Sunday's game experience

[D'love]

Wow, so much whining. The crowds haven't changed, football has always been like this.

[CodeMonkey]

I would expect people to be somewhat civil. People who can't control there booze shouldn't drink. In mixed company is it really necessary to drop the F Bomb continuously? Going to a ball game give you a free pass to be a ahole?

Not a free pass as much as in some people minds being a drunken ahole is the game day experience. Sad really for all concerned, but it is what it is.

Edited November 8, 2011 by CodeMonkey

[D'love]

The NFL game day experience is a frat party x100. That is what it has become. Its no longer a family oriented, father son experience, unless your kid is an alcoholic and the terms of his probation allow him to go to the Ralph. I don't have much of a problem with the party scene, although the threat of violence for simply looking at someone the wrong way is not something I'm fond of.

 

The NFL is right to be concerned about the gameday experience as it pertains to young fans. How will the NFL grow its brand if you can't take a kid to the game until they're 18? I think tailgating will be a thing of the past in a few years as the NFL and stadiums crack down on the partying. Too many idiots will ruin the fun for the rest of us, as its apparently too much for some to act like they've had a beer before.

 

It's "no longer family oriented"? When was it ever that way?

[Jauronimo]

It's "no longer family oriented"? When was it ever that way?

Couldn't tell you, but the old timers talk about it like it was at one point. I took their word for it.

[kickedface]

i have never been to a sporting event that didn't have that type of situation occur. sure its worse when the home team is losing, but when did this become unexpected? i remember thinking how crazy it was when i went to a game when i was 5 year old. my dad explained that some people are idiots especially when sports and booze is involved. it doesn't really seem to matter what level. i remember people acting like idiot at high school games.

[8-8 Forever?]

Unfortunately, it is.

 

Even though it is a football game, it really should be a place where you can take your kids to enjoy the game.

 

I can understand "some swearing," but the barrage of it together with the amateur and professional drunks is ridiculous.

 

I simply do not understand why someone would want to get drunk out of their mind at a football game.

 

Because it is allowed to be "anything goes". I wonder what the NFL intends to do , if anything, about this. NFL games seem to be all 20-something knucklehead males now. No women to speak of.. no one under 20 or over 60. Like the one poster said, just an all-day frat party where you empty the liquor cabinet into the car and drive to the stadium... wild..

[CodeMonkey]

It's "no longer family oriented"? When was it ever that way?

I believe the NFL promotes it that way, but I have never seen Bills games that way myself.

[JM57]

What did you think man? I'm not positive off the top of my head where 131 is but its general knowledge that the endzones and Rockpile/the cheapest seats in the house are drunk kid central. I mean, I'm 23 and me and my friends were pretty sloshed (someone brought Crown...if it was just beer we would have been much better off) but we left our harassment to adult Jets fans only (like the guy wearing a Hayes #1 jersey)...and when a young kid and his dad came in about midway through the first quarter (it was his first game), we made sure to keep profanity to a minimum.

 

Its definitely an adult atmosphere and it always will be. You can't change that. 75000 people in that place, probably 60000 of them adults. You can't just tell someone they can or can't say certain words or phrases when they're a paying customer. Its not like smoking, it has no negative health effects on non cursing fans...

[Jauronimo]

What did you think man? I'm not positive off the top of my head where 131 is but its general knowledge that the endzones and Rockpile/the cheapest seats in the house are drunk kid central. I mean, I'm 23 and me and my friends were pretty sloshed (someone brought Crown...if it was just beer we would have been much better off) but we left our harassment to adult Jets fans only (like the guy wearing a Hayes #1 jersey)...and when a young kid and his dad came in about midway through the first quarter (it was his first game), we made sure to keep profanity to a minimum.

 

Its definitely an adult atmosphere and it always will be. You can't change that. 75000 people in that place, probably 60000 of them adults. You can't just tell someone they can or can't say certain words or phrases when they're a paying customer. Its not like smoking, it has no negative health effects on non cursing fans...

