Your opinions of game day at SMU?

[Redding Husky]

I'm looking for opinions about the game day experience (pregame, stadium, concessions, fans, etc). I'm not concerned about the game itself (there's plenty of threads for that), just how the game day experience compares to other stadiums you've been to.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

I'm looking for opinions about the game day experience (pregame, stadium, concessions, fans, etc). I'm not concerned about the game itself (there's plenty of threads for that), just how the game day experience compares to other stadiums you've been to.

Living somewhere in Texas, you probably have some prior experience and insights. I did not attend this game, but have gone to games at SMU.

SMU game day experience? Instead of a typical gridiron experience, it's a higher than average income Dallas social event which just happens to occur on the Boulevard (SMU main plaza). Mix UConn's higher-end Blue lot or more upscale food and socializing with the Big D's typical plasticity. Concessions? C'mon, as if many SMU students, alumni, or many others who actually enter the stadium would even consider eating stadium food. Fans? Some interested parties and dedicated fans; far more self-impressed twits, platinum-dyed socialites, etc. with minimal to no game interest.

Very Dallas, soooooooooooooo SMU! For football in Texas, nothing comparable to the overall games experience, the actual games, tailgating, etc. at College Station or Austin.

 

[Redding Husky]

Living somewhere in Texas, you probably have some prior experience and insights. I did not attend this game, but have gone to games at SMU.

SMU game day experience? Instead of a typical gridiron experience, it's a higher than average income Dallas social event which just happens to occur on the Boulevard (SMU main plaza). Mix UConn's higher-end Blue lot or more upscale food and socializing with the Big D's typical plasticity. Concessions? C'mon, as if many SMU students, alumni, or many others who actually enter the stadium would even consider eating stadium food. Fans? Some interested parties and dedicated fans; far more self-impressed twits, platinum-dyed socialites, etc. with minimal to no game interest.

Very Dallas, soooooooooooooo SMU! For football in Texas, nothing comparable to the overall games experience, the actual games, tailgating, etc. at College Station or Austin.

Fair enough. Comparing game day at a private school (6,000 undergrads) with large public schools (60,000 undergrads) is a little like comparing apples with oranges. Or apples with lobster.

It is what it is.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

It is what it is.

Whooosh, hint on missed point: If interested in a football game day experience, go big public. Not so much Mercedes, Porsche, Beemer driving SMU games.

 

[Redding Husky]

Whooosh, hint on missed point: If interested in a football game day experience, go big public. Not so much Mercedes, Porsche, Beemer driving SMU games.

I agree. I've been to Oklahoma and Nebraska home games. Lots of fun. It's hard for a small, elite private school to match that. Actually, it's impossible for a small, elite private school to match that.

But at SMU I can sit in the front row, about 15 feet away from the corner of the end zone, and have a pretty good time. That can't be done at Texas or A&M.

 

[TheDrifter75]

I agree. I've been to Oklahoma and Nebraska home games. Lots of fun. It's hard for a small, elite private school to match that. Actually, it's impossible for a small, elite private school to match that.

But at SMU I can sit in the front row, about 15 feet away from the corner of the end zone, and have a pretty good time. That can't be done at Texas or A&M.

But at Nebraska, Tx or Tam you can sit anywhere in the stadium, be surrounded by people and have a pretty good time.

 

[Redding Husky]

But at Nebraska, Tx or Tam you can sit anywhere in the stadium, be surrounded by people and have a pretty good time.

At Nebraska or Texas, you can have seats in row 87 and never get close to the field. You can still enjoy the game, but I don't want to bring binoculars.

 

[TheDrifter75]

At Nebraska or Texas, you can have seats in row 87 and never get close to the field. You can still enjoy the game, but I don't want to bring binoculars.

Just sounds like you're advocating for sparsely populated game attendance.

 

[DefCONNOne]

Fair enough. Comparing game day at a private school (6,000 undergrads) with large public schools (60,000 undergrads) is a little like comparing apples with oranges. Or apples with lobster.

It is what it is.

What is?

 

[Redding Husky]

Just sounds like you're advocating for sparsely populated game attendance.

No. I wish all of the AAC schools would draw 80,000 and get attention in ESPN. But if you compare being: 1) in the top row of a 80,000 seat stadium with binoculars, or 2) the front row of a stadium (literally 15 feet from the end zone) with 20,000 people there, it's not a slam dunk that I would choose option 1 every time. The more intimate setting has some advantages.

 

[Redding Husky]

What is?

Attending a game at a small school of 6,000 undergrads. It doesn't come with all of the bells and whistles of a game at a school with 60,000 undergrads. The small schools just don't have the resources due to the numbers.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Actually, it's impossible for a small, elite private school to match that.

Some folks in northern Indiana would like a word with you. An outlier, I know.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Some folks in northern Indiana would like a word with you.

Or, even in-state, small privates TCU & Baylor. And, their student, alumni, and others actually go in to games and they dont just draw away fans.

 

[Jimdish255]

Living somewhere in Texas, you probably have some prior experience and insights. I did not attend this game, but have gone to games at SMU.

SMU game day experience? Instead of a typical gridiron experience, it's a higher than average income Dallas social event which just happens to occur on the Boulevard (SMU main plaza). Mix UConn's higher-end Blue lot or more upscale food and socializing with the Big D's typical plasticity. Concessions? C'mon, as if many SMU students, alumni, or many others who actually enter the stadium would even consider eating stadium food. Fans? Some interested parties and dedicated fans; far more self-impressed twits, platinum-dyed socialites, etc. with minimal to no game interest.

Very Dallas, soooooooooooooo SMU! For football in Texas, nothing comparable to the overall games experience, the actual games, tailgating, etc. at College Station or Austin.

Saw a lot of this...

.. and a little of that. Based on the people I met and the way the students all dressed that guy was way in the minority if he was an alum at all (seems doubtful).
.

 

[31GuardTrap]

Got back yesterday afternoon after spending a week in TX. My thoughts about the SMU experience: One of the worse game day atmospheres I have witnessed. Walking in to an opposing team's stadium, I expect a few words of "negativity" thrown at me. Zero/ zilch.
The stadium itself is decent and there appears to be a family like atmosphere. I stayed with a friend who is a SMU grad and he confirmed that the 17k they had there was pretty much the high end. Most visiting teams take over the place....sad.
At halftime, I walked around the concourse with my wife and even she was shocked at the lack of enthusiasm. Not a whole lot of expectation there and even less support really.
I'd still go back for another one in the future because I like to torture myself with losses.