto.

"This is a monumental time in the sports history of our city," said Phil Lind, Vice Chair, Rogers Communications Inc. "The Samsung Bills Toronto Kickoff Party is an open invitation to all Torontonians to help us celebrate."

The Samsung Bills Toronto Kickoff Party will begin with a football festival that will include:

Live interviews with Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers alumni, including legendary Steeler running JEROME BETTIS and legendary Bills quarterback and hall of famer JIM KELLY

Xbox 360 video game and entertainment systems featuring EA Sports Madden NFL 09, which will give attendees the chance to be among the very first to experience the latest edition of the most popular sports video game franchise of all time (EA Sports Madden NFL 09 is available in stores August 12)

The 'GTA's Biggest Bills Fan' contest, which gives attendees the chance to show their passion for the Bills and win tickets to the August 14 Bills/Steelers game at Rogers Centre

A Buffalo Bills chicken wing eating contest

NFL Films and Buffalo Bills highlights

NFL interactive games including the Quarterback Challenge and Bungee Run

An appearance by the 2008 Buffalo Bills

*(specific times and media availability details to be announced in the coming weeks, updated event information also available at www.billsintoronto.com )

"Not only will the Samsung Bills Toronto Kickoff Party formally welcome the Bills to Toronto, but it will also give sports fans of all ages the chance to experience the NFL and meet their 2008 Bills," added Lind.

At 8:00 p.m., following the festival, the Bills Toronto Series officially kicks off with a performance by the Buffalo Jills, a Buffalo Bills pep rally, and an appearance by every member of the 2008 Buffalo Bills. After meeting their northern fans, the Bills will depart and attendees will be treated to an exclusive, free performance by Canadian act Hedley.

Nominated for two Junos and winner of four Much Music Video Awards this year, including Video of the Year, Hedley's current album, Famous Last Words, went platinum in Canada after only 11 weeks. In this electrifying live concert Hedley will perform their chart-topping hits.

The Bills Toronto Series includes a regular season game each year (2008-2012) and preseason games in 2008, 2010 and 2012. The series concept received the endorsement of several key NFL committees and was then approved unanimously by the NFL owners prior to Super Bowl XLII in Arizona. Ticket information is available at www.billsintoronto.com.

On December 7, with the 2008 NFL season reaching its culmination, the Bills will face division rival Miami at Rogers Centre. The game will be played at 4:00 p.m. EST and broadcast nationally in Canada on Citytv and Rogers Sportsnet. The game will be the first NFL regular-season game ever played in Canada. The regular season game against the Dolphins will complement the already announced pre-season game on Thursday, August 14 which will see the Bills face the Pittsburgh Steelers at Rogers Centre. The Bills-Steelers game will be played at 7:30 P.M. EDT, the day following the Bills Toronto Kickoff Party, and will also be televised.