Yes, I'm sure there is a thread or 4 here somewhere on this, but I can't find it. Does every person need a ticket to get into DKR? My daughter just turned 2 a couple days ago and my wife and I have tickets for Wyoming. If you know where this question is already answered, if you could just point me in the direction of that thread, that'd be great. Thanks!
yes, she needs a ticket. i started taking mine early and they definitely need ticket. i chanced it a few times and went through line with my daughter on my shoulders and nobody said anything. then once, she was walking beside me and nobody saw her.
10000 people are going to tell you not to bring a kid to the stadium. This post is made every year, and the poster gets slammed every year. I don't know why. And the correct answer is "yes, she needs a ticket."
Some bring kids. Some get so intoxicated you can smell em, and hear em entire sections away. I took my almsot 3 yr old last week, and I can guarantee you he was much less trouble than the falling over drunks...
Stat, hard to argue with that. But not all drunks are buttholes, and not all kids are criers. Some, like mine, didnt want the game to be over and wouldnt leave the stadium until perfecting his "hoof en Horns." (thumb still pops up every now and then, but he's working on it..) Would I suggest taking a kid to an open air 100 degree high intensity game? Maybe not. But, Rice, Wyoming...pffft.
Yes, she needs a ticket. Besides that, you probably don't want her to go. It's 4 hours in the sun, and you'll be making frequent trips here and there - unless your kid likes to sit still that long - which sucks if you don't have an aisle seat. On top of that, it's not really a family atmosphere, no matter how hard they try. There's no shortage of drunks, belligerent loudmouths, and profanity, so you'll be exposing your child to those things as well. Not the place for positive role models. Anyway, it sucks that I can't paint a rosier picture, but it is what it is. She'll probably be happier doing something else anyway. P.S. my Dad didn't let me go to games until I was 12, for similar reasons.
I should say that it's not as bad as I made it sound, either. I've had some fine experiences there with my family that I'll always enjoy. And the guys on the field make fine role models. I'm just saying, be prepared. My kids aren't going with me until they show some serious interest in football.
40acres, Every situation is different. However, I can't imagine this being a fun experience for any two year old, and as a result nor for her parents. We took our 6 year old grandson and his parents last year to his first game. He never complained and was courteous to surrounding fans as had been explained to him as a requirement in detail. He had been asking to go for two years prior. Last August he completed the first requirement of singing "The Eyes" by himself before getting to attend a game with us. Proper behavior in a crowded environment is difficult for young children (and some adults). And any fan, regardless of age, needs to WANT to be at a game to really enjoy the experience. Please evaluate objectively if this will be a good 4 hour situation for your daughter first, your seating neighbors second, and then you & your wife. If you get a no on any of these I suggest you do yourself and everyone else a favor and wait until your DAUGHTER truely wants to attend.
Every kid is different, but try going to a high school game and see how that works out. Much cheaper. Inevitably, my 4 year old wants to sit on my lap (I miss any exciting play where people suddenly stand), asks to go to the bathroom about every 20 minutes, and wants to run up and down the row more than sit there for 4 hours. We get a sitter for the Texas games. Less expensive than a ticket and a more enjoyable game watching experience for mom and dad. that being said, i can't WAIT until he is old enough to enjoy watching football and mature enough to handle the environment. Just not quite ready yet.
I remember being taken to games before I knew what was going on and being very bored, waiting for halftime so I could see the bands. The mascots and bands were the only thing I enjoyed. This was last year. No it might have been a few years before that. The first game I can actually remember any football details from, I was about six years old. So it is a little hard on young kids when they don't know the game of football, but I know you want to pass on the love of Longhorn football to your kids, which my father did for me. I guess it is up to you to judge if they are old enough or can tolerate the crowds, heat, and people blocking their view for that length of time.
Why is everyone assuming that the obnoxiously drunk group and the young child group are mutually exclusive? Spare the flask, spoil the child.
To answer the question, she absolutely needs a ticket. To address the concerns about whether DKR is a proper environment for kids, well, everyone is right about it being hot, loud, crowded (even though it's Wyoming, it's also the home opener and a night game ... it will not be a sparsely populated stadium), and more full of drunks than anyone cares to admit. You know your kid better than we do. Is this really the type of environment she'd like, or is this more about YOU wanting her to go? Only you can make that call, so I'm not going to tell you what to do. That's your business. Just be cognizant of what it's going to be like, both for her and for you.
We didn't bring our kids to games until they were 3 (or more like 3 1/2). That seemed about right. Years later, our stadium neighbors have brought up how they have enjoyed watching them grow up, so I don't think we've just imagined that they were well-behaved. Unless, of course, what they really meant was, "We're glad they finally grew up." One small thing we did was bring treats for them. We told them that at the end of each quarter (too bad Chris Plonsky had already given Wally Pryor the boot by then), they'd get a roll of Smarties, or whatever. We'd promise them a trip to the concessions at half-time on the way back from the rest room. Those were some of the few times we rewarded our kids with candy, so if they paid attention, they learned how to read a scoreboard and stretched their bladder all in one shot. A back scratch every so often also helps.
Just took our three year old daughter to the Rice game. It was great. She watched the game, loved Bevo and the bands and generally had a great time. No crying or impatient complaining. If your youngster is sufficiently into the fun, its all great so long as you are not in crappy weather and/or without fairly convenience access to restrooms.
I'm part of the "leave them at home until they're 6" crew. Kids just don't get it. And even if they do understand Bevo or the band, you're basically paying for them to take up a seat. That's not "fandom," that's "I'm too cheap to get a babysitter-dom." And yes, I have kids.
You see? I warned you. There is no middle ground usually. The "I HATE KIDS AT GAMES!! I SHOULD BE ABLE TO SCREAM OBSCENITIES WITH IMPUNITY!! YOU'RE KILLING YOUR KID!! YOU'RE KILLING ME!!" crowd is not as vociferous this year, or just not yet. Buy a ticket. Do what you want. Good advice on this subject is hard to come by.
Until they will sit and watch an entire game at home on TV, don't even think about bringing them to the stadium. You will just make yourself, them and fans around you, miserable. If a child won't sit through a game at home, he/she won't do so in the stadium. Until then, get a babysitter.
I took my 20 month old to a game last year (babysitter bailed). He loved it. Every person in our section dropped by to see him and he ate it up. He loved the colors and sounds. Kids at that age (and still at 2) are very visually oriented and a football game is a visual feast. Caveat: we currently sit in the NEZ Club Seats just outside of the door and a/c is constantly flowing over our seats. It is never very hot.
