Entertaining article by Politi on the Rutgers football fan experience done in blog style, as he actually bought a ticket for the first time in his 25 years covering RU games, and reports on many of the elements of being a fan: from wandering around the tailgating lots and the Boardwalk to buying/downloading a ticket and screwing up getting it scanned at the gate to commenting on the seats, the fans, the scoreboard, the horn, the music, the concessions and more. Mostly a very positive commercial for RU football at its core. Well done. Also a great quote from Coach Schiano on his view of the gameday experience (including his love for the horn, so don't expect to see that disappear, thankfully, as I love the horn).
“I look at it this way. I have four kids, and my wife says, ‘It’s got to be a family experience to go to a Rutgers game,’ and it is. It’s a great experience between the boardwalk and the tailgate and the cheerleaders and the band; you can have a great day.
“I was actually thinking about that today. I said, I wonder if people just come to The Boardwalk and don’t even go to the game, just take the kids to The Boardwalk. My kids were little; I used to try to find anything when it was my (turn to watch them), and oh, my goodness, how many times can you go to the Chuck E. Cheese, right? I think it’s great, I do. I think our fans love it.
“And it’s really good for the players. You know, when they get off that bus and they do the Scarlet Walk, we started that tradition the first time and I think we’ve amped it up now with the stage and the music, I mean, that’s really cool stuff.
“And then I love our game day between the band and the cheerleaders and the music and the sirens, or the horn, right, and the lights, and the night games. I mean, I think it’s a big-time environment; one that I think kids are excited to be a part of, so that’s good, too.”
“I look at it this way. I have four kids, and my wife says, ‘It’s got to be a family experience to go to a Rutgers game,’ and it is. It’s a great experience between the boardwalk and the tailgate and the cheerleaders and the band; you can have a great day.
“I was actually thinking about that today. I said, I wonder if people just come to The Boardwalk and don’t even go to the game, just take the kids to The Boardwalk. My kids were little; I used to try to find anything when it was my (turn to watch them), and oh, my goodness, how many times can you go to the Chuck E. Cheese, right? I think it’s great, I do. I think our fans love it.
“And it’s really good for the players. You know, when they get off that bus and they do the Scarlet Walk, we started that tradition the first time and I think we’ve amped it up now with the stage and the music, I mean, that’s really cool stuff.
“And then I love our game day between the band and the cheerleaders and the music and the sirens, or the horn, right, and the lights, and the night games. I mean, I think it’s a big-time environment; one that I think kids are excited to be a part of, so that’s good, too.”
