Chicago Bears are playing today, with high temps forecast a balmy 13F, and wind chills down to -20F. Anyone who has attended a game at Soldier Field - along Chicago’s lakefront, knows that it can be a chilly environment in all but the balmiest weather. Especially if seated in the shade.
So - simple question. If someone gave you a pair of tickets for free, would you attend? (Assume they would be whatever you think good seats.)
Alternatively, how much would you pay for good tickets. Or - in my case - how much would someone have to pay you to go?
And, if you did go, how would you dress to try to stay warm?
For me, I would consider going if someone paid me $10,000, and provided free transport to and from the gate. Admittedly, I am not a sports fan.
I’ve gone to a Giants game where I had to remove the snow from my seat. As stupid as this sounds, there weren’t many empty seats at the start of the game. As the Giants got blown out, somewhere in the third quarter the stadium was half empty. My brother and I gave up at the end of the third and went to seek warmth.
Assuming I was already in town, absolutely. It would be several new experiences for me (crazy winter weather, attending an NFL game, hanging out with Chicagoans…) I own serious skiwear, the price is right, and nobody is holding a gun to my head if I want to leave. Why not?
Sure, I’d go. I’ve never been, and Soldier Field is one of the great old football stadiums. I know how to dress for cold weather. And as @Elmer_J.Fudd said, you can leave anytime you want to.
Not just no, hell no. I live about 30 west of Soldier Field. Weather reporters are saying to stay inside today because of dangerous wind chills. Scary temperatures.
I’d probably go if I was in town and had the time free (though in reality if I was in Chicago without my kids and had time in my hands it would take a lot to stop me spending the day reading a book over a pint in Goose Island )
The only NFL game I’ve seen live was a Redskins game in similarly cold conditions, on an unseasonably cold Maryland winters evening. I enjoyed it, and wasn’t going to complain as I was brought to the game by father-in-law who’s season ticket holder, and he’s from the tropics!
My son and I went to a playoff game in Baltimore where it was bad, but not that bad. We were in the nosebleed seats, but we made it. The Bears are decent this year, so I’d probably go as long as I had the option to leave if it got too uncomfortable. I know our daughter was out and about yesterday, but don’t know how cold it was then. It’s below freezing with wind here in the DC area, but our kids have it worse; 12 degrees for a high in Chicago, 16 degrees for a high in Ithaca. Here I think it’s supposed to be getting colder as the day goes on. The dog liked being out in the snow earlier, but he shows no inclination to go out now since he can hear the wind.
Walked the dog this morning - just our standard 2 blocks. Wind was mighty cold on my face. I imagine I’d need a facemask - or at least a neckwarmer/scarf pulled up so that only my eyes showed. Of course, then my glasses would fog up. And instead of walking, at a game you would just be sitting there.
I’m thinking 3 pairs of socks and plastic bags under my hiking boots, long underwear and my lined goretex pants under my snow pants. Up top I’d probably wear t-shirt, long-sleeved waffle tee, insulated flannel, and maybe fleece vest and/or wind shirt under my ski jacket/parka. 2 pairs of gloves. (Just ordered a new pair of mittens after my existing gloves proved insufficient while biking on Friday.) Probably just my one warmest hat (bought in Alaska.)
I guess I can get that. But if they completely razed and replaced it, would you feel similarly? The White Sox built a new stadium across the street from old Comiskey.
Different topic, but do you realize the Bears are likely moving to a suburb? (If they are able to extort enough corporate welfare…)
I am whatever the polar opposite of a sports fan is. I would rather watch paint dry, because it is quieter.
But I can be bought, and am not afraid of the cold. I am, however, terrified of boredom. Am I allowed to bring a book? or watch something on my phone with discreet earbuds? If so, then if transport, housing, food, etc., are covered, I’d do it for a few thousand.
If I actually have to watch whatever sport this is-- I’m assuming football, because I think professional and college basketball is always inside-- then it’s going to be upwards of $25,000. We need to talk-- like, how long is it expected to be (I have no idea-- I thought the Indy 500 I’d agreed to go to wouldn’t be more than 2 hrs., and it was almost 4! )
ETA: (forgot dress part)
I would dress in layers, and I have some experience here. Start with a T-shirt and yoga pants under a thermal union suit, and thin, cotton socks. Thick wool socks on top, and snow boots. Gaiter for my neck, and something over just my ears. Sweatshirt. Loose jeans. Winter coat. Sock hat. Keep a face cover in case I need it, but not use it yet-- don’t want vision obscured.
Also have an electric blanket, and a source of battery power (like the back-up for my aquarium) good for ~4 hrs. to plug into. Good for my phone and smaller laptop, too.
Good point. For purposes of this thread, assume no earbuds/book. No entertainment other than what you can find within the stadium. I guess you can spend as much time as wanted inside the concourses. Not sure if SF has bars or clubs you can hang out in while buying food/drinks. If so, you can hang out there.
But, as imaginary as the OP is, my idea was that you have to go to SF today, and spend a good portion of your time sitting in the unheated stands, with nothing to entertain you other than the game, whoever accompanied you, and whatever else presents from your viewpoint in the stands.
My eldest kid was in the marching band at college a couple of hours from us (ISU). Wishing to be supportive, we drove down to see most of the games - at least the early ones in good weather. The freaking game itself practically repelled our eyes, it was so boring. Absolutely hell to sit through to just see my kid as one of a hundred or so tiny figures during halftime. Not to mention traffic, parking, uncomfortable seats…. After the first couple of years, we dialed it down to just one game per year.
I’ve been to several Packers games at Lambeau Field in even colder/worse weather: two or three games where the air temperature was just above zero (and there was a wind chill), and one (the 1985 “Snow Bowl”) where it was single-digit temperatures plus heavy snow and wind.
But, it’s been years since I’ve been to such a game. I still have the right clothing for it – long underwear, wool socks, arctic hat, parka, hand warmers, etc. – but I’m not sure I’d tolerate it as well anymore. And, at this moment, I’m nursing a sore back from snow removal earlier in the week (when I was visiting my parents in Wisconsin), and that’d probably stop me from going to a game today, even if I wanted to.
)