Buffalo Bills apply to trademark fan base's Mafia nickname

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Mafia is becoming legitimate in Buffalo — the Bills Mafia that is.

The Bills last week filed an application to trademark the fan base’s adopted nickname in preparation to launch a series of branded merchandise and apparel available at Buffalo's team store and sold online.

Bills Mafia, which first became popular in 2011 and for years was considered taboo by the Bills and NFL because of its connotation of organized crime, will be featured on everything from T-shirts to potentially pajamas, and available as early as this week.

“We felt like we needed to embrace this, because it had really turned into a community spirit,” said Ron Raccuia, executive vice president of the Bills' parent company, Pegula Sports and Entertainment. “Our players and our coaching staff have really been engaged with it, and it just became very natural.”

Just as important, the Bills are collaborating with members of the Bills Mafia fan base, including Del Reid, who coined the phrase and has since launched a T-shirt business.

“I don’t like using the word godfather,” Raccuia joked, “but (Reid) and his partners came up with this idea, they brought it to life. We wouldn’t be here without them. And they’re certainly going to be a big part of this ride going forward.”

That wasn’t always the view of Bills management, going back to the days of Hall of Fame owner Ralph Wilson, who died in 2014. Rather than acknowledge the nickname, the team would go out of its way to avoid its mention.

Another concern was how Bills Mafia became mischaracterized on social media, which focused on the team’s rowdier, table-breaking fans, while overlooking the charitable work done on behalf of the nickname over the years.

“Bills Mafia has always stood for support...