Best seat for a young fan attending his first game?

[jonramz]

I was brought to Bills and Sabres games from the age of 6 and up, and I turned out fine.... I think that it's more how the parent acts, than how those around you act. My dad just told me that they were not acting well and that I shouldn't act like that. And I am a well adjusted, socially adapt 28 yr old.

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

Why do you say that? Never sat there, just curious.

 

On another kinda runoff from this topic, what age do you think it is appropriate to take your son to the game. My son just turned 5. I did not get him tickets this year & probably will not get him tickets next year but I am kinda on the fence about. I got season tickets for us to the UB games last year & he absolutely loved. I have taken him to several preseason & he really enjoys that too. I know once I get tickets for him I am going to have to tone down the tailgate. I go with 5 guys now, not that we get that crazy anymore(no compared to when I was in my 20's) but we do get there around 8:30.

My son's first game he was 3 1/2. He only went to preseason games until he was 6, but he's 11 now and goes to all of 'em. He's even been to a game at the Meadowlands. Of course, my game day experience has changed greatly...

[BillsNYC]

Family section.

[The Dean]

What makes people think a nine-year old boy would be traumatized by swearing, screaming, etc. At 9, I would have LOVED that.

 

I'm with Sage here, outside, with REAL fans, is the way to go, IMO. Unless you like to shelter and coddle your child, in which case I wouldn't take him (or her) to a Bills game.

[Mr. WEO]

What makes people think a nine-year old boy would be traumatized by swearing, screaming, etc. At 9, I would have LOVED that.

 

I'm with Sage here, outside, with REAL fans, is the way to go, IMO. Unless you like to shelter and coddle your child, in which case I wouldn't take him (or her) to a Bills game.

Nah, after the first hour it gets out of control--it sucks even without kids to have to listen to so many drunk a-holes. It's not fun. Stay away from endzones or upper deck, as others have said. Never a night game.

[RayFinkle]

Meh, club seats definitely have their merits, but for somebody's FIRST Bills game I think you have to be in the trenches.

The little dude is 9...he has no business being near the trenches. Any sporting event I go to with the guys, I'll sit anyplace.

 

If I take my wife or if I was bringing a child, I go club or lower bowl to price out the riff raff. Preferably club as they have less crowded, cleaner restrooms and shorter vendor lines.

[The Dean]

Nah, after the first hour it gets out of control--it sucks even without kids to have to listen to so many drunk a-holes. It's not fun. Stay away from endzones or upper deck, as others have said. Never a night game.

 

 

Lower upper deck is fine, otherwise I agree with staying away from the endzones (and night games), for a number of reasons.

[Leonidas]

I was brought to Bills and Sabres games from the age of 6 and up, and I turned out fine.... I think that it's more how the parent acts, than how those around you act. My dad just told me that they were not acting well and that I shouldn't act like that. And I am a well adjusted, socially adapt 28 yr old.

 

By contrast, I have been going to games since I was a kid and I'm a completely maladjusted 26 year old. Have you seen some of my posts?? A complete result of Buffalo rowdiness.

 

 

What makes people think a nine-year old boy would be traumatized by swearing, screaming, etc. At 9, I would have LOVED that.

 

I'm with Sage here, outside, with REAL fans, is the way to go, IMO. Unless you like to shelter and coddle your child, in which case I wouldn't take him (or her) to a Bills game.

 

For the same reason you don't let him watch Katt Williams do stand-up (besides the fact that he's just not funny) - he might know the words, but it's not great for his development for him to be exposed to all of them...at once. You don't want your nine year old to listen to some of that.

 

That being said, I went with my dad to the SF game last year and sat in the corner on the lower level (section 117?). People were so vicious (and I can be pretty awful) I was actually embarrassed. By contrast, I've sat in section 113 and the JK Club in the past and not had any problems.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

The little dude is 9...he has no business being near the trenches. Any sporting event I go to with the guys, I'll sit anyplace.

 

If I take my wife or if I was bringing a child, I go club or lower bowl to price out the riff raff. Preferably club as they have less crowded, cleaner restrooms and shorter vendor lines.

 

Well I'm not a parent, so I'm sure that I'm missing the correct perspective here, but I remember being 9 and loving sitting up in the upper deck. I remember feeling really grown up because all the guys around me were drinking and swearing and I felt like part of it. Maybe it isn't the "correct environment for a child", but I view it as sort of a rite of passage.

[Leonidas]

Well I'm not a parent, so I'm sure that I'm missing the correct perspective here, but I remember being 9 and loving sitting up in the upper deck. I remember feeling really grown up because all the guys around me were drinking and swearing and I felt like part of it. Maybe it isn't the "correct environment for a child", but I view it as sort of a rite of passage.

 

I hear you, but there's a different between an occassional F-bomb and people screaming the "break that !@#$ing guys neck" repeatedly.

[The Dean]

Well I'm not a parent, so I'm sure that I'm missing the correct perspective here, but I remember being 9 and loving sitting up in the upper deck. I remember feeling really grown up because all the guys around me were drinking and swearing and I felt like part of it. Maybe it isn't the "correct environment for a child", but I view it as sort of a rite of passage.

