Theme: Sports Watching
Next season the Cardinals will be playing at a new, climate controlled stadium, so this tip will no longer be relevant.
From the freeway, Sun Devil Stadium looks amazing, like it is built into the side of a mountain. However, the sad truth is this is one of the WORST places you could ever watch an NFL football game.
Take, for example, a game in 2003 against Green Bay. It was early September, and about 105 degrees at kickoff. As you would expect, many die hard Packer fans made the trip and they had been tailgating. They came pouring in the gate with their heavy duty #4 jerseys on, their cheese heads in place, in their jeans. Also, coming in the gate were the Cardinals fans. They are wearing shorts, and light-weight Cardinals t-shirts, carrying water, because they know that the humidity is only about 5 percent. Every sports arena in Phoenix allows you to carry water into the arena, and if don’t have it you will be sorry.
To get a beer or get to your seat you must crowd into the tiny concourse where the line for the concessions, the long line for the bathrooms, and people trying to walk through the concourse all converge creating hot, sweaty chaos. And by halftime they were out of beer and all the water the Cardinals were selling was warm. By the third quarter they were out of water also, which was not only bad planning, but could have killed some of those cheese heads.
The stadium is built out of concrete and bakes like an oven. The fans sit on uncomfortable metal benches. One side of the has more shade and those tickets cost more. Some people try to get the tickets high in the lower bowl because they are under an overhang.
It isn’t all bad though… it is easy to get tickets (although they aren’t cheap), there is plenty of parking, and the stadium is next to Mill Ave, where all the great bars and restaurants are. Plus, your teams gets to play the Cardinals, usually an easy win.
Equipment: The neighborhood is very safe and touristy. There is a nice golf course on the other side of the stadium and there are several hotels right by Mill Ave, in easy walking distance. The Mission Palms (which is great) and the Marriot Courtyard come immediately to mind.
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Phone: (602) 965-5062
Address: 5th Street and Rural, Tempe
Directions: The stadium is only about five miles from the airport, so you could easily take a taxi.
Website: http://www.sfo.com/~csuppes/NFL/ArizonaCardinals/
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on Aug 13, 2004
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