RE: Fan Experiences
As someone who is from NY, I can tell you there is a huge difference between the Yankees/Rangers fans and the Mets/Islanders fans. Many (not all) Yankees/Rangers fans tend to be lowest common denominator, and much more likely to be the obnoxious, superiority complex type. Most Mets/Islanders are passionate but realistic, and unless you are wearing a Roger Clemens, Chipper Jones, Dale Hunter, or Darcy Tucker jersey you are going to be just fine.
Baseball:
1) DC: I have been to about 7 Nationals games. I have found their fans to be friendly, although not very knowledgeable about the game (probably because the team is so new, you don't have the 3rd or 4th generation fan there). The service workers at Nationals Park are terrible though.
2) Cleveland: The friendliest fans I have met. Been there 3 times. Enjoy the sightlines from the seats as well.
3) Boston: Best atmosphere. Fenway is so much fun. Love how the team owns the surrounding streets and turns every home game into a street fair. Partial to Cask and Flagon. Been to about 20 games there.
4) NY - Yankee Stadium: New stadium unimpressive. Old stadium was much better. Crappy neighborhood. Been there twice for baseball and once for college football. No desire to go back.
5) NY - Citi Field: Nicest baseball stadium I have been to. Wish the team was better. Prices are very high. Not a lot to do in the area surrounding the stadium, but they do have a great parking lot tailgating scene. Been to about 30 games at Citi Field and over 300 at Shea.
6) Baltimore: Been there twice. I thought the stadium was very nice, sightlines are great. Once when I went, they were playing the Red Sox and the whole stadium was Sox fans. The other time they were playing the Mets, and the lady next time me moved because she "wasn't about to sit next to a Mets fan." Liked the Inner Harbor.
7) Veterans Stadium: I went twice when I was 12. It was really hot and there were about 2000 people there. Would like to go to Citizen's Bank, but no desire to be spit at.
8) I might get to go to Pittsburgh this week. I heard PNC park is beautiful!
College Football (I'm only including games I go to as a spectator):
1) JMU. Put it this way: I get one bye weekend off in the fall from coaching every year, and I pray that JMU has a home game that day. Can't wait for 9/14!
2) Michigan: I was a huge Michigan fan growing up. Got to go once for my 30th birthday. Unfortunately that was the year they went 3-9 with RichRod and it was 33 degrees and raining that day in a loss to Northwestern. Would love to go back for an earlier season game with better weather
3) Stony Brook: Been to about 8 games. Stadium is nice, will be really nice if they build the other side (sound familiar?), Crowd gets bigger each year.
4) Hofstra: Old stadium, nothing special. 12 games
5) Probably more, but I can't remember now
NFL
1) Giants/Jets Stadium: Both the new and old stadiums are nondescript. Plus they are in New Jersey which is a huge negative. I'm a decently tough guy, but both fanbases are out of control slobs: there are lots of fights, car fires in the parking lot, just a general atmosphere that leaves you with the feeling of being very unsafe.
2) Redskins: Been there 3 times. Very dedicated fanbase otherwise, stadium perfectly fine. Many fans nasty to opposing fans, but the seems to be NFL wide. Sucks that it is in Maryland though. Tough to get to from Virginia.
Hockey
1) Nassau Coliseum: about 90 games. You can make any joke you want about the Islanders, b/c they have been mostly bad for about 19 years. But when they are good, there is no place louder than the old barn. The most loyal, passionate, diehard fans I have ever seen. What other team would still draw to 75% capacity on a random Tuesday night after being bad for 20 years? This year's playoff games were louder than a rock concert. My ears hurt for days.
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