Actually, you can. If your behavior is ruining the experience for other paying fans, you can and often will be warned or removed. You're not the only one with rights.

[Zulu Cthulhu]

I completely understand the parents out there miffed that some lout was screaming f bombs in front of your child for 3 hours. It's really unacceptable in any public setting, even football games. But there are some security personnel fans can call on if things get that unruly. I've personally seen them chuck plenty of those meatheads out.

 

I'm sure some feel that security doesn't do nearly enough, but trust me, calling on them during the game is much more effective than just lamenting about it afterward on the message board.

 

Fact is it's unreasonable to think an 80,000 audience at a football game isn't going to attract some less than savory types. It's not just Buffalo. It happens every week at college and pro football games in this country; it happens all the time at soccer matches in Europe.

 

It sucks but sometimes you just get unlucky and are surrounded by a group of idiots and the atmosphere seems much worse than it actually is on whole. Again, I feel for those fans, especially the kids -- I just take exception with these threads that always seem to devolve and indict the fanbase as a whole.

[CodeMonkey]

Actually, you can. If your behavior is ruining the experience for other paying fans, you can and often will be warned or removed. You're not the only one with rights.

An interesting thought. If a sober person just talking to a friend who happens to use the F word as part of his normal speaking habits sits next to someone who complains to security only about the profanity, no other bad behavior. What happens?

[Ray]

It is somewhat sad to say but the party atmosphere is a big part of the experience. Unfortunately as in any event (football, concert) there are those that are drunken jerks. An NFL game for those that care is not a great place for kids. A Red Sox/Yankees game is not a good place for kids.

Those other stadiums I have been to that are more family friendly are quite lame in terms of a game day experience. I did see the Bills in Carolina last year or the year before and it was a great family atmosphere but sooooooo lame in terms of an NFL game day experience. The cheers and chants reminded me of a Pop Warner/High School football game. Fans that really care, are passionate can use bad language. That does not excuse being a jerk, assaulting other people/fans but you have to expect F bombs to be hurled....especially with ridiculous pass interference penalties etc.. like Sunday.

[KD in CA]

It's sad that so many people are just classless idiots and have no respect for anyone else, and even worse that such behavior is a-ok with most people (as evidenced by this thread), but that's the reality of our world. Children do not belong at pro football games; most of the ones you see there will be the next generation of drunken jerkoffs.

 

Take your kids to a high school or college game where you almost never see that stuff.

[CodeMonkey]

It is somewhat sad to say but the party atmosphere is a big part of the experience. Unfortunately as in any event (football, concert) there are those that are drunken jerks. An NFL game for those that care is not a great place for kids. A Red Sox/Yankees game is not a good place for kids.

Those other stadiums I have been to that are more family friendly are quite lame in terms of a game day experience. I did see the Bills in Carolina last year or the year before and it was a great family atmosphere but sooooooo lame in terms of an NFL game day experience. The cheers and chants reminded me of a Pop Warner/High School football game. Fans that really care, are passionate can use bad language. That does not excuse being a jerk, assaulting other people/fans but you have to expect F bombs to be hurled....especially with ridiculous pass interference penalties etc.. like Sunday.

So cheers are lame and the game day experience is lame if there is no cursing? And you cannot be a passionate fan without cursing?

I personally don't care about the cursing as my kids hear worse on the school bus every day, but I find your post silly ... err excuse me, !@#$ing silly

[LabattBlue]

I've been to a 1/2 dozen NFL stadiums, and the fans at RWS are among the worst I've seen in two regards...

 

1 - Getting drunk to the point where you have no clue as to what is acceptable behavior.

 

2 - Treatment of opposing fans.

 

To the person trying to equate the behavior of the fans with football being a violent sport, how come hockey crowds aren't as bad?

 

I guarantee that most of the problem would be eliminated if the ticket prices went up by 50-75%, but it would probably be the demise of the franchise as the market just couldn't support the higher prices.

