My friends and I almost died traversing a beam to get into Doak Walker Stadium after driving all night on our way to Panama City Beach for spring break . . . We got in and discovered FSU was holding an open practice. Other end of the stadium was wide open
I found open doors to Bryant-Denny after Bama-UGA in 2003 (maybe 2002?). This was late night after bars. Got to go straight on the field. It’s a lot taller in person.
As someone who has basically been a scaredypants my whole life (mostly worried about what my mom would do to me if I broke the rules), this is terrifying
Not seen in this picture is the new south end zone with new suites and elaborate dining and training facilities and I wandered through the whole thing early last fall without one person stopping me.
I wasn't thinking about your parents silly. Given the way USA seems to be descending, allowing acres to locations of mass gatherings seems a little... Stupid and naive for the venue.
I must have been very lucky. On my one visit to Ann Arbor, my friend said, "let's see". It was unlocked and completely empty. But that was 2005, and I considered the stadium "the scene of the crime" (different story). Very impressive venue.
In hindsight I didn’t do this as much as I wish I had during my time there, but stopping here to read for a bit on my walk home from class was always delightful. One of the best perks of the stadium being right in the middle of campus!
Huh... Germans don't have a reputation for being very, um, warm and friendly. But that's usually the Prussian leather, whips, and chains Germans. The Bavarians are usually the fun, beer drinking, pretzel eating Germans.
Seems you ran into a Prussian in Bavaria. Bad luck.
They actually took my son's phone to erase all the pictures (while they didn't realize I was getting it on video with my camcorder). Not everyone gets "booted" from Allianz stadium. Makes me feel special.
My dad used to book us tours of stadiums, while on family vacations.
Rose Bowl, Superdome, a couple others I was too young to remember. I have three older sisters who I’m sure were thrilled. lol.
Was in Boston on vacation. My team, Cleveland was in town, but my wife’s not a baseball fan. We toured Fenway during the day and had a great time. Skipped the night game. I got to see the park and she didn’t have to give up 5 vacation hours for a game.
I still look for stadiums out the windows of planes, even if I have seen them a million times. it is one of the follies of youth that I hope to never give up
I love this. This is something my dad would have totally done. And true story: he worked for the City of Pasadena so my early childhood logged many hours at the Rose Bowl 🏟️
Gonna page in @rodger.bsky.social, I think he met him at a game, I don’t really know much about him except his videos used to get posted on Twitter. He’d go to empty stadiums or like stay after the conclusion of events and just like waited til he ran into someone asking him to leave.
That’s my guy GFed, truly humbling attending a few games with him because every Gen Z college football fan goes crazy for him. Looks like he just checked out your beloved Duquesne Dukes https://www.tiktok.com/@gfedgocrazy?_t=ZP-8slv5FszS5X&_r=1
A core memory of my childhood was my dad stopping the car in south bend on a cross country summer trip and leading us into an open Notre Dame stadium. We walked around and took photos. I think we even ran out on the field. No one stopped or questioned us. Kinda weird looking back on it.
That is awesome!! I have a similar memory of Ohio Stadium with an uncle. As I recall, there was some construction on the open end bleachers and we sneaked in after the workers left.
Good for them. I’ve always loved the experience of going into a strange place just because. I found people to be quite nice and understanding when I explained why I was there.
One of my very favorite things to do. I love the tranquility of an empty stadium, especially juxtaposed against my memories of live events in the same facility. Here's my son and I sneaking into The Palestra to relive Big Five moments.
I got drunk and found a back door that was open and unlocked at trust park. Walked around, went down on the field. Got a pocket full of dirt and left. All over the course of about 30 mins
Love it, I once did the same in the bullring in Valencia, just wandered in and had a little potter about. Also walked into the Nobel Institute offices in Oslo which in fairness I thought were a tourist attraction
Totally incomparable, but my buddy was recruited by Pitt and John Carroll U for wrestling (early ‘90s); went with him on the trip. The John Carroll field was open and empty. Got to run some imaginary routes. A good time.
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Seems you ran into a Prussian in Bavaria. Bad luck.
Rose Bowl, Superdome, a couple others I was too young to remember. I have three older sisters who I’m sure were thrilled. lol.
Did that at Arizona once years ago. Wandered out to midfield and hung out for a few minutes chatting until some dudes in a cart finally noticed us.
Young guys, totally cool. Just kind of laughed and told us to split before someone that mattered showed up.