 

 

I'm with you, on this. Of course, some of it would depend on the kid's maturity level (for his age). Keeping him away from the worst stuff, I understand. But, if you are concerned he will hear bad words, don't take him to a game...because he WILL hear bad words, no matter where you sit.

[PIZ]

It's been about 10 years since I went to a game. Does the field house cost anything? When can you go in?

 

Quite a few people suggested club seats - which color on the chart would be the best for your money - it looks like they cost about $36.00 to $48.00/ticket? Club Level Family Corner - is that the only area that is the family section? I will likely go in September or October, and hopefully pick an "easier" game where we have a chance.

 

Not too worried about him hearing profanity - he usually laughs at that, even though I don't swear around him. I still remember my first game - I was about 11 and it is the best memory I have of me and my dad.

 

Thanks for all your help.

[PastaJoe]

Go with the family friendly section, just families with kids, and senior citizens, with no drinking. The sightlines are still good, you're facing towards the scoreboard, and you get a good view of the cheerleaders. Bring your binoculors for closeups. And sunglasses if it's sunny.

[Mr. WEO]

I hear you, but there's a different between an occassional F-bomb and people screaming the "break that !@#$ing guys neck" repeatedly.

Also, the puking, the bumping, the tough guy stuff, the spilling, .....the kid may think it's funny , but as the parent, it's a distraction form the game.

[cody]

It's been about 10 years since I went to a game. Does the field house cost anything? When can you go in?

 

Quite a few people suggested club seats - which color on the chart would be the best for your money - it looks like they cost about $36.00 to $48.00/ticket? Club Level Family Corner - is that the only area that is the family section? I will likely go in September or October, and hopefully pick an "easier" game where we have a chance.

 

Not too worried about him hearing profanity - he usually laughs at that, even though I don't swear around him. I still remember my first game - I was about 11 and it is the best memory I have of me and my dad.

 

Thanks for all your help.

 

The club level seats are grey- they are not cheep

http://www.buffalobills.com/tickets/premiu...-club-seat.html

Looking on the seating chart, I think the best for your $ would be the dark blue '$45.00

Upper Level Corner Rows 21-38"

[Lori]

You are not, but they do not check your ticket stub when you go out to buy beer.

There are no ushers preventing you from brinning a beer into the family section.

I agree w/ bourbonboy's assesment. I think the club seats are best for kids. But, if you follow his advice, you will be able to get out of the game without making you son hate NFL football.

Seems like there should be, since that's the entire idea of having a "family" section. Maybe that's something that should be brought to the attention of the folks in Guest Services.

 

Solid advice here, PIZ. I'll repeat the "no end zone" warning, with the caveat that you can run into an #^&@ anywhere in the stadium.

 

OJ was still here when Dad took me to my first game, which means I couldn't have been any older than nine ... but I'll be honest, I don't remember much from the first few. Now, by the time I was 15, sitting in the upper deck, buying my first beer at a game, and smelling the aroma of pot smoke from the guys behind us ... yeah, those games I remember a little better. That was in 1984, and boy, was that team terrible.

[cody]

Seems like there should be, since that's the entire idea of having a "family" section. Maybe that's something that should be brought to the attention of the folks in Guest Services.

 

I, quickly, checked the Bills website. I did not find an e-mail for Guest Services.

I think checking with Guest Services about thier current policies, and thier plans to enforce those policies, is more constructive than complaining about things that happened durring the TD era on a message board.

[mead107]

you can still get that smell of pot even in section 134 row 10 . If you get seats in the lower bowl you should be about 20 rows up so that you can see more of the field . My kids started going with me in 92 . they have seen some of the best and some of the worst fans . I must say that I never felt the kids to be unsafe at a game .When you sit inside to me it seems totaly different .They do not seem to get to excited .

[mcjeff215]

Also, the puking, the bumping, the tough guy stuff, the spilling, .....the kid may think it's funny , but as the parent, it's a distraction form the game.

 

Yeah, that's a lot of it. None of it may hurt the kid at all (you ever been on a school bus? 'nuff said), but it's hard to be a parent around stuff like that. At least for me. I go into kid protection mode and spend more than half of my time watching for incoming puke streams, fist fights, and beer bottles. I'd have to go club, otherwise I wouldn't be able to enjoy the game myself. Realize that it's like you're taking your kid into a 70,000+ seat sports bar.

 

That said, have fun with it! Cook some hot dogs in the parking lot. Toss a ball back and forth before you head in.

 

I get annoyed at some of the behaviour when I'm just with adults, but it doesn't *really* bother me. The "positive" parts of the atmosphere still outweigh the four puking dudes, three fighting jerks, two swearing drunks, and the partridge in the pair tree.

[cody]

you can still get that smell of pot even in section 134 row 10 . If you get seats in the lower bowl you should be about 20 rows up so that you can see more of the field . My kids started going with me in 92 . they have seen some of the best and some of the worst fans . I must say that I never felt the kids to be unsafe at a game .When you sit inside to me it seems totaly different .They do not seem to get to excited .

I do not like sitting in the boxes, anywhere.

What is great about the club seats is they are outside, but you get box like amenities.