📍 Buffalo, New York
⚾ Home of the Buffalo Bisons

The legacy of the Buffalo Bisons dates back to 1877, when the name was first used for a minor league club in the League Alliance. That team – and circuit – only lasted a single season, though the moniker was passed on to five subsequent professional franchises in both the major and minor leagues over the next century. Keeping the Bisons name going strong today is the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, founded in 1979 and playing their home games at Sahlen Field in downtown Buffalo.

Designed by famed stadium architect Populous, Sahlen Field was the very first retro-classic ballpark ever built, opening to the public in 1988. Its construction even beat out Camden Yards, which Populous would develop just three years later. The ballpark was intended to be expandable to accommodate a Major League Baseball franchise, though this dream never came to fruition. However, Sahlen Field remains the largest venue at the Triple-A level, with seating for approximately 16,600 fans.

Although it wasn’t in the fashion that fans had hoped, Buffalo did get the opportunity to host an team MLB for the first time since 1885 when the Toronto Blue Jays, their parent club, was forced to play in the United States during the Covid-19 pandemic. During the 2020 and 2021 seasons, the Jays entertained crowds – and cardboard – at Sahlen Field, while the minor-league Bisons were relegated to far away Trenton, New Jersey. The temporary big-league tenancy not only brought excitement for baseball fans in Western New York, but also resulted in $5 million worth of upgrades to their aging ballpark.

Still, the venue itself is certainly showing its age. Considered novel and revolutionary when it opened, Sahlen Field has begun to fall behind its peers, with a dated façade and fading seats. The team is aggressively pursuing funding for some major renovations, a concerted effort to keep affiliated ball alive and well in Buffalo.

A venue that will hopefully persist for many years yet, Sahlen Field also dutifully honors the past, featuring a Hall of Fame that highlights the rich history of baseball in the Buffalo-Niagara region. On gamedays, fans can enjoy this little museum and then step outside to see the stars of the future take to the field in the Nickel City.