Buffalo Bills 2014

[wjag]

I haven't been to a Bills game in a long time. The idea of getting rid of tailgating is anti-football. Not every tailgate is a drunken fest.

Edited May 25, 2014 by wjag

[Eleven]

Would you still go to games if there is a new stadium with little to no tailgating space?

 

If I could get in and out of the area quickly, I would go to more games.

[inkman]

If I could get in and out of the area quickly, I would go to more games.

As would I

[tom webster]

As would I

 

And me as well

[SwampD]

If I could get in and out of the area quickly, I would go to more games.

As would I

And me as well

It just seems to me that for something you are only doing maybe 3 times a year, you could set a few more hours aside to make it the all day event that going to a game should be. You're not going to a movie on a Tuesday night. There are only 8 home games a year. Maybe it better that you stay home. For me, going to a game is an all weekend event.

[wjag]

Getting out of the parking lots was never an issue for me. Depends where you choose to park. I would stay to the end. Make my way out and still beat traffic to the 400 and 20a on my way back to Jersey. I never had an issue.

[mjd1001]

Personally, I'd go to more games (I go to 1 every 2-3 years now), even if the tickets were double the current price, if the experience was more like a Sabres game. I want to be comfortable. I want a clean environment. I don't want to see ANY drunks around me. Thats just me. If they keep the experience the same, i'm also fine with it...I'll just keep trying to enjoy the games at home.

[Eleven]

It just seems to me that for something you are only doing maybe 3 times a year, you could set a few more hours aside to make it the all day event that going to a game should be. You're not going to a movie on a Tuesday night. There are only 8 home games a year. Maybe it better that you stay home. For me, going to a game is an all weekend event.

 

It's not that important to me that I want to spend eight hours on it. I don't want it to be an all-day event (and who says that's what it should be?). That's why I only go once every few years.

[wjag]

i'm starting to drink the Whaley koolade. starting..

[ubkev]

 

 

It's not that important to me that I want to spend eight hours on it. I don't want it to be an all-day event (and who says that's what it should be?). That's why I only go once every few years.

 

I like making a day of it. I go with a group of about 15 or so usually. We fire up the grill kill a 30 and have fun. I don't like that I don't want to bring my son because of the people that are pissing on cars and throwing up in the stands every single game.

 

I usually don't mind sitting around after the game. I'll have another burger and a dog and wait for the traffic to clear.

 

I do like tailgating, but I'm also indifferent as to it staying or going.

Edited May 25, 2014 by ubkev

[Claude_Verret]

No tailgating? Unacceptable. I go to one game every year, the home opener. If there was no tailgating I'd go to zero games a year. Im pretty sure I can speak for my brother, who has held season tickets throughout this irrelevant 15 year run, that no tailgating would end his season tickets too.

[Hoss]

A lot of people are saying they wouldn't go to games if tailgating was taken out. I don't believe that, but even if it is the case it won't hurt the team. As long as they compete the team won't have issues selling tickets.

[Weave]

I'm wondering how many of the folks that won't go to Bills games if there is no tailgating don't go to Sabres games because they can't pre-drunk in the parking lot beforehand.

[Claude_Verret]

If the bills were relevant I'd probably go to a game or two here and there still, but since they aren't and haven't been in forever, its more about the social aspect for me. Tailgating isnt about getting drunk to me, its about seeing and socializing with people I don't get to see often anymore.

 

I know its the same for my brother as we've discussed his seasons many times. He likes to get there early with coffee and a newspaper and relax, fire up the grill and hang out with long time friends and family. For those of us in the 40+ demographic I suspect this is largely the case for most.

[Weave]

If the bills were relevant I'd probably go to a game or two here and there still, but since they aren't and haven't been in forever, its more about the social aspect for me. Tailgating isnt about getting drunk to me, its about seeing and socializing with people I don't get to see often anymore.

 

I know its the same for my brother as we've discussed his seasons many times. He likes to get there early with coffee and a newspaper and relax, fire up the grill and hang out with long time friends and family. For those of us in the 40+ demographic I suspect this is largely the case for most.

