Five Tips on NFL Game Attendance

by Mike Cannon
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On Sunday, I attended my first live NFL football game of the year. As a Jets fan I was happy with the overall outcome, no matter how many times the Jets feel the need to make you feel uneasy. I usually attend about two games per year, so this was nothing new for me. However, it feels new every time.

No matter how many games I see, I'm always amazed at the scenery, the size of everything, and the general atmosphere. Attending football games is one of the most exciting things to do as a sports fan, especially if your team is competitive like the Jets have been over the past couple of years. 

Over my years of going to different NFL games, I have discovered there are fans who know what they’re doing when going to games, and then there are people you can tell have never been to a game before. There are a couple unwritten rules about being a fan at games some people need to follow. I’ll use going to a Jets game as an example:

Fireman Ed

1) IF YOU'RE A FAN OF AN OPPOSING TEAM, BE SMART ABOUT IT. 

Expect to get yelled at. If you pick a fight in a stadium of 75,000 people in which 85% of them are not on your side, you’re just not going to win. It’s fine to root for your favorite team, but don’t be obnoxious about it. There’s two types of these people:

• Opposing fans who taunt, mock and yell at the home crowd when their team is losing, which                              will ultimately lead to a fight or something being thrown.
• The guy who wears a Tom Brady or Dan Marino jersey at a Jets-Bills game just to piss people off. 

New York fans are not the friendliest in the world, and when you do it to a team, like the Jets, with a history of losing and blowing big games, they want no part of remembering it. One of my friends, who is a Bills fan, was with me Sunday, wearing a Bills jersey. He was walking around innocently, and even he got mocked several times, once by a 10-year old. He handled it well, so it didn't escalate. But don’t be the guy who ends up in the jail truck at the stadium because you couldn’t take a little trash talking. Be prepared for that stuff; it comes along with being the fan of a rival.

2) JERSEYS

Jumbo Elliott

• Don’t wear jerseys of players who were terrible for your team--
New York fans are unforgiving. If a player was bad for their team, that player will be hated for it. The Jets have had a history of bad draft picks and busts. They have also had guys who just didn’t cut it in New York. Plus, wearing a Jets Brett Favre jersey is just lame. Get a new one, or don’t wear one at all. Jersey-wearing at NFL games is to show support of your team. Wearing a jersey of a guy who didn’t help your team is not going to be liked by anyone.
• Be creative with your jerseys--I divided this into two parts. The first one explained what not to wear, but if you are going to wear one, be creative. Nothing helps make random friends quicker than wearing an old school jersey of a player that fans get a kick out of. While wearing a Sanchez jersey is the norm, it’s predictable. The guys who get the most fans and laughs are the guys with Ray Mickens, Adrian Murrell and Jumbo Elliott jerseys.

3) PICKING GOOD TIMES TO GET FOOD OR GO TO THE BATHROOM

This one is just using common sense. It’s just common courtesy to consider the situation. You don’t want to be the guy who gets screamed at by fans yelling “DOWN IN FRONT ASSHOLE!” because you’re in the way of their view. If it’s 3^rd and goal in a tie game, late in the 4^th quarter, going to the bathroom and blocking someone’s view of the play is not the brightest idea. And if you do it by mistake, you BETTER hope the play works out in a positive way or be prepared to get yelled at. It’s best to go in between plays. I have found it best to go after a punt return or kickoff. There is a stoppage in play and it’s rare for something meaningful to happen.

4) IF YOU ARE FRIENDLY TO PEOPLE AT A TAILGATE, YOU CAN GET FREE FOOD

Tailgating at games is just a great atmosphere. Everyone is happy, enjoying the weather, the alcohol, the food, and excited for a day of football. There’s really no reason for anyone to be in a bad mood at one of these, therefore, people are very generous when it comes to sharing. It’s best to look for the hardcore tailgaters, guys who come in fan trucks, party busses, etc. If they are diehard enough to travel to the game like that, they will be pleased when a fellow fan starts talking to them, and it’s almost always a guarantee they will have extra food and beer lying around. I’m not just talking about hot dogs and hamburgers. I’ve seen things from ribs, sushi, steaks, lobsters, meatball subs, pancakes, roasted nuts, you name it. Some people even have TV’s hooked up with inflatable seats. After the game, if it was an exciting for the home team, that’s the gold mine. After-parties in the parking lot can last hours.

5) Know the situation when leaving

If the Jets blew that game yesterday, all hell would have broken loose among the fans. I have witnessed awful losses as a sports fan, mainly because I seem to have awful choices in picking teams, like the Mets and Jets. I've been there for plenty of bad Jets losses, I have witnessed the Mets collapse in person numerous times, it’s just not a pleasant situation to be in. If a bad loss happens, there will be a lot of swearing and possibly things thrown. Expect to be pushed when going out of the stadium and any side comment like “uh, excuse me?” might make someone snap; just keep quiet. When pulling out of the parking lot, a lot of people will try to cut each other off. If it’s a big close win, people will be more patient, be so excited that they want to embrace it by staying a little longer. It’s amazing how the attitudes of people change.