Bills vs Lions: Who is singing the national anthem today? Why is ‘O Canada’ being played? Know the performers
Bills Honor Canadian Supporters With Dual Anthem Ceremony Against Lions
Bharatmorningnews.com – The Buffalo Bills will mark a notable moment before their Thursday, September 17 matchup with the Detroit Lions by playing both national anthems at their home venue in Buffalo, New York. Canadian band Barenaked Ladies is set to perform “O Canada,” followed by Auliʻi Cravalho singing “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
The pregame ceremony accompanies Buffalo’s first regular-season contest at the new Highmark Stadium and reflects the franchise’s long-standing connection with fans north of the border. Although the game is in New York, Buffalo sits close to Southern Ontario and Toronto, placing one of North America’s largest metropolitan areas within 100 miles of the team.
A Salute to a Cross-Border Fanbase
The Bills have made Canadian supporters an important part of their identity for decades. Many followers from Southern Ontario routinely cross the border to attend games in Orchard Park, and Canadian residents represent a meaningful share of the club’s season-ticket membership.
Bills chief operating officer Pete Guelli said Canadian residents account for roughly 10% to 15% of the team’s Season Ticket Member base on average. He emphasized the broader opportunity created by Buffalo’s proximity to Toronto.
“Having a world class city and one of North America’s largest less than 100 miles from Buffalo, it’s significant, not only for the Bills, but for the entire National Football League,” Guelli said.
Including “O Canada” is therefore more than a ceremonial addition. It recognizes a fan community that has remained closely connected to the franchise while also highlighting Buffalo’s role as an NFL market with a strong international reach.
The organization has recently pursued several initiatives aimed at deepening that relationship. Buffalo joined the NFL’s Global Markets Program for Canada, expanded its radio presence into Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, and partnered with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment to strengthen regional ties.
Barenaked Ladies Return to a Familiar Bills Setting
Barenaked Ladies will bring a distinctly Canadian sound to the stadium when the group performs “O Canada.” Formed in Scarborough, Ontario, in 1988, the rock band built a substantial audience in both Canada and the United States over the course of its career.
The band is known for songs including “One Week,” “Pinch Me,” “The Old Apartment” and “If I Had $1,000,000.” It also created the theme song for the CBS comedy series “The Big Bang Theory.” Its achievements include induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2018 as well as Grammy nominations.
This will not be the group’s first Bills-related anthem appearance. In 2009, Barenaked Ladies performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” before Buffalo faced the New York Jets at Toronto’s Rogers Centre. Their latest role reverses that musical assignment, placing the Canadian anthem at the center of a major Buffalo home opener.
The selection also gives the ceremony a meaningful connection to the franchise’s Canadian history. For longtime supporters on both sides of the border, it recalls the years when Bills games were staged in Toronto as part of the team’s effort to connect with Canadian audiences.
Auliʻi Cravalho to Perform the U.S. Anthem
After Barenaked Ladies perform “O Canada,” Auliʻi Cravalho will take the field for “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Cravalho is widely recognized as the voice of Moana in Disney’s animated film “Moana,” and she returned to the character in “Moana 2.”
Her appearance gives the pregame program a second performer with a well-known connection to popular entertainment. Together, the two anthem presentations are designed to acknowledge the game’s setting in the United States while honoring the Canadian supporters who form a key part of the Bills’ wider community.
Buffalo’s Long History in Canada
Playing both anthems is not unprecedented for the Bills. During the ownership of Ralph Wilson, the club held Canadian fan appreciation games in Orchard Park that featured the American and Canadian national anthems. The current ceremony continues that tradition at a particularly significant point for the franchise.
Buffalo’s ties to Canada also include the Bills Toronto Series. Between 2008 and 2013, the team played six regular-season games and two preseason contests at Rogers Centre in Toronto. Rogers Communications and the Bills concluded the series in 2014, but the era remains a notable chapter in the club’s history.
The September 17 game against Detroit offers a new opportunity to recognize that shared sporting connection. With a Canadian rock institution singing “O Canada,” an acclaimed Disney performer delivering the U.S. anthem, and a new stadium hosting its first regular-season game, the occasion will carry significance beyond the opening kickoff.
For Bills fans in Buffalo, Southern Ontario, Toronto and elsewhere in Canada, the dual-anthem ceremony serves as a reminder that the team’s audience has always extended well beyond Western New York.
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