 

I'm one of those 40+ers. I am at the point where I find the behavior in the parking lots disgusting. Last game I attended I took my then 14 yr old son. While we didn't witness anything outrageous, I was disgusted by what we saw after the game. The lots looked like a scene out of a post holocaust movie set. Unattended fires everywhere. Trash and garbage strewn about as far as the eye could see. And not few drunken idiots passed out in the back of trucks and in portable chairs. It really was an embarrassing scene. I want no part of being supportive of that sort of behavior.

[Claude_Verret]

I largely agree weave. I'd never bring my son to a game until he's 18+. I've never tailgated in a stadium lot and never will. We go to a satellite lot where we've been parking for years and that type of nonsense isn't tolerated by the homeowner or the long time folks who park there.

[Weave]

I largely agree weave. I'd never bring my son to a game until he's 18+. I've never tailgated in a stadium lot and never will. We go to a satellite lot where we've been parking for years and that type of nonsense isn't tolerated by the homeowner or the long time folks who park there.

 

I used it as a teaching experience for my son. But it doesn't change what it was. Regardless of his age, it's not a scene I want to participate in and don't want to encourage for my boy. If folks could tailgate without turning the scene into Gamorrah I'd be OK with it, but, frankly, I don't understand why it is allowed on county owned property and won't support that sort of thing continuing at the next location for the Bills.

[Hoss]

I love tailgating, but I'd gladly give it up for a new stadium right now.

 

Some people just get way too drunk when they tailgate and there's just nonsense everywhere. It's not a family-friendly environment. Last game I went to with my 50+ year old mom she had a full beer bottle thrown at and hit her head because she was wearing an orange jacket to a Browns game. She's had a Bills jersey under it but this young and drunk lady thought it would be okay to throw the bottle since it seems like she might be a Browns fan.

[Weave]

I love tailgating, but I'd gladly give it up for a new stadium right now.

 

Some people just get way too drunk when they tailgate and there's just nonsense everywhere. It's not a family-friendly environment. Last game I went to with my 50+ year old mom she had a full beer bottle thrown at and hit her head because she was wearing an orange jacket to a Browns game. She's had a Bills jersey under it but this young and drunk lady thought it would be okay to throw the bottle since it seems like she might be a Browns fan.

 

The older crowd should recall that back sometime back in the 90's (early 90's?) a fan died as a result of injuries sustained when someone threw a beer bottle at him and hit him in the head in one of the Bills lots after a game. I hoped back then that it would result in changes to what is tolerated in those lots.

 

Good thing your mother wasn't hurt badly.

[nfreeman]

If the bills were relevant I'd probably go to a game or two here and there still, but since they aren't and haven't been in forever, its more about the social aspect for me. Tailgating isnt about getting drunk to me, its about seeing and socializing with people I don't get to see often anymore.

 

I know its the same for my brother as we've discussed his seasons many times. He likes to get there early with coffee and a newspaper and relax, fire up the grill and hang out with long time friends and family. For those of us in the 40+ demographic I suspect this is largely the case for most.

I'm one of those 40+ers. I am at the point where I find the behavior in the parking lots disgusting. Last game I attended I took my then 14 yr old son. While we didn't witness anything outrageous, I was disgusted by what we saw after the game. The lots looked like a scene out of a post holocaust movie set. Unattended fires everywhere. Trash and garbage strewn about as far as the eye could see. And not few drunken idiots passed out in the back of trucks and in portable chairs. It really was an embarrassing scene. I want no part of being supportive of that sort of behavior.

 

2 excellent posts.

 

I enjoy tailgating and I enjoy the scene before the game. I drink a bit during the tailgate but it's mostly about hanging out with friends, catching up and enjoying the scene.

 

The problem is that there is a steady 5%-10% of tailgaters who look at a tailgate as an opportunity to get completely sh--faced, stumble around, vomit, emit profanities, look for a fight and/or pass out. (I can never understand why someone wants to get too drunk to follow the game, but maybe I'm missing something.)

