Tops Friendly Markets to Sponsor Buffalo Sabres Alumni Plaza

NHL’s Buffalo Sabres today announced that Tops Friendly Markets, a leading full-service grocery retailer in upstate New York and northern Pennsylvania, will serve as the title sponsor of its Alumni Plaza.

The Alumni Plaza will be officially dedicated Oct. 12 when a statue honoring the French Connection is unveiled to anchor the plaza.

The plaza, which sits directly outside First Niagara Center along Perry Street, will serve as a tribute to the 400-plus players who donned the Blue and Gold as a member of the Sabres throughout the team’s history.

“Partnering with a company like Tops Markets is very natural for a project like this,” said John Livsey, Sabres’ vice president of sales and business development. “The Alumni Plaza project is one that will resonate throughout the city because of the impact these players had on this community. Tops is so heavily involved with communities throughout Western New York and this is just another example of the commitment they’ve made to the people of this region.”   

Along with the statue, the plaza features six brick columns that will be covered in plaques bearing the names of all 401 Sabres alumni. In addition to the player plaques, fans were given the opportunity to purchase custom plaques that will hang alongside the player plaques throughout the plaza.

“Tops Markets is proud to partner with the Buffalo Sabres in sponsorship of Alumni Plaza,” said Frank Curci, Tops Markets president and CEO.  “Like the Buffalo Sabres, Tops has a rich history in the western New York community and we are excited to help honor the alumni of our hometown team.”

Tops Markets is the Official Supermarket of the Buffalo Sabres for the 2012-13 season.

Tops Markets, LLC, is headquartered in Williamsville, NY and operates 133 full-service supermarkets – 127 company-owned and six franchise locations.