The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

Last night, DCSportsFan5 and I went to the game. Normally, I sit in section 121, but tonight was special. DCSF5 has club level season tickets, and he invited me to go with him. It was an offer I could not and could not refuse. However, i was supremely disappointed, for Club Level is possibly the saddest place I have ever seen. For those of you who do not know what I am talking about, I will continue.

We were sitting in section 323, which is the yellow seats directly above the visitors side line, on the 30 yard line to the left of the 50. For all its advantages, such as the in-seat food service and the cover from whatever elements, there is one glaring, major, unacceptable disadvantage.

DCSF5 and I were seated next to two awesome guys from Maryland who were hardcore Redskin fans, which was what we expected. However, us 4, and maybe 5 other people were the only Skins fans in the section. 9 people in the entire section were there to support the Washington Redskins at HOME.

In front of me was an old gentleman and his son, the latter attending his first football game ever. They were closet Jets fans, only really coming out of the woodwork after the reverse actually succeeded. Behind us was a group of Jets fans, and then to our left and right. Basically, we were surrounded by green and white.

It occurred to me that this may just be because it was preseason. Maybe some Redskins season ticket holders felt sorry for these fans with the god-forsaken team, and since it was preseason and the Jets can't win the games that count, the season-ticket holders decided to give them a good show. I asked DCSF5 and he told me, "no, it always like this."

Why do Redskins season ticket holders do this? Why, in the name of Joe Gibbs, do they give their tickets up to people who aren't Redskins fans so they can fill the stadium with their scared cheers? Is it really that bad to have season tickets that you don't even want to go to the games?

Thoroughly sick to my stomach, I didn't think the lack of fanaticism could get any worse. Then we went inside the concourse. Inside, there were literally hundreds of people on leather chairs watching the game. No, not on the field, but on TV. Why? For the love of Gibbs, why would you pay 9k a year to watch a TV screen? If you took everyone from that concourse, and put them in the stadium, I wouldn't be writing this post.

The 12th man is great, its absolutely awesome, especially during the regular season. But from now on, PLEASE, those of you who have club seats or know people who do, encourage them to actually go to the game and take advantage of their seats. Either that, or give them up so people can get off the waiting list who have been waiting a long time. I know I'm not alone in this sentiment.

Aren't most of the club level seats sold to corporate buyers? If that's the case, I can see them getting into the hands of fans of whatever team is visiting FedEx. This week it's the Jets, on 9/11 it will be the Vikings. Perhaps when Gibbs' return pays off with repeated playoff runs, those tickets will be scarfed up by 'Skins fans, but until then, you'll just have to suffer. Or better yet, the other team's fans will have to suffer at the hands of a dominant Redskins team. (Just not in the pre-season. )

I have season tickets in the club level, section 316.

I have to say that I do agree with a lot of what you're saying. I don't understand why people watch the games on TV in the concourse, it makes no sense to me at all. We all have chairs and nice TVs at home so if you're going to watch the game there, why not stay at home? It'd be a lot easier.

There are some definite downsides to sitting in the club level. For one, I don't think you get the true NFL atmosphere. I have sat everywhere from the lower level to the absolute last row of the stadium and I have seen it all. Club level fans are probably the worst fans I've seen at a football game. I don't want to make a broad comment and say this is true of ALL club level fans, but there are many of them. There have been times when I will yell something out or cheer loudly and I'll actually get a head turn or even a dirty look, from a freaking Redskins fan! I want to be like "THIS IS A FOOTBALL GAME!!!!!" but what can I do? I definitely want the club level fans to get more involved in the game. I remember being at the Skins-Lions wild card game years ago and sitting in the lower level. We stood the entire game. My little brother was too small so he stood on his chair. Now that's how you watch a football game. You stand and yell and scream and cheer and support the Redskins. Sometimes it seems like people in club level or more concerned with when the waiter will be bringing his Zima around than whether the Redskins just picked up the first down. It sickens me.

I will say that during several games last season, the club level was wild. The Giants and Cowboys games come to mind. No complaints about the crowd at either of those games whatsoever, at least not in my section. And there are a lot of benefits to sitting in the club level. We have a parking pass, private entrances to the stadium, a private escalator up to the seats. We have our own Hooters and a few other restaraunts. My family likes to stay back after 1 o'clock games and watch the 4 o'clock games on the TVs while the traffic thins out. It's definitely nice. I just wish the crowds would be a little wilder. We have a great fan base in Washington, but sometimes you wouldn't be able to tell if you sat in the club seats.

Believe me skinsfan I feel your pain! A few years ago my section was filled with corporate seats. The Washington Post occupied about 90% of the corporate seats and they would give their tickets away to Redskins fans and Non-Redskins fans. Most people here hate Danny, but I love the guy! He took away their corporate seats and gave them to Redskins Fans......my section has gotten ALOT better since.

