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7 Year Old's First Game - Preseason? WTF?


Bakin

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Just now, Joe in Winslow said:

I took my kid when she was 10 to a thursday night game against Miami. It wasn't the best idea. Fall-down drunks. "Hey dad, what's wrong with him?" Me: "He's sick, kiddo. Don't worry about it."

 

I used it as an opportunity to show the kids restraint. We are not a drinking household. IE, we dont have to get drunk to have a good time. Not sure I understand paying all that money to be there and falling asleep in the stands. "Look kids, these people wasted their money more then us."

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With him being young & not being into football yet, preseason is ideal for when he inevitably wants to leave shortly after halftime. Who cares if you miss the 2nd half of preseason game 1, I'd do it. Hopefully he loves it & wants to go again for a regular season game, & stay for the whole thing.

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My son was 8 for his first game. Bills Dolphins in 2014. 7 hour ride to get there. He was super well behaved and had fun. It helped that the Bills won.

 

IMO it's a crap shoot. I've been there times where it would be great for a kid and others when I'm glad I didn't have any with me. People are usually good around kids and even drunks seem to like an enthusiastic kid and give lots of high fives and are happy to yell and be silly like little kids want to. Of course there are also belligerent drunks that are just awful to be around. I started going to games around the same and age in the mid 80s when the team was bad and the ratio of bad drunks was really high and I wasnt damaged for life.

Preseason games are super boring, if you're considering it just do the real thing. Tue nature of a preseason game can set you up for problems in the future too because you won't care about the game and you'll be more willing to get up and wander around or hit the bathroom 400 times. My son was prepped ahead of time that we were there to watch the game and such shenanigans wouldn't fly. He was very good and had a lot of fun.

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3 hours ago, Bakin said:

what time should we show up to allow for enough time to go to the Field House, etc?
We aren't tail gating...

 

Any recommendations on where to park if we are in 109?  I know it's Gate 6 or 7, just not sure where that is...

You sound nervous..things will be fine and your son will mix in with all of the other kids that will get bored after a half.As far as parking goes..after you leave Anchor Bar...get on the thruway South on the 90...you'll see the signs..even the stadium lights as far away as South Cheektowaga.Drive Lot 5 for parking if you are in section 109...won't be a long walk for the little guy since it will be half empty.

Like Johnny Hammersticks said....this is the way to introduce him to the experience.

Enjoy your time in Buffalo!

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1 hour ago, BullBuchanan said:

ya know, nine eleven tavern is on the way to Orchard Park ;)

Great wings..but he doesn't open until 4:30...and at that time it's full of General Mills first shift beer and shot guys.

Not the place for the little guy?

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4 hours ago, Misterbluesky said:

You sound nervous..things will be fine and your son will mix in with all of the other kids that will get bored after a half.As far as parking goes..after you leave Anchor Bar...get on the thruway South on the 90...you'll see the signs..even the stadium lights as far away as South Cheektowaga.Drive Lot 5 for parking if you are in section 109...won't be a long walk for the little guy since it will be half empty.

Like Johnny Hammersticks said....this is the way to introduce him to the experience.

Enjoy your time in Buffalo!

Hahaha. Great post and thanks. 

Not nervous. Been to Buffalo 7 times now and always a blast.

 

Never had a bad meal at Anchor either so that’s where we might end up. History. 

Heard a lot about Bar Bill and we will be coming from that direction, too. 

9/11 have the best wings I’ve had in Buffalo yet. 

 

Cheers!

3 hours ago, Misterbluesky said:

Great wings..but he doesn't open until 4:30...and at that time it's full of General Mills first shift beer and shot guys.

Not the place for the little guy?

I took my eldest there, at 9pm on a Saturday, the night before a game, about 5 years ago. 

He was like 10 or 11. We played skeeball in a dive bar. He loved it. 

Best wings I’ve had in Buffalo but slow as molasses. 

