Buffalo Bills fans chipped in with their trusty shovels and helped clear heaps of snow from the stands at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, as their side were set to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL game this weekend.
The match, initially scheduled for Sunday, was pushed back to Monday (January 15) after a massive snowstorm hit Buffalo and surrounding towns, burying the pitch and stands in heavy snow.
New York governor Kathy Hochul imposed a travel ban and a weather warning, moving the game from Sunday to Monday, but the snowstorm struck the state overnight.
The stadium was covered in 17 inches of snow, and the Bills called out for help in order for the game to go ahead.
Bills fans were paid $20 an hour for coming to help clear the snow at the New York stadium
Reuters / Spencer Boeckel
The Bills team sent out a request early on Monday morning, calling for at least 200 helpers to get the venue ready.
Fans were paid $20 an hour and provided with complimentary breakfast and warm beverages, as a reward for helping out.
In viral footage of the rescue effort, hundreds of fans turned out decked in winter gear and shovels, as they worked hard to clear the seating decks of the heavy snow.
The fans can be heard joking about the "fun" they're having as they trample through the blanket of snow on the upper decks of the stadium.
The volunteers arrived at the stadium from as early as six in the morning, to help the Bills play their game against the Steelers that afternoon.
The temperature at kickoff was -8 degrees celsius (17 degrees fahrenheit) with a windchill factor of -16 degrees celsius (4 degrees fahrenheit).
The Highmark Stadium in New York as covered in 17 inches of snow overnight
Reuters / Spencer Boeckel
After a valiant effort from dedicated fans, the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Buffalo Bills was able to go ahead at 4:30pm that afternoon.
In the end, the home team won with Josh Allen passing for three touchdowns, and rushing for another to lead the Bills to a 31-17 victory.
