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chrisl4064 10-06-2007, 10:45 AM I have been a huge Redskin fan my entire life, started going to games so young i dont even remember. not until recently have i started not wanting to go to the games anymore. aside from the beer being 8 bucks (which is ridiculous) and the drive being a nightmere, i just dont ever have the desire to go back.
Now someone can correct me if im wrong, but some of you old timers on this site have to remember the battles that used to go down near that tunnel at RFK. that damn tunnel was a war zone for opposing fans, and when i was little (as in like 4) i used to get intimidated walking through it after games. RFK used to be an intimidating place for opposing teams fans to come watch. not anymore, not at fedex.
now ive had scuffles at FedEx, and im not going to say it doesnt happen there. and im not saying fights would draw me to the stadium, all im saying is that there is something missing, we have a good fan base, but the die-hards are the minority. ive been to baseball games that sounded louder than FedEx.
now all the homers on here can talk shit and its cool, i really dont care because its the internet. but if you are sorta feeling the same way i am i'd like to hear what you have to say.
i think our next stadium needs to seat fewer. its embarassing to have the largest stadium, and its not even loud.
Skinsfan1967 10-06-2007, 10:56 AM Smaller stadium!! How many season tickets are you going to take away? Redisigned? yes, new? yes. Smaller!! no!!!
Daseal 10-06-2007, 10:56 AM I'm in the same boat as you man. And I think you answered the question with something in your post.
ive been to baseball games that sounded louder than FedEx.
It seems as if the Redskins and a majority of their fans want you to sit down for the whole game and just be quiet. During a game, it was 3rd and two, M. Washington was trying to get everyone to stand up and cheer -- I did so. The person behind me started threatening me, and instead of the security guard talking to him -- I was told to sit down and not stand up the rest of the game.
I would prefer to stand the whole game, especially on defense when I'm cheering as loud as I can non-stop. I'll sit down on offense by will most of the time, a brother has to eat a hotdog sometimes!
The fact is, the Redskins want to attract casual fans. I can't blame them for that by any stretch, however for those of us who live and die by this team -- it cheapens our experience since we can't enjoy football like we love. Football has turned into a networking destination, not a fans destination.
chrisl4064 10-06-2007, 11:07 AM Smaller stadium!! How many season tickets are you going to take away? Redisigned? yes, new? yes. Smaller!! no!!!
i would have no problem if AOL had to give up maybe 10 of thier 40 or so seats in the club level, or booze allen or every car dealership in tysons, or..... you get my point i hope.
BrudLee 10-06-2007, 11:10 AM The influx of "casual fans" has nothing to do with the size of the stadium. Nothing. The price of tickets has turned attendance into a corporate endeavor, which has left a lot of hardcore fans out of the loop. This isn't specific to FedEx - nearly every team's home field factor has been diminished. Kansas City is probably the best example of a team bucking this trend, but it's primarily because they're in Kansas City.
As someone who has been to both stadiums, there are trade-offs. In FedEx we get more seats, that live up to building codes. (You didn't think the stands were supposed to shake like that, did you?) I also note that the same people who bemoan the loss of the RFK mystique don't make those comments after going to a Nats game, because RFK is a spittoon.
Believe me, I want a united fan population at every game, and that's a tall order in today's NFL. Blaming Snyder, or the stadium, or the price of beers is creating a boogeyman where none exists.
memphisskin 10-06-2007, 11:17 AM That sux, being told to sit down at a game. Imagine that, getting kicked out of a football game for standing up. The guy behind you had a choice, he could stand up too and cheer for the defense on 3rd and 2. You want to sit down and watch a game, go to a bar or stay at home.
I agree Brudlee, the NFL has gone corporate. Kinda like how NBA crowds have turned, the NFL is going the same direction. It better be careful, because all of this is dependent on the passion of the diehard fan, but as they go after more corporate dollars, they risk alienating the diehards. Diehards want to stand during the game, corporate fat cats want you to sit down so you don't spoil their view. The best games are the ones you stand damn near the entire time, last year vs Dallas I felt like a pogo stick, up when Portis scores on the long run, up when TO drops the bomb, up again when the FG gets blocked and Sean Taylor saves the day.
skinsfan69 10-06-2007, 11:28 AM Fed Ex is terrible. I get free tickets all the time through work and I refuse to go. It's just not the same as it used to be. It just seems fake with all the fireworks. Plus your not on top of the field. But a new stadium had to be built cause RFK is a shithole. I went to see the Nats a few weeks ago and it's just run down and beat up.
But it's a different era now and I honestly think that has something to do with it. Guys come and go all the time. It's just never going to be the same as it was in the 80's and early 90's. NFC East was at it's best then.
#56fanatic 10-06-2007, 11:30 AM dude, its called winning. its called playoffs, superbowls, consistancy. In RFK we had that. since going to Fed X we have had two winning season. And not an over all good home record. who the hell would be afraid to come into this stadium. we generally blow half time leads anyway.
home field advantage? I dont think so, not right now anyway
saden1 10-06-2007, 01:31 PM What's wrong with FedEx? Corporate Patrons and Fans who sell their tickets to other fans. Capitalism at it's finest.
SC Skins Fan 10-06-2007, 02:01 PM Winning makes the difference, bottom line. The other thing is nostalgia. "Wow, RFK was so great, we won all the time, that stadium was terrific!" Here's my experience. I've been to only four Redskins games in my life, two at RFK and two at FedEx, so take that for what it's worth. The games at RFK were in 1994 and 1995. The Skins were horrible and they got beaten both times and I don't remember the Stadium being particularly intimidating. I was at the Cowboys game at FedEx in 2005 and that stadium was rocking and I think it did make a difference. Was the stadium the difference? No, the Redskins were good in 2005 and ten years earlier they were not. There is something to how close the fans were to the field at RFK, but a stadium has MUCH less to do with winning and losing than the team.
Also, standing up does not make you louder. You can actually be quite loud without standing up. There are times to sit and times to stand, but no need to stand the whole game. I know in 2005 at the Cowboys game I was yelling my butt off, and so were all those around me, but I only stood up at those times when it was appropriate, not during the entire game. I don't understand how we end up with so much negativity after one loss.
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