Buffalo Bills fan wins once-in-a-lifetime prize at Fanatics Fest

The Bills Mafia are known for breaking tables ahead of regular season games at Highmark Stadium. In a high-stakes costume contest, one Buffalo Bills fan used that tailgating experience to bring home the trophy and a once-in-a-lifetime prize.

Sarah Peterson recently attended Fanatics Fest, a three-day event, at the Javits Center in New York City. In an email she received about attending the event, Peterson noticed information on a costume contest with the winner receiving tickets to every major sports championship.

That’s when she got to work on a costume that looked like she was diving through a table.

“We came up with the idea for the costume Thursday afternoon,” Peterson told Syracuse.com. “Fanatics emailed about the fest and included the info about the costume contest. I immediately texted my husband that I wanted to do something with breaking a table. Then I texted my high school friends from Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart in a chat and together we came up with the idea to wear a table and put fake legs on it. Then my husband made it Friday and Saturday. And I wore it Sunday. There were no other ideas.”

Michael Rubin, founder and executive chairman of Fanatics, was blown away with Peterson’s costume and said so in a video shared on social media where he told Peterson that she would be attending the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Final, MLS Cup, WWE Wrestlemania and one of the biggest UFC fights in the world.

“Saw A TON of incredible super fan outfits this weekend at Fanatics Fest, but Sarah from Buffalo dressed as a Bills fan jumping on a table was by far the most creative of them all! I can’t wait to see what outfits you guys come up with next time,” Rubin wrote on X.

Peterson admits that it still hasn’t sunk in that she won free tickets to every major sporting event.

“It has not sunken in,” Peterson told Syracuse.com. “I’m still shaking a bit, but I am so happy that so many people have reached out.”

As for what event she’s looking forward to the most, Peterson said the Super Bowl with no hesitation as she believes that this is the year that Josh Allen and the Bills play in the big game.

“The Super Bowl!” Peterson said. “I know this will be the year for the Bills! I was eight when the Bills went to their first Super Bowl. Every Sunday we would watch the Bills with my cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. Football is family to me. I love the game and I love going to games. The energy is unreal!”