Arena Antics

While I doubt the current NFL lockout and drama will have any lasting impact on the game, Anh and I decided to be proactive (just in case) and attended our very first arena football game last week. Not knowing what to expect, we joined our friends with season tickets so they could fill us in on all the subtle differences. These are the same friends with front row season tickets at the Orlando Magic basketball games. So logically, Anh and I expected great seats at the Sharks arena. We were NOT disappointed! Front row on the 50-yard field!
The shortened field was an obvious difference from the classic version of the game. It felt incredibly small and even smaller as the players crashed into the padded wall inches from our faces. Sitting in the front row, you had to be alert at all times. At any moment, a ball or player could be headed into your personal space. More than one spectator left after being nailed with an overthrown football. Now, I'm sure I would have felt differently had I suffered from direct impact, but I loved the fact that the game was practically taking place in my lap. Sometimes, it's easy to "zone-out" or become distracted at sporting events due to all the activity buzzing around you. We simply couldn't take that risk at this game. I didn't miss a single second!
Another advantage to sitting in the first few rows was the likelihood of leaving with a free souvenir. It's just like baseball. If you catch a ball, it's yours! We came close. Anh had his fingertips on the ball at one point, but he fumbled. I guess he's a bit rusty from those high school glory days. Ha! Oh well, the boys have enough footballs anyway and bringing home another one might have tipped them off to the fact that we excluded them from a sports outing. That news would not go over well with our two sports nuts!
Luckily for those two boys, Anh and I had a fabulous time and look forward to attending another game this season. We'll be sure to take the whole family next time, but I think higher seats will be necessary. There is no break from parenting, and my two kids are the ultimate distraction. Higher seats will insure my head isn't rattled, just my nerves.