Is Going To The Game Worth It?

[Fins4ever]

One of the worst NFL sunday experiences happened to me last week.  I live in Broward county, in a suburb of Ft. Lauderdale.  It is Dolphins' country...

Or is it?

The wife and I went to Bru's room - a local sports bar chain owned by former Miami Dolphins Bob Brudzinski.  There are three of them locally, and they have great food.  Normally a great atmosphere.  However, on this Sunday, I walked in in my Jake Long jersey expecting to whoop it up with other Dolphins fans - at a bar owned by a former Dolphins player, in south Florida.

Instead, there are 40 or so Giants fans at the bar, and they are slowly convincing the staff to change every TV in the place, as well as the primary audio in the place, to the Giants game.  When asked, the manager said "do you see how many Giants fans there are?  Majority rules..."

I was the only Dolphins fan in the bar.  The Dolphins were on one tv, of the 20 or so they have.  The Giants were on at least 7 or 8 of them.

Granted many people might have been AT the stadium, but the same thing happens there.  Where have all the Dol-fans gone?

WOW! That is tough! Hard to argue with the owner on catering to the fans that are paying the bills.

Where I am from, most sports bars were either open to all teams or had a specific following. You didn't go to the Eagles Nest or The Bears Den and expect to see the Fins. Sounds like the owner gave up on making it a Fins bar. That is a shame!

If it were me, I would market it as a Fins bar and keep the the main screen for the Fins games, for at least for a year. However, when you have 1 Fin fan, that is hard to justify.      

[Stinger24]

A little different take I much rather enjoy going to a college game on campus on a Saturday. My wife and I are season ticket holders for UCF my wife is a grad. 2 seats 35 yard line  25 bucks each free parking and all the tailgating you want. The atmosphere is great on campus. We also try to travel to Atlanta for a few games a year to see GT play for me again on campus stadium a little more expensive tickets but the atmosphere is great. I used to go to a few phins games a year but the atmosphere is just not fun and the cost is not equal to the value for me.

[MikeO]

A little different take I much rather enjoy going to a college game on campus on a Saturday. My wife and I are season ticket holders for UCF my wife is a grad. 2 seats 35 yard line  25 bucks each free parking and all the tailgating you want. The atmosphere is great on campus. We also try to travel to Atlanta for a few games a year to see GT play for me again on campus stadium a little more expensive tickets but the atmosphere is great. I used to go to a few phins games a year but the atmosphere is just not fun and the cost is not equal to the value for me.

I love going to college games. They are a lot of fun. Games go too long though in college, they are 4+ hours sometimes because of the difference in rules and all but college games are great.

[Phishfan]

One of the worst NFL sunday experiences happened to me last week.  I live in Broward county, in a suburb of Ft. Lauderdale.  It is Dolphins' country...

Or is it?

Sounds to me like you just picked the wrong place to be. You can't expect every sports bar (I assume you have just as many or more than we do around here) to be a Dolphins bar. I bet you can find a place that is going to be full of Dolphins fans but that isn't the spot for it.

[Fins4ever]

this is slightly off topic but sorta on the issue of "going to games".... if you get a chance catch HBO Real Sports this month (aired this past Tuesday). They talk about violence at games and how the atmosphere at games is keeping people away these days.

Good point! Heck even baseball has had violent events and they play 182 games a year. You would think a loss would be no big deal. lol

By far the most unsafe environment is at a soccer match. I knew a soccer fan from Sao Paulo, Brazil and she said it was common for riots to break out at matches and a hit man taking out a goalie who "lost the game" was no big deal!

[Phishfan]

Good point! Heck even baseball has had violent events and they play 182 games a year. You would think a loss would be no big deal. lol

By far the most unsafe environment is at a soccer match. I knew a soccer fan from Sao Paulo, Brazil and she said it was common for riots to break out at matches and a hit man taking out a goalie who "lost the game" was no big deal!

I don't think the loss itself is as much a cause as the amount of alcohol consumed by some combined with the mob/gang mentality. While I understand making a place uncomfortable for opposing teams and fans (just do some research on visitor's thoughts of coming to Morgantown) some people take it way too far.

[Fins4ever]

I don't think the loss itself is as much a cause as the amount of alcohol consumed by some combined with the mob/gang mentality. While I understand making a place uncomfortable for opposing teams and fans (just do some research on visitor's thoughts of coming to Morgantown) some people take it way too far.

