A Trip to the Superdome
Last Thursday the New Orleans Saints faced the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Superdome, and I managed to pick up tickets for $15 each last minute. I later found out that these were worth at least 80 bucks each. What a bargain. I was intrigued to see what the atmosphere would be like both before and during the game compared to something like the Premier league.
We arrived about an hour before kick off, on the way to the Superdome the surrounding streets were rammed with food trucks, people selling beers and other unofficial merch. It had a real vibrant and community spirit around, in the background you could hear a band made up of local kids playing jazz in the street. It was a pleasant and welcoming environment which was a welcome change from a hostile partisan style crowd.
Getting into the dome there was a whole forecourt with a whole stage set up with more bands playing, this part could have easily have easily been a gig or day festival with it's set up. Walking inside the Superdome felt like entering the Death star, high tech lighting mixed with the newly renovated concourse made it almost feel as if you were in Ikea especially with the exposed concrete (rip Edmonton ikea). After a quick lap around the dome it was clear that you couldn't walk five metres without some sort of concession stand selling some food or drinks. The food was a little bit on the higher side, $14 for chicken tenders and chips, not too insanely priced. However a beer, a pint can set me back 15$ the same price as my ticket which despite someone who regularly spends their student loan on overpriced IPA’s even that was a step too far for me.
Our seats were on the half way line up the top, with a very steep climb not one for the people scared of heights, but nonetheless a good view. We had the unfortunate pleasure of sitting next to a jags fan who was absolutely plastered by the start of the game, who at one point asked for betting advice on the Premier league and then said he was going to bet 100k on a game and give me the stake if he won which was a very odd situation. He then proceeded to say that Ron Desantis was a good governor which was certainly interesting. Thankfully in the fourth quarter after he had been annoying everyone he got a New Orleans welcome and got sucker punched in the face and then got told it's a long drive back to Jacksonville as the policeman took him away.
Although the Saints lost on the final play of the game the atmosphere was superb and I would definitely recommend going although maybe lay off the beers while ur there unless you want to remortgage your house.