I'm having to think that your friends section was just like mine a few years ago; Nothing but coporate seats. If I were your friend I would either talk trash until you lose your voice or ask to be moved to a different section!

I know I will get slammed for "not being a true fan" but as I said in another post - you need to get over yourselves. Since when do you feel the need or have the power to dictate to another their actions? Why do you feel you are so special that you can tell another fan how they should react or what they should do with the ticket and seat they paid for?

Let's say you are an avid movie goer - do you think it would be ok if the person in front of you stood for the entire movie blocking your view of the movie - a movie you paid good money for? Do you think it's ok for that person to spill beer, cuss like a drunken sailor and disrupt the movie so much so that you can't enjoy the game? Do you think that person has more "rights" to the movie than you do?

So you say a movie isn't the same - really? Does everyone at the game or movie pay for the ticket? Does everyone at the movie or game expect to actually enjoy the game? Does everyone at the game or movie expect and deserve a certain amount of civility from the fellow patrons? Of course they do.

What I really shake my head at is you make it sound as it the polite fan is actually disrupting your experience when it's so much the other way. Enjoy the game but when you feel the need to impose on others your "idea" of a true fan then you are in the wrong plain and simple. Again, it's the "I paid for this road, I'll speed and cut off other cars if I want" attitude so prevelant in society and now it's at the local sports arena. Very sad.....

As to me as a fan, I'm in the Club level and thoroughly enjoy it. I stand and cheer a good play and then sit down. I stand and boo a bad call and then sit down. When we score I stand, cheer and high five the fellow fans around me and then I sit down. Get the pattern there? I enjoy the game but at the same time am respectful to others around me.

So to take a page from your mentality as a club level owner, I say if you don't like the club level then leave - simple as that. Don't like that reply much then look in the mirror.

OK. You are taking the same stand as NikiH, so I don't get your hostility towards her.

COZ wrote:I know I will get slammed for "not being a true fan" but as I said in another post - you need to get over yourselves. Since when do you feel the need or have the power to dictate to another their actions? Why do you feel you are so special that you can tell another fan how they should react or what they should do with the ticket and seat they paid for?

Let's say you are an avid movie goer - do you think it would be ok if the person in front of you stood for the entire movie blocking your view of the movie - a movie you paid good money for? Do you think it's ok for that person to spill beer, cuss like a drunken sailor and disrupt the movie so much so that you can't enjoy the game? Do you think that person has more "rights" to the movie than you do?

So you say a movie isn't the same - really? Does everyone at the game or movie pay for the ticket? Does everyone at the movie or game expect to actually enjoy the game? Does everyone at the game or movie expect and deserve a certain amount of civility from the fellow patrons? Of course they do.

What I really shake my head at is you make it sound as it the polite fan is actually disrupting your experience when it's so much the other way. Enjoy the game but when you feel the need to impose on others your "idea" of a true fan then you are in the wrong plain and simple. Again, it's the "I paid for this road, I'll speed and cut off other cars if I want" attitude so prevelant in society and now it's at the local sports arena. Very sad.....

As to me as a fan, I'm in the Club level and thoroughly enjoy it. I stand and cheer a good play and then sit down. I stand and boo a bad call and then sit down. When we score I stand, cheer and high five the fellow fans around me and then I sit down. Get the pattern there? I enjoy the game but at the same time am respectful to others around me.

So to take a page from your mentality as a club level owner, I say if you don't like the club level then leave - simple as that. Don't like that reply much then look in the mirror.

I will not be tailgating for 4 hours before I go to see my next movie. I've been in the club level and the fans in this section are "weak". Thanks for the reveiw, Ebert!

The movie/football game analogy makes no sense.

Fans at a football game CAN affect the outcome of the game positively for the home team. If you don't believe me, just look at the Giants-Seahawks last year when NYG had about 15 false start penalties.

My cheering won't help a movie be good or bad.

If you're going to go to a football game you should support your team. And if you don't feel like cheering or standing DO NOT complain about other people doing it. That's the worst thing you can do. If you're not going to cheer on your team that's your decision, but you don't have to make everyone else feel like a bad guy when they do it.

In defense of the owners of "DREAM SEATS", I'm sure they eren't "dreaming" about having to ask someone to sit down all the time and to stop being so ebullient.
I know if I spent my hard earned mmolah to pay THAT much for seats, I would be upset if I could not enjoy the game, because I was too busy debating proper game etiquette with the guy in front of me. That would certainly stink.

However, I think it would be great if a charismatic fellow would somehow lead (as opposed to obligate) our section in avid cheering. It would certainly make for some awesome TV, and face time on the 1970's era jumbotron at FedEx.

My advice to JH, practice, practice, practice. At home, in the office, on the street. Practice your material, so when you get to FedEx your cheering will be contagious and it will simply ELECTRIFY the entire section, the lower bowl, the club level, and the upper level.

After all, if you can lead, people will follow. Work on your leading.