So as many know this Monday I attended the Packers vs Seahawks Monday night name. And while the game is mired in controversy over poor officiating and a catch that might've been an interception or a simultaneous catch.
As a Pack fan it sucks to see them lose especially in that fashion, however as just a fan of football in general I was blown away with the production, the event, and the experience that was/is CenturyLink Field and Seattle Seahawks football. My seats were in their north-endzone equivalent, also on the north end, the Hawks Nest. I'd like to say I sat there... but sitting wasn't an option, in fact as I looked around the stadium about half of it was continuously on their feet the whole game.
Seahawk fans are rare breed, their intensity is on a whole different level than what I've ever been a part of. For the most part they are/were great fans. I can say without a doubt that even as just a fan wearing Green and Gold - I was intimidated. While friendly, the entire fan base there was amped up beyond anything I've ever seen at a Griz game.
We get into the stadium and the first thing that makes an impression on me as the game gets started is the player introduction. I recorded it on my phone, however it was so loud in there the sound got all distorted and messed up. The whole stadium is on their feet, waiving white 12th man towels. The video BUILDS up, the music doesn't just come in and the intro smacks you in the face but it's a built up thing, there's fireworks, there's fanfare - it set the tone right from the start.
Here's a user-shot video I found on youtube from the Cowboys one, just hearing the song and seeing this again gives me chills as it did while I watched on Monday. I'll post the one I shot as well this afternoon but due to the distortion it really doesn't give it much credit. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7noKkG3fvyI[/youtube]
Then, they raise the 12th man flag. Unlike our #37 flag which is just plainly announced and done without any fanfare, they make a production out of it. For the MNF game it was Trent Dilfer - there was a quick video montage from his Seahawk days (forgot he even was one!) and then there was a camera with him which was behind him showing him standing and over-looking the field, waiving his 12th man towel. The crowd goes NUTS and then he raises the flag. There was a great build-up for this as well.
Then, there was the game. There was an incredibly similarity in fan knowledge of the game, when to be quiet, when to go nuts, etc. 3rd down was UNREAL in there. A Seahawks fan that chatted with me in a bar after the game told me on his crappy ear-phone speaker for his cell phone it registered 112 decibels over and over again. The first touchdown, a deep 45 yard bomb - the place erupted. It was so loud in there you could "feel" the noise inside you practically, the seats/stands vibrated, people were insane... the whole game. You'd think the noise would actually have been louder for their "winning" TD however many started heading out to beat the rush after the 'Hawks failed to pick up a previous 1st down/TD with 2:00 left.
I get that this was a huge stage and a unique game for Seattle, but as I've been told over and over it's always that way there. The players fed off the fan intensity. That intensity was brought up (as I saw it) through a well-planned out and produced build up with the player intros, the pre-game, the raising the flag, and the continual crowd involvement events during the game. The Seahawks responded on the field and made big play after big play.
Another thing that helped seem to keep the crowd going was that many players had cheers/chants/etc for them. Obviously there's Lynch's beastmode stuff but there were other guys that would get cheers such as, "Brrrruuuuuuuccccceeeee!" (for one of the many guys that sacked Rodgers) which would be aided by the video board that would put up the cheer/chant/etc for the player.
The whole thing was a massive production on a level that I've never seen before. Now can WaGriz copy it? No, it sure cant, comparing an FCS level stadium/experience to an NFL one just can't be done. However we as Griz fans pride ourselves on the game day experience that is Grizzly football. What I saw on Monday was two fold. There was the careful, thoughtful, and well-planned production that elevated the crowd to a frenzy. And then there was a fan base that was absolutely rabid and stayed that way the whole night.
Some things that I took away that I think we and Grizzly Athletics should consider:
- Map out and use all of the intros/pre-game stuff to build up when the players come out. Look at the way the Seahawks team is introduced and see if you can apply a hype/ramp-up video when Monte comes out. Mix up his pre-game stuff too (and I'm not just talking about a different car). Then get some excitement around the 37 flag, put a camera up there, give it a bigger intro that Peter Christian just saying, "raising the flag today is Ryan Featherston." meh... show some clips of Feather making plays, add some hype music, get a shot of him up there waiving his arms to get the crowd going, THEN raise the flag).
- I suppose we're stuck with the We Are Montana video, it's not bad at all just too similar to last years.
- Urge more crowd involvement during the game, put up chants/cheers/etc. Don't just play raise a little hell but get some new damn material.
- Consider (for seasons ahead) to remove the seats entirely in sections of the NEZ and pre-warn people that sit there, offer incentives for those that want to move to the NEZ and trade with those that choose to sit. Get that section crazy again and not complacent.
- Serve beer in the stadium. The amount of sales that could be made selling beer there (I paid $9 for a small glass of Shocktop at CenturyLing) could probably be so great it would wipe out the need for half of the dumb ads that are on the screen in-between plays.
- The fans can reciprocate, stand the heck up on 3rd down at least throughout the whole stadium. I don't care if it's Fort Lewis, South Dakota, EWU, or MSU...
- Hold more challenges and contests to see which section can cheer the loudest, make it fun, add in giveaways.
- Also consider an incentive for people to get their butts back into the stadium after the half. Maybe try something fun (a mini candy bar if you're back inside the gates no later than 2:00 after the start) or try something more dramatic - don't allow re-admission once the 3rd qtr is halfway though. Of course making it fun would be better.
- More giveaways, I'd rather see a stadium waiving towels or blowing horns rather than catching a t-shirt fired out of a cannon.
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That's my thoughts. CenturyLink was an amazing experience. Sure I'm bummed the Pack lost but as someone that lives for "the experience" that stadium is the Mecca of gameday experiences. And I've been to Lambeau as well... doesn't hold a candle to what I was a part of on Monday. It was incredible.
We as Griz fans and our department can do better. I don't think anyone is not trying, I know the UM has excellent staff and creative minds. It's time to rock the boat and get things moving upward again.
GO GRIZ!
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