OK to stand, possibly blocking others' view, during entire game?

[tweeterhawk]

There is a perpetual conflict between fans who feel it necessary to stand while watching and cheering the team (or booing the officials and opponents) and those behind them, or to the side, whose view may be blocked. In almost every stadium it leads to frequent yells of "SIT DOWN!," occasional arguments, even fights.

The friction is often between younger, more exuberant (perhaps inebriated) fans and older ones seated behind them. In Cleveland, a Browns season ticket-holder of 25 years was even booted from the Dawg Pound for standing too much.

What's your view? Is it OK to stand virtually the entire game, especially if you are cheering and making noise? Or should fans show courtesy to those behind them and remain seated until only big plays or crucial third or fourth downs? Are you in favor of 2StarStan taking those who stand too much out of their seats and booting them from the stadium?

If you are a season ticket-holder at Kinnick, what's your experience?

 

[ICHawk24]

I think it is unreasonable to expect to stand the entire game.

I think it is unreasonable to expect those in front of you to never stand.

Moderation in all things.

 

[CAARHawk]

Yunno, I go by the bottom up rule. If people below me are standing, I stand. If they are not, I don't. Some sections are just standing sections and some aren't. My opinion is if you want to stand all game, go find one of those standing sections.

I find that during key times at Kinnick, people get up and yell. Also, no one ever really gets on you for jumping up at exciting moments.

 

[Igothawked]

I think it depends on situation and the game. Some games standing the entire game or the entire 4th quarter is warrented. Wisconsin last year. Some games like Tenn Tech, last week are games where there should be more sitting.
I was at the Bears/Packers game last weekend at Soldier and I felt like I was jumping out of my seat a lot more than those around me. People did not stand very often at that game. We were sitting on an aisle and I kept having to stand to see over and around the beer vendors (Very Annoying FYI). The NFL atmosphere is so much different than the college game.

 

[SPGroth]

Agree with above. If they people in front of us are standing up, we stand up too. We have an older couple behind us that typically will not stand up. We usually try to stand "side ways" so to give them a view of the field.

 

[CAARHawk]

Soldier Field is NOT a great venue for WATCHING the game. It has a lot of weird sight lines, strange ways sections are cut off from each other, and you are right about the vendor thing. Still like going there for games every now and then though.

 

[NobodyBeatsCy]

Stand when the situation calls for it (3rd downs, 4th downs, etc), sure. But to stand for the sake of standing is idiotic. It seems like people that do this think this will win the game for their team... it won't. You are a fan. If you want to win the game for your team, tryouts are in August.

At the Iowa/Iowa State game There is an old couple that have seats in front of me, and the ol 'guy can't move around that well. The (sorry) Iowa fan and his girl that had the seats the next row down stood in front of the old man (and me) the whole game. There was NO ONE standing in front of the Hawk fans. While I could stand and see over him, the poor ol' guy had a lot more trouble and pretty much gave up after a while.

 

[CAARHawk]

Agree with above. If they people in front of us are standing up, we stand up too. We have an older couple behind us that typically will not stand up. We usually try to stand "side ways" so to give them a view of the field.

SP - I think you bring up a good issue. Just being conscious of those around you and trying to work together is a good way to go.

The problem is the jerk who feels he has a RIGHT to stand the whole game no matter what is going on around him. Or the codger who gets bent out of shape because sometimes people want to get up and make some noise on 3rd and 15.

By the way, your survey is extremely flawed with respect to the element of exhaustiveness. By this, I mean you need to allow all appropriate answers. You basically set up a false binary by only giving these two options.

 

[hawkfarmer]

It obviously depends on the situation. Kickoffs, third downs, huge plays, important plays- You'd better be standing. I don't see a need to stand on every first down play from the 20 yard line. If it is a big play then stand up and cheer. I don't stand when it's mid first quarter, opponent or Iowa first and 10 at the 20, stand if it's a big play or bad call. Now, if it's a close game, 4th quarter STAND. Or the entire comeback of the Pitt game you'd better be standing.

 

[jimmybuffett]

Depends on where you are. In my seats in Kinnick we stand all game. Everyone in our section stands all game. My aunt on the other hand sits with the old fogy donators and they dont stand at all. I like the idea if the people in front of you stand than you can to.

