The essence of this article is akin to the famous anecdote from 1997’s Good Will Hunting when Sean tells Will that he may know all about Michelangelo, but he doesn’t actually know what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. Many football fans may hear the chants and shouts during a football television broadcast, but hearing, breathing, and living them is a completely different experience.
Despite the irrefutable fact that attending high-level games in famous stadiums has become quite an expensive ambition, it can still be in a reasonable price range. As long as you calculate your steps and are strategic about the details of attending a football game, you should obtain a good deal. As for the quality of the game, it’s partly up to your luck.
Another circumstance-heavy detail would be the magnitude of the game you attend. This article is mostly about attending a football game with high stakes in a big stadium with lots of fans. However, the merit of our words is still applicable even in smaller cases. After all, the article is all about the fundamentals of football game attendance.
Deliberate on which game you want to attend and select the right tickets
There are two main scenarios that, in our opinion, can move the sticks for your choice of actually starting to look for a football game to attend.
The first one would be the scenario in which you actually attend a game of your favourite team. If, for example, the team is not in the same city or country as you, you may need to travel to attend the game, which may be a big financial feat. The second one would be to attend a football game for the simple reason of doing so as a matter of experience. Call it a bucket list removal.
Naturally, the details of choosing the game depend on the scenarios mentioned above. If you’re looking to attend your team’s game, you may want to zero in on a game with a magnitude that your budget can cover but also consider the quality of the team(s) involved.
If you’re a casual football fan who’s looking for something to attend, do some research about the games in your area of interest. It may be local, or it may be somewhere you’re travelling to and are willing to see a game in. As the betbrain.com model proves, there are plenty of options.
Pick your tickets carefully and try to get them early
Unfortunately, trying to use apps for bespoke ticket acquisition is a bit harder in places other than the operating space of brands like SeatGeek and GameTime. Grabbing your tickets is not an exact science by any metric, but it still comes up with a few interesting tricks to consider.
Firstly, you need to understand the need to buy them early. If you’ve ever travelled by plane, you’ll know that buying tickets in advance is much better than a last-minute choice. Moreover, details like sector placement should be considered, which will require a bit of further research. As always, buy your tickets only from authorized retailers. There are growing concerns about ticket fraud, so take care of how you shop for tickets.
Consider your surroundings and plan the logistical details.
This is a standard practice that every single traveling-related activity must account for. Since you might have to go to a very unfamiliar place, there’s a checklist of factors that are crucial in order to avoid any miscues:
- Strategic lodging – you’ll want to rent an Airbnb or any other form of lodging in a place that is both good to your budget and provides access to the stadium. Naturally, the best option would be to have it as close to the stadium as possible. If not, go somewhere close to some means of transport that goes as close to the stadium as possible.
- Proper scheduling – leave as early as you can for the stadium so you’ll have plenty of time to find your seat and take in the atmosphere. Since there may be tens of thousands of people thinking the same as you. Come in early, find your spot, and prepare to have fun.
- Come in fed and hydrated – don’t expect to find food and drinks anywhere close to cheap since most of these services may turn into tourist traps. As long as you eat your fill and aren’t too thirsty when you arrive, you should be feeling physically well to enjoy the atmosphere rather than having a ding in your mind telling you how hungry you are.
Weather is a critical factor.
We wanted to highlight these factors separately because they can be hazardous if not considered properly.
Weather plays a huge part because you obviously don’t want some rain to soak you in a stadium without a retractable roof. As such, consider coming with a raincoat or having some form of protection, not to mention dressing well enough in case the cold may be coming.
If you’re going during the summer, remember that there will be a packed stadium whose air conditioning may or may not help good enough. Extreme heat during mass sports event gatherings can be a really dangerous situation.
Always keep an eye on the weather forecast and be prophylactic about how you dress during sports events.
Keep your behaviour in check
This is a reminder that you need to collaborate with the organising authorities and keep civil at all times. Even if you travel as a fan of a certain team, you don’t have to underestimate the power of proper behaviour.
A first step would be not to engage in destructive actions. A second one would be to respect those around you and understand that everyone at the stadium paid to be there. As such, you must respect their investment and treat them however you’d like to be treated.
Moreover, respect the indications of the marshals and other organising entities. This is for your own safety as well, especially when there are security concerns of any kind.
Lastly, don’t underestimate the congestion of leaving a full stadium. There may be hours before you’re finally in the clear, so arm yourself with patience and don’t think that you’re entitled to faster access.
Conclusion
To conclude, the fundamentals of first-time football attendance are all about preemptive research, acquisitions, and strategic choices. Moreover, good and respectful behaviour should be the foundation of your experience, not to mention being careful about everything around you!