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NIU Game Day a Contrarian View
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bikechuck Offline
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Post: #1
NIU Game Day a Contrarian View
I drove from Central Ohio to attend last Saturday's NIU/BGSU game. My daughter (a Miami grad), Son-in-law (a BGSU grad) and grade school aged granddaughters drove down from the Madison, Wi area to join us.

People in this online community often complain about our game day experience and many if not most of those complaints are valid but let me recap some positives that my entire family (OK maybe not my son-in-law) enjoyed on Saturday.

1) I purchased 6 tickets for our group at a cost of $108.00 plus a nominal handling fee. The cost for one person to attend a tOSU game (my wife's alma matter) rages from approximately $200 to $600 depending on the opponent and seat location. So I would have spent over $1,000 and perhaps as much as $3,600 to take my family to a college football game in Columbus. Yes I know that this is not a fair comparison but it is not apples to oranges either more like the difference between Delicious vs McIntosh.

2) Parking was free and it is a short walk from the Convo parking lot to the stadium.

3) The Yard has slipped a bit and does not offer as much food as in the past but we were aware of this and brought a picnic lunch and some beers to enjoy in the Yard before the game.

4) My granddaughters enjoyed playing the cornhole, oversized jenga, football toss and the other games in the Yard before the game.

5) Our group thought that NIU's band was spirited and entertaining both before and throughout the game. We enjoyed the small group that played near our seats in the second half on the West side. We also enjoyed their energy whilst they were in the East stands throughout the game.

6) I like our stadium announcer.

7) We had a great view of the game from the 35 yard line.

8) Everyone thought that the fireworks after TDs and the win were fun.

9) It was very easy getting in and out of the parking lot.

10) Everyone that wanted a hot dog got a hot dog

11) My wife and daughter told me there were video screens where you could watch the game outside the women's bathroom and by the concession stands and they appreciated that.

12) My granddaughters love seeing Mission run in the end zone and looked for him after every score.

13) Although my granddaughters were cold and did not fully understand football (especially the first grader) they were not bored and wanted to stay for the whole game because all of the above combined created a fun and memorable experience for them.

14) We all loved seeing the bronze statues of the three huskies just outside the East entrance to the Yordan and the statue of Diesel on the West side. These create a great opportunity for climbing and photo ops. The statue of Diesel is fun for my wife and I because we met him on more than one occasion in Detroit and in DeKalb.

Our stadium is old and beginning to look and feel a bit shabby. This is my 50th year of following the program and I am now in my late 60's. I have no problems going up the stadium steps but the steps are narrow, my balance is not what it once was, and I feel a bit shaky going down the very narrow concrete steps. People my age and older are going to fall unless NIU follows through on a suggestion that I believe Dog Fan made to install some railings.

Given our poor attendance we do not need additional seating at this time but money could be spent making the stadium a safer and nicer venue if the money can be secured.

That's it ... I just wanted to post some positive comments and in many ways I prefer our gameday experience to attending tOSU games which my wife and I do on occasion.
(This post was last modified: 10-19-2021 11:08 AM by bikechuck.)
10-19-2021 09:52 AM
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NIU007 Offline
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Post: #2
RE: NIU Game Day a Contrarian View
(10-19-2021 09:52 AM)bikechuck Wrote:  I drove from Central Ohio to attend last Saturday's NIU/BGSU game. My daughter (a Miami grad), Son-in-law (a BGSU grad) and grade school aged granddaughters drove down from the Madison, Wi area to join us.

People in this online community often complain about our game day experience and many if not most of those complaints are valid but let me recap some positives that my entire family (OK maybe not my son-in-law) enjoyed on Saturday.

1) I purchased 6 tickets for our group at a cost of $108.00 plus a nominal handling fee. The cost for one person to attend a tOSU game (my wife's alma matter) rages from approximately $200 to $600 depending on the opponent and seat location. So I would have spent over $1,000 and perhaps as much as $3,600 to take my family to a college football game in Columbus. Yes I know that this is not a fair comparison but it is not apples to oranges either more like the difference between Delicious vs McIntosh.

2) Parking was free and it is a short walk from the Convo parking lot to the stadium.

3) The Yard has slipped a bit and does not offer as much food as in the past but we were aware of this an brought a picnic lunch and some beers to enjoy in the Yard before the game.

4) My granddaughters enjoyed playing the cornhole, oversized jenga, football toss and the other game in the Yard before the game.

5) Our group thought that NIU's band was spirited and entertaining both before and throughout the game. We enjoyed the small group that played near our seats in the second half on the West side. We also enjoyed their energy whilst they were in the East stands throughout the game.

6) I like our stadium announcer.

7) We had a great view of the game from the 35 yard line.

8) Everyone thought that the fireworks after TDs and the win were fun.

9) It was very easy getting in and out of the parking lot.

10) Everyone that wanted a hot dog got a hot dog

11) My wife and daughter told me there were video screens where you could watch the game outside the women's bathroom and by the concession stands and they appreciated that.

12) My granddaughters love seeing Mission run in the end zone and looked for him after every score.

13) Although my granddaughters were cold and did not fully understand football (especially the first grader) they were not bored and wanted to stay for the whole game because all of the above combined created a fun and memorable experience for them.

14) We all loved seeing the bronze statues of the three huskies just outside the East entrance to the Yordan and the statue of Diesel on the West side. These create a great opportunity for climbing and photo ops. The statue of Diesel is fun for my wife and I because we met him on more than one occasion in Detroit and in DeKalb.

Our stadium is old and beginning to look and feel a bit shabby. This is my 50th year of following the program and I am now in my late 60's. I have no problems going up the stadium steps but the steps are narrow, my balance is not what it once was, and I feel a bit shaky going down the very narrow concrete steps. People my age and older are going to fall unless NIU follows through on a suggestion that I believe Dog Fan made to install some railings.