 

I've been bringing my son (who's now 14, like Weave's boy) to tailgates and Bills games for 5-6 years now. As he's become clued in enough to realize what's going on, I've used it as a teaching opportunity. At some point, either in HS or college, he's going to have the opportunity to drink, and drink too much, and I do think it's useful for him to see what stupid drinking looks like. Also, growing up in NYC, it's not like I could really shelter him from a lot of things even if I wanted to.

 

In any case, from growing up in Brooklyn, he knows what a hipster is, and from going to tailgates, he knows what a meathead is.

 

So I'm willing to pay that price because I do enjoy tailgating. But I certainly understand why someone would want to shield his kids from it.

[Weave]

 

So I'm willing to pay that price because I do enjoy tailgating. But I certainly understand why someone would want to shield his kids from it.

 

As I tried to relate in a previous post, it's not even about shielding my kid. I just plain and simple want no part of that scene. I find it embarrassing that our tailgate scene looks like the setting of a post-apocalyptic movie after the game. It's just........ irresponsible. I see the lots after the game and it's like a surrealistic painting depicting the 7 deadly sins., And I'm a pretty tolerant fellow. But my God man, do we really need to leave all that acreage looking like a bombed out scene, complete with bodies and fires?

[Eleven]

I'm wondering how many of the folks that won't go to Bills games if there is no tailgating don't go to Sabres games because they can't pre-drunk in the parking lot beforehand.

 

I actually drink more before Sabres games. I have to kill that hour between 6 and 7 somehow. (I don't come home from work and change, even though I could.) I'll have 2 at Archer, nee City Grill, and wait for the train at about 645.

 

At Bills games, the tailgate is mandatory because you have to get there by 1030 to park and you can't possibly get out of the area until 530 or 6. I hate it more than I hate the hour before the Sabres games, mostly because it involves driving out to Orchard freaking Park.

[qwksndmonster]

I actually drink more before Sabres games. I have to kill that hour between 6 and 7 somehow. (I don't come home from work and change, even though I could.) I'll have 2 at Archer, nee City Grill, and wait for the train at about 645.

 

At Bills games, the tailgate is mandatory because you have to get there by 1030 to park and you can't possibly get out of the area until 530 or 6. I hate it more than I hate the hour before the Sabres games, mostly because it involves driving out to Orchard freaking Park.

+1 to drinking at bars before Sabres games.

 

And my family and I are already driving 2.5 hours to OP, so tailgating is strongly preferred.

[SwampD]

As I tried to relate in a previous post, it's not even about shielding my kid. I just plain and simple want no part of that scene. I find it embarrassing that our tailgate scene looks like the setting of a post-apocalyptic movie after the game. It's just........ irresponsible. I see the lots after the game and it's like a surrealistic painting depicting the 7 deadly sins., And I'm a pretty tolerant fellow. But my God man, do we really need to leave all that acreage looking like a bombed out scene, complete with bodies and fires?

Like I said earlier, I love it all. I completely understand why people don't, but I just thinks it's hilarious. Two games ago I watched 6 to 10 guys just beating the tar out of each other. From about 6 feet away, it was like the cartoon fight dust cloud with arms and legs popping out from time to time. A cop, walking toward it slowly, but announcing his presence, was saying that it had better break up before he got there because he really didn't want to take anyone to jail today. It brook up and they all scattered. I'm sorry, that's just funny and I'm glad I saw it.

 

The bolded really made me laugh, though.

[Hoss]

 

 

The older crowd should recall that back sometime back in the 90's (early 90's?) a fan died as a result of injuries sustained when someone threw a beer bottle at him and hit him in the head in one of the Bills lots after a game. I hoped back then that it would result in changes to what is tolerated in those lots.

 

Good thing your mother wasn't hurt badly.

 

Luckily it barely clipped her. She wanted to turn and scream at her, but at that point we all just kind of hurried along. Ridiculous and frustrating start to our day.