Football Tix. for Parent's Weekend thoughts

Wishful

"Land of the free, because of the brave..."
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Just some thoughts for first-timers as I was last year. Tickets went on sale via internet or by phone (719 472-1895) for Cadet parents (& future Cadet parents) 9AM MT yesterday. My first game was last year. Unaware that you could purchase tickets next to the section where the cadets sit, I bought on the opposite side from the Cadets near the bathrooms. I say by luck because it was a hot day & I had to refill water bottles several times. In fact, the lines at the water fountains were so long that I refilled them by using the sink. There was an area next to the bathrooms that my DD could access & we could meet with her for a few minutes. I also bought tickets to a tailgate party which was held under a very large tent next to the main the stadium entrance. It was located near where the Cadet Squadrons set up their tailgate parties (where you can meet with your Cadet) which was convenient. I thought it was Thudgate, but it wasn't. As my boss used to say, “I am never wrong, I am only misinformed.” In fact, it was poor attention to detail on my part. However, being under the tent and out of the sun for a couple of hours prior to the game was worth it. As I recall, the tent offered mostly breakfast items; I went for the fresh fruit & water. There was beer available, but it was too hot & too early in the day for that.
 
Also, each cadet squadron hosts their own tailgate in a roped off cadet area before the game. Typical burger/brats type affair. Although you will be out in the sun, it’s free and you spend the entire time with your cadet and meet their friends and parents. Also, there is another tent in the tailgate area (set up by Coors I think) that provides free beer. A little early for me on PW but for other afternoon or evening games I’ve been to it worked.

As for seats, I like to get a seat under the press box as high up as I can so as the afternoon sun swings around, you are eventually in the only shaded area in the stadium.

Also, 2 lines for entrance - one to get your purses/big bags inspected and the other if you have nothing to inspect. We stood in the long inspection line the first year because of my wife’s purse but she now brings the basics and we breeze through the other line.
 
p.s. Hope for a non-televised game so you don’t have those long delays for TV commercial breaks
 
Thanks, Wishful! We're planning to load up the family truckster and head out to PW with the whole family, sadly minus DS Raptor, who will be back at TX A&M (whoop!) by then.

Regarding tickets, where did you find out about PW tickets for Cadet (and future Cadet) parents? All I can find is the info for season passes... Is there a link, or did you call them directly? Also, were you recommending sitting next to the Cadets, or somewhere else? I read that some enjoy sitting in the tier above the Cadets--any feelings on that idea? If you (and everyone else) could suggest some preferred sections, I'd appreciate it!

Here is a link to the stadium seating chart:
 
Thanks, Wishful! We're planning to load up the family truckster and head out to PW with the whole family, sadly minus DS Raptor, who will be back at TX A&M (whoop!) by then.

Regarding tickets, where did you find out about PW tickets for Cadet (and future Cadet) parents? All I can find is the info for season passes... Is there a link, or did you call them directly? Also, were you recommending sitting next to the Cadets, or somewhere else? I read that some enjoy sitting in the tier above the Cadets--any feelings on that idea? If you (and everyone else) could suggest some preferred sections, I'd appreciate it!

Here is a link to the stadium seating chart:

I too only see Season Ticket info and purchase. Also, a dumb question, can I assume the grey shaded area on the Stadium Seating Chart is for the Wing?
 
Check with your state Parent's Association. Many of them get blocks of seats together and make them available to parents. Check for your local parent's club here : http://www.usafa.edu/superintendent/cma/parentslinks.cfm

The squadron cook-outs are a lot of fun and this is where you can chat with your cadet and meet a lot of his new friends and their parents. We are still good friends with a lot of the parents who we met through the squadron. Although the cookouts are "free", there will be a donation jar set up and I will encourage you to throw $10 or $20 in because it helps the squadron with the expenses. My son was the squadron morale officer (a/k/a Grillmaster) so I know how tight of a budget that they are on for squadron activities.

Stealth_81
 
I agree with Stealth on the tight MWR budgets so at the Friday night squadron Open House, you will also want to support the squadron by purchasing squadron T-shirts and other squadron related memorabilia.
 
I agree with Stealth on the tight MWR budgets so at the Friday night squadron Open House, you will also want to support the squadron by purchasing squadron T-shirts and other squadron related memorabilia.

Great tips, thank you! Will do...
 
Please help a real newbie as this will be our first year. Is it important to buy tickets now? I see there are seats near the cadet area - are those good to reserve?
I'm not sure how many in our family are going for PW yet - is it better to buy tickets for all and then possible sell back what we don't need? Or buy one for me and later try to add another or two?
Thanks!!
 
Purchase the absolute cheapest seats possible (we found some for $5).

As you may recall: This is NOT STEELER FOOTBALL.

For the ladies: the lines in the restrooms are unbelievably L O N G. Act and drink accordingly.

Wear hats, use sunscreen.

T-shirts for sale for $5 - greatest bargain in Colorado.
 
Sweeeeeet. $5 tickets? Yes, please. Thanks for the noggin's up on this.

What section? Did you buy them from an individual or online? ...and just to confirm: these were for the PW game, correct?
 
We bought them online, willcall. But this was about 3 years ago. Let's just say: nosebleed doesn't cover it. I think we were in the top row. We were totally fine with that.
 
We bought them online, willcall. But this was about 3 years ago. Let's just say: nosebleed doesn't cover it. I think we were in the top row. We were totally fine with that.n Like I said, it's not the Steelers.
 
With all due respect to above,

My take is get the best seats available. Contact your Parents Club President and ask him/her if they are purchasing group tix (usually in July) and advocate that they go for good seats as opposed to cheapies. (Reminder: no tuition, no tuition.) Many people are accustomed to big bucks for college football (Hello Michigan, Texas and Alabama), but USAFA games are a good bargain. It's much better to watch from the 45 yard line than deep in the endzone. (Insert warning here: Be prepared for hot sun!) As for water, use the water mules (black trailers) located near end zones on several levels...much faster for re-filling water bottles than the long line at a drinking fountain. Kickoff is usually around noon. We usually arrived and started tailgating by 9:30-ish. Visit the squadron bar-b-ques to meet your cadets friends. In years past cadets filtered out of cadet seating and visited parents during the game. In 2013 the orders were that they stay put until the end of the game the Air Force Song. I expect that will be the same this year. Finally, enjoy every second of parents weekend...all four go by fast!!!!
 
RaptorDad, forgot to add that yes, we went to Colorado only for parents weekend and finally, graduation.

On our first parents weekend, we actually did sit with the our local parents group but (no offense to that group) found that a football game was really not a good place to get to know anyone. Most of them, we never met again. And, our parents' group tailgate party location was not clearly marked and by the time we got there (after we paid over $100 for the event), there was no more food! No one's fault but ours I guess, but we skipped it the next three years.
 
Flight, hotel, rental - booked
Tickets - ordered

I'm sure I'm doing everything wrong, but I'll know better for next year.
 
Purchase the absolute cheapest seats possible (we found some for $5).
X2 :thumb:
We also purchased tix through our local parents group (coincidentally the SAME group as Fencersmother) the first year. After that we purchased the cheapest tix we could find and spent most of the time talking to our cadet. I don't "buy" into the theory that FREE tuition justifies over spending on anything related to USAFA or the AOG. By all means....give and support the squadrons through donations and t-shirt purchases though. BTW - doesn't the post graduate military obligation cover the FREE tuition?
 
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