 

[Ditka]

I sit in section 127 and it seems that most of the jerks who insist on standing have bought someone else's seats. Not regulars soto speak. I am 30 and one of the younger people in my section and I stand for all big plays, 3rd downs, etc.

 

[EyeAmHawk]

It's being considerate of those around you. If you are sitting in front of some older fans who physically stand for long periods of time, don't stand and block them the entire time. It really depends on who is around you. I can guarantee you that those who think they can stand the whole game are in the minority in Kinnick, with the exception of the student section. Just have to have awareness of your surroundings. That being said, there were a couple a-holes several rows down from us during the Pitt game, needless to say the folks behind them expressed their displeasure.

 

[tm3308]

I've gotten used to standing for the whole game from being in the student section for 3+ seasons now. They're called "stands," people.

I will sit if I'm at a road game and the people in front of me aren't standing, unless it's a game like Wisky last year, in which case if you don't like that I'm standing in the 4th quarter that's just too damn bad.

 

[SECisCRAP]

It sucks being tall because even when I stand I block the view of the person standing behind me. I have to do a stand/crouch to satisfy all parties.

 

[tweeterhawk]

SP - I think you bring up a good issue. Just being conscious of those around you and trying to work together is a good way to go.

The problem is the jerk who feels he has a RIGHT to stand the whole game no matter what is going on around him. Or the codger who gets bent out of shape because sometimes people want to get up and make some noise on 3rd and 15.

By the way, your survey is extremely flawed with respect to the element of exhaustiveness. By this, I mean you need to allow all appropriate answers. You basically set up a false binary by only giving these two options.

If I was building a survey on stadium design, security or protocol, certainly it would have been worded differently and provided more choices to explore the entire issue in depth. The hope here was to prompt a message board discussion, and perhaps some good thoughts, between two extremes.

This is an issue for many fans. I run into it when I go to the occasional game with my 86-year-old father, who walks with difficulty and rarely stands during games. My son and I were caught between the two camps during the Insight Bowl: two young couples in front of us stood nearly the entire game and it was hard to see around them. Behind us were a couple of older fans who kept yelling at the young couples to sit down and rarely stood themselves. So do we sit, stand, stand only on big plays? (We did the latter.)

Glad to see there is some moderation in thoughts and a willingness among HN posters to find a workable solution in each game.

 

[HawkForce]

The old farts from about between the 35s never get on their feet and sit on their hands the entire game
/thread

 

[CGHawk]

I think knowing when and when not to stand is common sense... Unfortunately, many people lack this.

Just be considerate of people around you. You don't need to stand all game long to have fun and enjoy the game. Stand when it is a big play or exciting moment or it's time to make some noise.

I can't stand it when I'm at a game and there are those two guys talking to each other while drinking their beer and they feel the need to stand for the entire game to do that.

 

[Section136]

I've gotten used to standing for the whole game from being in the student section for 3+ seasons now. They're called "stands," people.

I will sit if I'm at a road game and the people in front of me aren't standing, unless it's a game like Wisky last year, in which case if you don't like that I'm standing in the 4th quarter that's just too damn bad.

Weird...because on my season tickets it gives me a SEAT number, not a stands number.

Student section should stand the whole game. Otherwise big plays on defense and exciting moments for the rest of the stadium. One exception would be huge games (Wisky last year for example) where I think the crowd should be on their feet yelling for every play our defense is out there.

I dont see why the whole stadium should stand while we are on offense.

 

[HawkForce]

How is it fair to expect the students to stand the whole game!!!? Blasphemy

 

[rodg12]

I think know when and when not to stand is common sense... Unfortunately, many people lack this.

Just be considerate of people around you. You don't need to stand all game long to have fun and enjoy the game. Stand when it is a big play our exciting moment or it's time to make some noise.

I can't stand it when I'm at a game and there are those two guys talking to each other while drinking their beer and they feel the need to stand for the entire game to do that.

Yep, my thoughts as well. Have an older couple in front of us that don't like to stand during much of the game but will for the big moments. Have a family of 4 behind us with 2 younger daughters, so I try to not stand too much otherwise they can't see the game. Just be considerate people. It's not hard to do.