The Manufactured Atmosphere at Davis Wade Stadium is Terrible

Well, you asked.

This may not be a popular statement, but I don’t like the atmosphere at Davis Wade Stadium anymore. In fact, I think it is terrible. Too many distractions and way too much jumbotron for my tastes. It takes away from the game and inhibits our ability as fans to have an impact on the game.

It’s pretty hard for me to say that with 27 straight sellouts the atmosphere at DWS is terrible. But it is. Maybe all the games and commercials and videos is what gets the final 10-15% of folks in the stadium to make it a sellout, but I’d rather do without it all. I think there’s a better atmosphere in my living room than at the actual game these days.

The $6.1 million spent to build the jumbotron in 2008 was worth it I thought, but I’m having my second thoughts. I think I down right hate it now.

Basically what we have now at Mississippi State football games are the antics that go on at a minor league baseball stadium. They have to do those things to keep people entertained and coming back. For one, it’s the minor leagues. Secondly, it’s baseball which can be a little boring sometimes (I love the sport but you have to be honest it’s not for everyone, especially those that may get dragged to the ballpark by daddy). WE ARE A SEC FOOTBALL PROGRAM WE DON’T NEED THIS NONSENSE!

• “whip the hair”
• Sonic food race
• Columbus Ortho Harlem shake
• Mercedes Benz commercial
• Kiss cam
• Etc. Etc. Etc.

The list goes on and on of horrible distractions that take away from the game. What happened to the band playing?

I don’t mind a video, I don’t. In fact pregame videos are some of my favorite. I like seeing replays on the jumbotron, absolutely. At halftime, go commercial and game crazy. BUT NOT DURING THE GAME.

Here’s what happens at a MSU football game these days: 3rd & 7, we’re on defense, tie game, offense calls timeout. [Colubus Ortho Harlem shake, Kiss cam]. Everyone’s attention is drawn to the jumbotron, away from focusing on the task at hand – getting our defense pumped to stop the other team!

I don’t need a bunch of distractions. I’m there to watch a football game. And I don’t care if you think we need to entertain ladies and children – the last I checked they were just fine in the pre-jumbotron era. I went to all kinds of college football games as a kid without seeing a tater tot race a hot dog from the 50 yard line to the endzone. That is bush league.

You might be saying, well they do that at MLB ballparks too. Again, different sport. This is football. There are only 6-7 home games a year, it is wildly entertaining in and of itself, and we need to be all in for the Dawgs and not distracted by people whipping their hair around like an 80s rock band.

You might be saying, well MSU has to pay the bills with those commercials. Really? One 15 second ad cost roughly $15-20K for the entire year. How many are there, 30-40 ads? So that’s $450-600K to destroy your football atmosphere? That should be chump change for a SEC athletic department. It’s no more than 1% of the athletic budget. Here’s an idea – charge each person in the stadium an additional $1.50 for each game to not have to have those horrible advertisements and silly games and you’d raise that much money.

I’m not the only one..

I’ve been to almost every SEC stadium and none of them have this sorry atmosphere. I used to go to games and get chill bumps from listening to the band play and watching the game. Now my mind is spinning and I can hardly focus on the game I paid a good chunk of change to see.

Scott Stricklin – you’ve got an opportunity to have a great stadium next year, please don’t ruin it with a terrible atmosphere. Get rid of the commercials at horrible times, the silly games and “entertainment”. WE WANT TO WIN SEC FOOTBALL GAMES. THIS IS NOT A SLEEPOVER PARTY. THIS. IS. FOOTBALL.

Yes, I can stay home and watch the game. I still don’t like it. I firmly believe that it sucks the life out of the stadium and hurts our home field advantage. This isn’t just about “fan experiences” (which my experience hasn’t been good as you can tell), but it’s about winning football games and doing everything we can to win the game. Everything.