It's fun to be a college football fan if you live in the state of Utahr'd!
(FBS) Brigham Young University: 6-0
(FBS) University of Utah: 7-0
(FCS) Weber State University: 5-2 (3-0 in Big Sky)
(FCS) Southern Utah University: 3-4
(FBS) Utah State University: 1-5 (1-1 in WAC)
I have to say that this stadium, is awesome and I'm glad that now we have a soccer specific one in the state and we can watch football in the way it was suppose to be watched.
I can't believe that 9-October 2008 got here so fast, but it did and I am glad for it. You can totally tell that the supporters, team and opposing team really loved that they were playing on real grass.
It is one of the most state of the art facilities, and I think no seat is a bad seat. They, the staff, did a good job at the first game of this stadium.
Carnivale ReAL is outside of the gates, so everybody can experience the little hour pregame entertainment before actually scanning their ticket and going to their seats. I didn't get to experience this because A) Parking, and B) Will Call for tickets.
I'm not saying that either A) or B) were bad things, it's just I need to Park. See there isn't a true Parking Lot for the stadium goers to park in, but there are surrounding areas that you can park in, you just have to walk. The best thing I think you could do is either just ride UTA FrontRunner down and catch a TRAXtrain down to Sandy.
This would have been my first suggestion, and I might do this if I decide to go down to next Saturday's game against FC Dallas. Because the TRAX Station is just to the east of Jordan Commons, which in turn is just southeast of RioTinto Stadium. But since the game was on ESPN for MLS Thursday Night, it started at 8:00pm (MST) and I didn't really want to rush after the game to catch the TRAX train and then catch the last FrontRunner train at 11:35pm (MST).
So we just drove down, and we parked for free in the Jordan District Offices. Which isn't that much further east from the Sanday TRAX platform. So if I drive, I'll park here, plus I like the walk because it's close enough to the stadium, but far enough that you can just keep moving instead of sitting in traffic after the game.
The other reason I didn't catch any of the Carnivale ReAL is because of Will Call but that wasn't an issue because I sure do love having a last name starting with 'W'. The T-Z line at Will Call ticketing at any stadium is always the shortest. And I just find that window, pass all the long lines at the other letters of the alphabet and wait for like 5 minutes max.
When you walk into stadium, you are already on the CONCOURSE level, you just walk around that level until you come upon the section you are sitting in Section 35 is right were the East Entrance is, so we didn't have to do any pregame walking the stadium. I would have liked to walk around the stadium or at least visit the concession stand, but $8 Alcoholic Beverages, just don't sound refreshing.
So we found our seats, the section of the 'EA' of ReAL is section 35, and sat in comfortable chairback seats, instead of just american college football bleachers. There are no bleachers to be found in the new stadium, they are all nice comfy red chairbacks.
The atmosphere was very enjoyable, the opening cermonies to the end of the game. We are sitting right ontop of the players, instead of having the field like 10 Feet below the first row, the field is right in line to the first row. It's great to see only football lines on the field, and not yellow football lines and white yard markings for college football.
Red Bulls scored first goal in the new stadium. But that's the only goal they scored, in the 41' Jamison Olave scored the first goal for RSL in the new stadium. and that was the only goal for RSL. Would have liked to come out of the game with 3pts. but we are still clinging to our first playoff appearance, hopefully we can do damage against FCDallas next week.
R-S-L GO ReAL R-S-L GO ReAL!
