When last we met, I was rambling on about Kentucky’s home field rankings in the SEC, and whether or not the soon-to-be-completed upgrades to the sound system and scoreboards would help improve the fan experience enough to give UK more of a home field advantage. But there is something I glossed over that needs to be expanded on: [B]What makes for a good gameday experience?[/B]
I’ll go ahead and say that I absolutely love fall. Summer is too damn hot, with too much mowing required, and my yard is infested with crabgrass anyway. Spring is generally 10 straight weeks of rain, followed immediately by Satan teabagging the southern United States with hellish humidity. Winter is more enjoyable when it snows a lot, but that doesn’t happen as often as it used to, so instead we get soggy weather and nasty wind. Yummy.
But fall! Low humidity, perfect temperatures, and football! There’s something that happens after school starts back that affects how I look at the days. I think it’s the memories of the first football game of the season in high school, usually the week after school starts. And no, I didn’t play. I decided to be in the marching band instead. Don’t look at me that way, it was fun. And no, I didn’t play the flute. Perverts.
But enough sappy attempts at painting a picture, let’s get to it. What makes the experience?
Is it the tailgating? A lot of [STRIKE]drunk grown men[/STRIKE] people would say so. But then, a lot of people often don’t realize there is a game going on. I always enjoyed tailgating, but I never was hardcore with it. I would get my fill, and try to make it to the game before kickoff. Then there are the true “Tailgaters”, the people that make it an event in and of itself. I’m talking about a bigger TV in the camper than I have in my house. More flags than the state capitol building. A snack spread fit for a Ryan’s. Blue EVERYWHERE. And there is nothing wrong with that, it’s actually an awesome sight. I’d just rather watch the game inside the stadium.
[SIZE=1][I]”Game? What game?”[/I][/SIZE]
What about the weather? I’m among those who consider a gloomy, drizzly, 45-degree day “perfect football weather”. I automatically associate cold November days with the Vanderbilt game (I also associate repeatedly stubbing my pinky toe on the same corner of the ottoman with losing to Tennessee every year). But if I was in the stands, I’m not sure I’d be as quick to enjoy the nasty weather. The crowd as a whole certainly seems to be more of a factor when they aren’t having to hold their private parts to keep them from blowing away. I guess it’s easier to clap when your hands are free.
[SIZE=1][I]”I peed in my gloves. That usually helps.”[/I][/SIZE]
Does the opponent make a difference? In most cases, yes. It’s much easier to get up for Louisville than it is for Charleston Southern. But what about the Floridas and Tennessees? Big name opponents that always win, usually in convincing fashion. As amped up as the crowd gets for the elite teams, it seems like they become a non-factor much earlier than usual. That tends to happen when you’ve lost over 25 straight to the same…damn…team. I guess we can include the game itself in this category. Naturally, a close exciting game will keep the crowd interested more than a blowout.
Finally, is it the extracurriculars? I’m talking food, drink, mascots, entertainment, Pepsi races, music, cheerleaders, and yes, the marching band. The stadium itself is a factor here as well. I once watched a game at Notre Dame from the top row. I spent more time looking at Touchdown Jesus and the Golden Dome than I did the field. The student section was also rocking. While Notre Dame is famous for its landmarks, some stadiums are famous for their food, others for their band. I suppose Commonwealth will soon be known for the scoreboards. I’m especially fond of the hot chocolate on a cold day, but I’m a big sissy. I was in the band, after all. I can’t think of a single memorable thing about watching a game at Commonwealth Stadium. I’ve never gotten food poisoning, though, so I guess that’s a start. In fact, I’m going to coin that as the 2011 slogan: “Commonwealth Stadium! You most likely won’t get sick here!”
[SIZE=1][I]The same can’t be said for the playcalling.[/I][/SIZE]
So how does it all add up? For me, it’s some combination of weather and extracurriculars. I don’t mean perfect weather, just weather fitting for the game on a particular day. I’d say the extracurriculars hold the most weight though, because that is what makes each stadium unique; you get can weather and tailgating anywhere. I really hope the folks at Commonwealth do more to get the fans involved this year now that they have the capability. I’ve always felt the fan interaction was sorely lacking, especially later in the game when the crowd hits a hull and the team goes flat. It remains to be seen if that changes, but it couldn’t get any worse.
So let’s hear it. What makes the experience for you? If you don’t have an answer for that, figure out a way to insult me for whatever predictions I have yet to make for the team this season.
[I][B]Follow @chris_minton on Twitter for a little UK talk, and lots of random thoughts and crude words.[/B][/I]