 

You can find a few thousand people to to pay outrageous box office prices at Sabres games, but I don't think the same could be said for having to sell 25,000-30,000 seats at RWS at similar outrageous pricing levels.

[plenzmd1]

It's sad that so many people are just classless idiots and have no respect for anyone else, and even worse that such behavior is a-ok with most people (as evidenced by this thread), but that's the reality of our world. Children do not belong at pro football games; most of the ones you see there will be the next generation of drunken jerkoffs.Take your kids to a high school or college game where you almost never see that stuff.

 

cmon KD, your saying my kids are going to be drunken jerkoffs cause they go to pro football games? As mentioned, I have been going to games sinse 1969, and while certainly maybe the drunken part, jerkoff no way. Maybe I go to different games, or somehow have a blind eye...how in Gods green earth has this never been a problem for me in most likely over 100 pro football games attended in my life?

 

 

 

BTW, while i think m kids are chuckleheads..think they can talk pretty intelligently about how being drunk makes you look stupid, how drunks do stupid things,how drinking too much makes you throw up, how driving drunk KILLS people, and how not having manners ( ie the swearing) makes people identify you as an uneducated buffon who can only use cuss words to make a point..but they are only words.

 

Not saying ot wont happen, but I am pretty confident my kids will not grow up to be jerkoffs..or least it will not be the result of going to a Bills game LOL

Edited November 8, 2011 by plenzmd1

[D'love]

So cheers are lame and the game day experience is lame if there is no cursing? And you cannot be a passionate fan without cursing?

I personally don't care about the cursing as my kids hear worse on the school bus every day, but I find your post silly ... err excuse me, !@#$ing silly

 

There's a reason Brady said he wanted Pats fans really drunk for a home game a few weeks ago.

[Ray]

So cheers are lame and the game day experience is lame if there is no cursing? And you cannot be a passionate fan without cursing?

I personally don't care about the cursing as my kids hear worse on the school bus every day, but I find your post silly ... err excuse me, !@#$ing silly

 

Three cheers and hip hip hooray cheers seem a little lame to me.....sorry! Let's all cheer for a first down....yeah! Where did I say you have to curse! At a professional sporting event all I am saying is expect some cursing...seems pretty obvious. As you state kids will hear worse on the bus.

When people are passionate about something, IN GENERAL, they have more invested in it and tend to be more vocal and expressive. That tends to result in some curse words. Go to a stadium where people do not care as much.....Jacksonville/Carolina and the environments do have more kids there but the stadiums are not as raucous. Of course you can cheer without cursing. Just expect more passionate fans to curse more and that environment to be more intense (Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, New York, etc...).

[Dante]

I've been to a 1/2 dozen NFL stadiums, and the fans at RWS are among the worst I've seen in two regards...

 

1 - Getting drunk to the point where you have no clue as to what is acceptable behavior.

 

2 - Treatment of opposing fans.

 

To the person trying to equate the behavior of the fans with football being a violent sport, how come hockey crowds aren't as bad?

 

I guarantee that most of the problem would be eliminated if the ticket prices went up by 50-75%, but it would probably be the demise of the franchise as the market just couldn't support the higher prices.

 

You can find a few thousand people to to pay outrageous box office prices at Sabres games, but I don't think the same could be said for having to sell 25,000-30,000 seats at RWS at similar outrageous pricing levels.

I've been to probably over 100 hockey games in Buffalo, Toronto and here in San Jose. I've never seen a fight. I can't remember anyone being escorted out by security. Also, if you started acting up like a drunk NFL fan people around you would probably say "look at that loser" . Then the guy would get kicked out. Just not the same vibe. I don't know if it has to do with the tail gating aspect at NFL games or what. I haven't been to a Bills game in 15 years but I can't remember it being out of control bad. Always a little BS going on but nothing to bad and I can't remember a lot of out loud swearing. Only games I would not go to were Monday night games. Those could be scary.

[BarkLessWagMore]

Well, you are insane, Lentils.

 

Insane, yes. But regular.