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I think the preseason is the way to go. At his age, his greatest memory will be seeing his first game with his dad. Memories of getting ready for the game, dressing up in his Bills gear. The excitement on the ride there. The almost carnival like atmosphere walking through the tailgating. Going to the field house for all the fun kid stuff. Sitting in the stands and eating hot dogs cheering on the team. That will be what he remembers... at least that is how I remember my first game when I was 8 yrs old. Have a great time at the game with your son and GO BILLS!!

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I'll be bringing my four-year-old for his first game next week, when the Bills come to Charlotte. Got some freebies from a customer of mine. We've done a handful of baseball (Charlotte Knights and/or Kannapolis Intimidators) games, and it's hit or miss. Sometimes he sits and watches, sometimes he just wants to run around. It's the age. And you wont have the drunks at a preseason game, for the most part


Here's to hoping our kiddos end up loving the Bills as much as we do! 

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4 hours ago, Blaise321 said:

I think the preseason is the way to go. At his age, his greatest memory will be seeing his first game with his dad. Memories of getting ready for the game, dressing up in his Bills gear. The excitement on the ride there. The almost carnival like atmosphere walking through the tailgating. Going to the field house for all the fun kid stuff. Sitting in the stands and eating hot dogs cheering on the team. That will be what he remembers... at least that is how I remember my first game when I was 8 yrs old. Have a great time at the game with your son and GO BILLS!!

 

Exactly.  I went to the Rockpile with my Dad for a preseason game (he got 2 free tickets) when I was around 8 or 9.

My first game.  I remember a lot of stuff you mentioned and to tell you the truth I don't really remember much of the game itself.

It was great.

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Depends.  Has he seen a teen fall down a full flight of upper level stairs?  Has he seen an adult vomit before,  or urinate in a sink?  How about a person giving oral favor for a particular player's jersey in a parked car?

 

If not, well...what are you waiting for?  His 8th birthday??

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On 8/7/2019 at 2:11 PM, Bakin said:

I debated this for a long time.  

Do I make my son's first trip to the Ralph a PRESEASON GAME? 

Or do I take him when the place is going to be electric?  Season Opener, Week 4 vs Pats?

 

My kid is 7, almost 8, and he doesn't REALLY care about the Bills or football like I do...

 

And since it's my first time as a season ticket holder, and these tickets are NOT selling, so I figured we would head down there and enjoy Kids day.

He should get some special treatment in an easy atmosphere. 

 

My older son's first game was when he was 6...(Season Opener, vs Dolphins, 2010) with a bunch of rednecks behind us dropping N-bombs all game.  
Not very fun....plus we sucked so bad.  

 

 

Unfortunately when you go to a game or any public gathering in todays world you take the chance of running into ignorant people that think they are just being normal when in all reality they are the epitome of ignorance while in public .

 

Use it as a learning experience of how not to be & explain that some just don't get it ! I hope you went & your kid had a great time & will be a future Bills fan for life & quite possibly learned something along the way . As parents we need to teach when the situation allows ...

 

 

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16 minutes ago, T master said:

 

Unfortunately when you go to a game or any public gathering in todays world you take the chance of running into ignorant people that think they are just being normal when in all reality they are the epitome of ignorance while in public .

 

Use it as a learning experience of how not to be & explain that some just don't get it ! I hope you went & your kid had a great time & will be a future Bills fan for life & quite possibly learned something along the way . As parents we need to teach when the situation allows ...

 

 

We had fun!

it was all about candy...learned a bit about the game. Touchdowns in our end zone in the first half. Fun times. Hard for him to see. Regretting not getting the upper deck seasons. 

 

 

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9 minutes ago, Bakin said:

We had fun!

it was all about candy...learned a bit about the game. Touchdowns in our end zone in the first half. Fun times. Hard for him to see. Regretting not getting the upper deck seasons. 

 

 

Glad you had a good time. 

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I thought it would be a great idea to take my daughter, who was about the same age, to the last Bills home playoff game vs the Jags, the game that ended Kelley's career. Surrounded by insane drunks screaming obscenities. Lucky I didn't scar her for life.

 

Maybe a preseason game isn't such a bad way to start?

Edited by PromoTheRobot
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