WWE star Seth Rollins wants to see ‘WrestleMania in the snow’ in new Bills stadium

WWE wrestler Seth Rollins wouldn't be opposed to seeing WrestleMania come to Western New York.
Apr 1, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; Seth Freakin    Rollins during Wrestlemania Night 1 at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; Seth Freakin Rollins during Wrestlemania Night 1 at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Buffalo Bills are soon set to open their new state-of-the-art football palace, as the new Highmark Stadium is set to open directly across the street from the team’s current venue in Orchard Park in time for the 2026 NFL season. The organization reportedly has ambitions of attracting a major event to the stadium to celebrate its opening, as The Buffalo News recently reported that the team is plotting a bid to host the 2028 NFL Draft.

If one WWE superstar’s (admittedly lofty) dreams come true, the venue could host another mega-show several years before its targeted event.

WWE superstar Seth Rollins wouldn’t be opposed to seeing WrestleMania, the company's annual flagship event that annually attracts hundreds of thousands of fans to its setting, take place in Western New York. His receptiveness to the idea stems from his desire to see WrestleMania occur in the snow; hosting an outdoor event in the Buffalo southtowns in April would give this dream strong odds of becoming a reality.

Related: Full Buffalo Bills 2024 NFL preseason schedule

With a new state-of-the-art venue more than capable of hosting the ‘Grandest Stage of Them All’ set to open in 2026, it’s a marriage that, on paper, makes perfect sense.

“Stadium opens in [20]26? I would be in love with some WrestleMania in the snow,” Rollins said during a recent appearance on You Herd? With Maddy Glab, a new show on the Buffalo Bills’ YouTube channel. “That’s what I was hoping we would get last year. It was cold, no snow. If you get the snow, then you get the aura. Then you got people playing around in it, it might have been a good time. 

“I would love to do that. I’m sure that new stadium’s going to be gorgeous, the ones they build now are just state of the art, out of control, amazing. Who knows? We’re always hopping in these new stadiums first for big events, so we’ll see what happens.”

Complicating matters a bit is reality. WrestleMania is very much the WWE’s answer to the Super Bowl, and thus, the qualifications for hosting the annual events are quite similar; Buffalo has never been considered a realistic potential Super Bowl host due to the lack of proper infrastructure and a lodging deficiency compared to other markets. 

WrestleMania
Apr 7, 2024; Philadelphia, PA, USA; WWE Universal Championship match between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes during Wrestlemania XL Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

WrestleMania XL, which occurred this past April in Philadelphia, admitted over 145,000 people over two days and attracted thousands of additional general wrestling fans to the region. WrestleMania host cities become wrestling hotspots during weekends on which the event occurs; one could realistically argue that Buffalo is not positioned to meet the logistical demands of hosting an event at that scale.

And then there’s the snow issue of it all. Regardless of Rollins’ desires, it’d be difficult to imagine a multi-billion dollar company actively choosing to host its flagship event in what will more than likely be inclement weather.

It’s, nevertheless, a fun hypothetical. Rollins, a multi-time WWE World Champion who is one of the company’s premier stars, went on to speak about his adoration of Buffalo, describing it as one of his favorite cities in the state.

“I actually love Buffalo,” Rollins said. “One of my favorite cities in New York, to be honest with you. You start going into [New York] City, things get chaotic and hectic, it’s a little crazy. Going to Buffalo, New York? Not so bad. People are a little kinder. Snowfall is a little heavier, but I’m used to that in Iowa. We get some snow over there.

“I like it, it’s more my speed. It’s a little more chill. It’s not quite as hectic as what you think of when you think of New York, so I love it. I enjoy coming there, always have a great time. The view is great, the arena, the fans. It’s a really good time, I love it.”

You can watch his full interview with the team below:

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Kyle Silagyi

KYLE SILAGYI