For the record, my father was born and raised in Morgantown. We latter moved to Gallipolis, Ohio which is across from Hunington, WV. Small world!!

[SportsChick]

Sounds to me like you just picked the wrong place to be. You can't expect every sports bar (I assume you have just as many or more than we do around here) to be a Dolphins bar. I bet you can find a place that is going to be full of Dolphins fans but that isn't the spot for it.

Bru's Room is owned by a former Dolphin.

We won't get into their changing the channel in the middle of games once your seated and enjoying your game. It was a terrible experience (and I couldn't believe it even as a Patriots fan that the Fins were on a whopping 2 TVs and no audio)

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

It is Dolphins' country...

This is not unussual.  When I lived in Albany, NY (Jets/Giants country) rarely was Jets or Giants the largest fan base in the bar...Often there were more Pats, Bills, or Steelers fans.  Simple reason.  You could watch the local game at home.  The sports bar was filled with fans that rooted for out of town teams that didn't have directv. 

[Fins4ever]

This is not unussual.  When I lived in Albany, NY (Jets/Giants country) rarely was Jets or Giants the largest fan base in the bar...Often there were more Pats, Bills, or Steelers fans.  Simple reason.  You could watch the local game at home.  The sports bar was filled with fans that rooted for out of town teams that didn't have directv. 

Agree. I can look to see which games are going to be televised and then have a good idea whose fans show up at the local Buffalo Wild Wings.

In my area of North Central AZ., the Cards, Eagles, Bengals, Skins, Pats and Ravens are on TV Sunday  with the Packs and Seahawks playing MNF with the G Men and Panthers already have played.

If I had to guess, the place will be full of Stealers, Chargers and Broncos. 

[Brian Fein]

Sounds to me like you just picked the wrong place to be. You can't expect every sports bar (I assume you have just as many or more than we do around here) to be a Dolphins bar. I bet you can find a place that is going to be full of Dolphins fans but that isn't the spot for it.

yes, clearly not the right spot, but i have 3 prevailing expectations when discussing sports bars on Sundays...
1) if the bar is owned by a dolphins player, it should support the dolphins.  Just as I would expect a place called Ditkas to be a Bears joint.
2) I expect that when you walk into a sports bar at 12:30 to get a good seat, and sit according to the little helmets on the tvs illustrating which game will be on, that they don't switch them all around after the games start and the place is full.
3) I expect that, no matter how many fans there are, there is no need to have 40-50% of the tvs showing the same game. Regardless of which game it is.

Needless to say, I won't be going back there on Sundays. Which is a shame cause I really like their food.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

^^^^ I agree with you on #2 and would have made a stink over that.  The other two I think you are unreasonable.

[Phishfan]

Bru's Room is owned by a former Dolphin.

We won't get into their changing the channel in the middle of games once your seated and enjoying your game. It was a terrible experience (and I couldn't believe it even as a Patriots fan that the Fins were on a whopping 2 TVs and no audio)

I am very familiar with Bob Brudzinski. You would think Dolphins fans would flock to a place owned by him but I guess not for some reason. The changing channels in the middle of games may have something to do with it. That should never happen. I guarantee there is a Dolphin fan bar somewhere, you guys just didn't pick it.

[Fins4ever]

I am very familiar with Bob Brudzinski. You would think Dolphins fans would flock to a place owned by him but I guess not for some reason. The changing channels in the middle of games may have something to do with it. That should never happen. I guarantee there is a Dolphin fan bar somewhere, you guys just didn't pick it.

Shula's Steakhouse??? lol Eat a 60 dollar steak and watch the fins with a 9 dollar beer. Just like being at the game. lol

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I am very familiar with Bob Brudzinski. You would think Dolphins fans would flock to a place owned by him but I guess not for some reason. ......

 I guarantee there is a Dolphin fan bar somewhere, you guys just didn't pick it.

You would think he could do a better job at marketing the place to Dolphin fans.  Such as by randomly showing up 1 Sunday per year and posing for pictures with fans.  That would interest Dolphin fans more than the other 31 fan bases.

As for finding a Dolphin bar in south florida, if SF is anything like the places I have lived, avoid chains and sports bars with 30+ TVs such as Wild Wings and go to smaller non chain bars that have cable and 3 or 4 TVs, it will have the game on plus either golf, tennis or baseball on another channel and everyone will be locals.