Will Bills Mafia be allowed to tailgate this year?

It's tradition in WNY, tailgating before Bills games in Orchard Park.

But will you be able to tailgate this year if fans aren't in the stadium for games?

NATURAL SOUNDIT'S TRADITION INWESTERN NEW YORK-- TAILGATING BEFOREBILLS GAMES INORCHARD PARK.BUT WILL YOU STILL BEABLE TO TAILGATETHIS YEAR -- IF FANSARE NOT ALLOWED INTHE STADIUM FORGAMES?7 EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER TAYLOREPPS IS ON THESTORY.USUALLY AROUND THISTIME OF YEAR...BILLSMAFIA WOULD BEGEARING UP FOR THEPRESEASON..GETTING READY TOFILL LOTS WITH FANSBUT RIGHT NOW..ERIC PHONER "WELL, ITSOUNDS LIKE I'MGONNA BE MISSINGEVERYBODY.

WEFINALLY HAVE A GOODTIME AND IT'S KIND OFDEPRESSING IN A WAY."ERIC MA-TWEE-YOOWNS THE FAMOUSHAMMERS LOT ONABBOTT ROAD..HE'SBEEN HOSTINGTAILGATES THROUGHTHE GOOD AND THEBAD..

FOR THE LAST 35YEARS.BUT THISYEAR..ORCHARD PARKTOWN SUPERVISORPATRICK KEEM SAYSTAILGATING IS TOORISKY.KEEM "AS LONG ASTHERE ARE NO FANSALLOWED IN, OUR PLANIS TO DISCOURAGETAILGATING AS MUCHAS POSSIBLE BECAUSETHERE'S NO REASONFOR FANS TO COMEAND TAILGATE WHENTHERE'S NO ONE INTHE STADIUM."KEEM IS NOT GIVINGOUT PERMITS TOPRIVATE LOTS ANDHE'S ENCOURAGINGPRIVATE LOT OWNERSNOT TO HOSTTAILGATES.KEEM "AND WE KNOWWHEN PEOPLETAILGATE THEYPROBABLY WON'T BEWEARING MASKSBECAUSE THEY'LL BEDRINKING AND EATINGFOOD ETC.

WE DON'TWANT TO BE ASCROOGE AND STOPFUN, BUT WE HAVE TOBE VERY CAREFUL."MA-TWEE-YOU SAYSTHE LOT MAKES UPONE THIRD OF HISINCOME AND THETOWN IS NOT GIVINGLOT OWNERS A FAIRSHAKE.ERIC PHONER "THERULES FROMGOVERNOR CUOMOSAY, 50 PEOPLE CAN BEIN A GATHERING.

OKAY,SO WHY CAN'T WETAILGATE?"TAYLOR "HE'S USED TOHOSTING TONS OFFANS IN THIS LOT, BUTTHIS YEAR MATWIJOWIS ASKING THE TOWNFOR A CHANCE TO DOTHINGS AT A DISTANCE."ERIC PHONER "SOCIALDISTANCING, WE CANPUT UP PROPERSIGNAGE, MAKEPEOPLE SIGN FORMS.THERE'S NOT EVENGIVING US A CHANCE ITSEEMS THAT WE CANDO OUR JOB THATWE'VE BEEN DOING INMY CASE FOR 35YEARS."ANOTHER ISSUE FORTHE TOWN ISPOLICING..KEEMWORRIES ABOUTHAVING TO PAYOFFICERS OVERTIMEWITH SUCH A TIGHTBUDGET.KEEM "IT COSTS USHUNDREDS OFTHOUSANDS OFDOLLARS A SEASONAND WE GET NO HELPFROM THE BILLS, NOHELP FROM ERIECOUNTY."KEEM SAYS THE TOWNBOARD WILLCONTINUE TODISCUSS THIS ATTONIGHT'S TOWNBOARD MEETING.IN OP, TEPPS, 7EWN.