TORONTO — Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment has partnered with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills to help grow football in Canada.
A joint statement released Tuesday by MLSE and the Bills said the aim of the partnership to build connections with Canadian football fans via MLSE’s sports teams.
It will include youth camps with the Argos, apparel collaborations and watch parties at select games involving MLSE’s sports entities.
MLSE owns the NHL’s Maple Leafs, NBA’s Raptors, Toronto FC of Major League Soccer and the Marlies of the American Hockey League in addition to the Argos.
A flag football camp involving over 200 youth was scheduled to be held Tuesday at BMO Field. Argos and Bills development coaches, along with some Toronto players, were set to participate.
It’s the first of several youth football clinics the Argos and Bills will co-host throughout the year.
As part of the initiative, Toronto will host a themed game Oct. 4 when it faces the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at BMO Field. Fans attending the contest will receive a Bills-Argos giveaway item, while participants in the first youth clinic will be invited as special guests.
Tickets in the upper east grandstand start at $20, with an option to add a $5 youth ticket for those under the age of 15.
“There are no borders when it comes to passion for the game of football, and the rich history of both teams has contributed to southern Ontario and Western New York being a hotbed for the game,” MLSE president and chief executive officer Keith Pelley said in a statement. “We will always be stronger as partners, and by working together as teammates to grow the game, we will not only strengthen the profile for both the Argonauts and Bills, but create opportunities for thousands of young fans to learn and love the game of football.
“Our games may have differences on the field, but the heart of this great game, both in the players and in our fans, is the same and we look forward to celebrating and growing it together in the years ahead.”
Bills chief operating officer Pete Guelli said Toronto’s proximity to Buffalo makes the deal a no-brainer.
“For many years, Canadian football fans have been vital in elevating the Buffalo Bills as an emerging global brand,” he said. “Considering Toronto — one of North America’s largest cities — is located just under 100 miles from Buffalo, this proximity is not only significant for our market but also for the entire National Football League.”
Also starting Tuesday, Canadian Bills fans will have access to official team merchandise at Real Sports Apparel in-store and online. And apparel company Peace Collective will be unveiling a limited-edition Bills x Argos merchandise collection that will be available at both Real Sports Apparel and BMO Field during the Argos-Ticats game.
The partnership is the Bills’ latest attempt to grow its market in southern Ontario. The Bills played five regular-season and two pre-season games at Toronto’s Rogers Centre from 2008 to 2013.
The series was eventually discontinued after fewer than 40,000 fans attended a 34-31 overtime win over the Bills by the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 1, 2013.
The Bills, a favourite to win the Super Bowl, opened their 2025 NFL season with a dramatic come-from-behind 41-40 win over Baltimore on Sunday.
The Argonauts are third in the CFL East Division at 4-8, but carry a two-game winning streak into a game Saturday against visiting Edmonton.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2025.