Given our poor attendance we do not need additional seating at this time but money could be spent making the stadium a safer and nicer venue if the money can be secured.

That's it ... I just wanted to post some positive comments and in many ways I prefer our gameday experience to attending tOSU games which my wife and I do on occasion.

Good points, and glad your group had fun. I don't think I could afford to be a Big Whatever fan at the ticket prices some of them charge. And it's easy to get good seats in Huskie stadium.
10-19-2021 09:59 AM
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Schaefer Beer Offline
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Post: #3
RE: NIU Game Day a Contrarian View
Thanks Chuck, glad that you shared your experience and a different perspective.
10-19-2021 10:20 AM
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randyfensfanclub1 Offline
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Post: #4
RE: NIU Game Day a Contrarian View
Nice observations, sounds like you had good time.

I'm pretty sure they have handicap on east side, but access for elderly or those with limitations is pretty bad on west side with all those ramps and bathroom steps.

If and when they remodel they need to make a terrace or some sort of catwalk for wheelchair on west as well as figure out that crazy ramp system and make access, especially higher up, easier.

But I will say Huskie Stadium has the best sightlines around. Just an architectural disaster underneath.
10-19-2021 10:42 AM
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Splooie99 Offline
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Post: #5
RE: NIU Game Day a Contrarian View
In thinking about it, I had season tickets to the Oregon Ducks for a couple of years back around 2007-8 time frame. Back the, 2 tickets were around $1200 per season. The drive from Portland (normally around 90 minutes) was 2-3 hours on game day even to arrive 2-3 hours early.(You would pray that the Ducks and the Beavers were not both at home on the same day) Tailgating lots cost more and free parking was hard to find unless you wanted to walk a mile or so to the stadium. No kidding we would arrive 5 hours early, walk about a mile to the stadium. They did have a fun building to eat at, buy some beer and listen to games on TV as well as a cover band. The experience once you got there at the stadium was great. (And it never rains at Autzen Stadium!) At least that is what the announcer always said. LOL I forgot to mention that getting home after a game was a nightmare as well.

We recently went to both games against Utah (my wife's an Alum) For Utah, the cost was higher, bad parking and expensive tickets. They did have a local train system that was very effective, so we didn't have to walk far. They had a nice stadium, but since we sat in the visitors section with the other NIU fans, it was not the best view.

Sorry this was rushed and I ran out of time to edit it today. Oh well.
At Huskie stadium, we liked the seating. Ticket prices were very reasonable and we actually stayed at the NIU hotel at the student center. That was affordable, comfortable and I would recommend it if you have a long drive back and forth to DeKalb. They give Alumni discounts, so make sure you mention that your an alum.
We checked out some of the new things like the Yard.... But wasn't too impressed.

When I went to school there 85-87 and afterwards into the 90's, my father and I bought season tickets and had a great time tail gating. A few years back now, we had friends that we met at the UNLV game in Vegas that we tail gated with at NIU for the Utah game, and at Iowa that same year. They had season tickets and a tailgating lot. That was very fun.

Thinking about the Utah game at NIU, it's too bad we lost that game, I thought we had a shot.

I recently went to a UNR (University of Nevada Reno) and learned that you have to arrive early for parking. You need to make a reservation for tail gating and ticket prices were (lowest price) $20 for very low, not good seats. They had very expensive beers but we had tailgated near the school ahead of time so I didn't buy anything there.

All in all, NIUs experience wasn't as bad as it sounds. But, that was well before Covid and IL's financial troubles. So, I have not been back since the Utah game at NIU. I am shooting to go to the Notre Dame game as it may only happen once in our life time. In hind sight, I am glad I did not make the trip to MI this year. That would have been a lot of money to see a good old fashioned but kicking.
(This post was last modified: 10-22-2021 02:27 PM by Splooie99.)
10-22-2021 08:55 AM
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timxlydon Online
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Post: #6
RE: NIU Game Day a Contrarian View
(10-22-2021 08:55 AM)Splooie99 Wrote:  We had friends that we met at the UNLV game in Vegas that we tail gated with. They had season tickets and a tailgating lot. That was very fun. Too bad we lost that game, I thought we had a shot.

I think you might have had too much fun tailgating because NIU beat UNLV both times they played.
10-22-2021 10:05 AM
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Splooie99 Offline
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Post: #7
RE: NIU Game Day a Contrarian View
(10-22-2021 10:05 AM)timxlydon Wrote:  
(10-22-2021 08:55 AM)Splooie99 Wrote:  We had friends that we met at the UNLV game in Vegas that we tail gated with. They had season tickets and a tailgating lot. That was very fun. Too bad we lost that game, I thought we had a shot.

I think you might have had too much fun tailgating because NIU beat UNLV both times they played.

My bad, I didn't have time to go back and edit that post. I was referring to the Utah game in Dekalb.
That game in Vegas was so dang hot. over 100 degrees and people were getting heat stroke. The UNLV fans were pretty nice and my group I was with moved over to the covered side of the stadium and watched the second half in the shade. That first half was brutally hot. I cannot imagine what the players felt on the turf.
10-22-2021 02:17 PM
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dc1 Offline
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Post: #8
RE: NIU Game Day a Contrarian View
Bikechuck, actually you’re not supposed to bring stuff into the yard. You buy food and beverages in the yard.
10-22-2021 04:39 PM
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prairiedawg Offline
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Post: #9
RE: NIU Game Day a Contrarian View
Great post bud. NIU football live is a good time!

And let the apathetic fans watch from their Firestix since viewer ratings are important too.
10-22-2021 07:49 PM
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