A Bills drought bobblehead? Yes, it’s true By James Fink

Since breaking its 17-year National Football League playoff drought last season, the Buffalo Bills and National Football League have licensed a wide range of commemorative items ranging from t-shirts to posters.

But, an official bobblehead?

Yes, it’s true.

As of Aug. 31 the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum in Milwaukee (and, yes, there is such a place) has started officially selling a licensed Buffalo Bills ‘Drought is Over’ bobblehead, an eight-inch tall replica of the team’s mascot with a base marking the end of the playoff drought. The Bills then lost 10-3 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the post season.

The Bills’ bobblehead sells for $40 and only 1,000 were made for the museum by FOCO, which is selling them online.

Phil Sklar, bobblehead co-founder and CEO, said selling a commemorative figure marking a team making the playoffs is a rarity.

“It’s definitely the first for us,” Sklar said. “Probably, the closest other bobblehead was when the (Wisconsin) Badgers made the (NCAA men’s basketball) Final Four two years in row.”

Why the Bills and the drought breaker?

“We saw all the excitement and demand for anything Bills and drought-related,” Sklar said. “And, the crazy way the Bills made it into the playoffs, it just added to the lore.”

Sklar stopped just short of predicting a sell out for all 1,000 Bills’ drought bobbleheads.

“I am optimistic that it will do well,” Sklar said. “It is definitely a collectible and has a certain value.”

And, yes, one will be set aside of the museum, which is due to open this fall.