My first Flyers game....

[xpnbob]

so having recently moved here and with the lockout over I am planning on my first flyers game this year...

what are the do's and dont's?
what to expect?
what is an absolute necessity?
traditions?
etc...?

thanks

* might/probably will be taking my 3 year old son.

[PASnow]

It's pretty much first class, alot of corporate suites etc.. Gone are the days of some rowdy fans buying cheap seats at the Spectrum causing trouble/fights aside from a few jacka**es.. Same goes pretty much for the Eagles & Phillies basically. I've only been to a couple, but there no true traditions, just some songs they play after goals etc, but nothing much like throwing the opponents HR back at Wrigley. I believe they still show the heavyset guy in the last row in the 3rd period to get the crowd into it, unless they did away with it. Funny story, from what I heard when they had a terrible season years ago (and fired Ken Hitchcock) seats were empty and they were losing a game or something pretty bad. The fanavision showed this guy, and he saw himself & started dancing & boogeeing down. He's a pretty big guy, but does dance pretty well. The crowd laughed & started cheering, so each chance & break in play they started going back to him, and the crowd kept cheering. So the Flyers mgmt basically came to him or tracked him down, and offered him season tickets to the games. He basically sits dead last again the wall, directly behind the net, all the way up top. I know they were showing him for a few seasons & might still be, if someone else knows or knows more about the story behind him add in.

That said, parking probably a mess getting out of there, and depending who their playing there might be some drunks coming into & outof the Xfinity Live bar, if it's a big game (ie Rangers, Penguins). Other than that you should be fine, wear a flyers shirt or orange if you can.

[6enny]

what are the do's and dont's? -
* Don't go into the entrance of the bathroom immediately after the period ends.
* Do in the exit and then walk to the urinal against the far wall.
* If you must use a stall (because of the kid), Do go to the bathroom during the period.
* Do spend as much time in your seat between periods because the random activities then will probably entertain your kid more (races, mites on ice, t-shirt cannon, etc. etc.)
what to expect?
* Mild swearing in the upper rows. Well behaved fans most everywhere else. Potential for fighting in upper rows during close playoff games.
what is an absolute necessity?
* Buy your kid a large soda and get one of the take home cups with flyers players on it.
* Don't miss the anthem, Lauren Hart is awesome.
traditions?
* Yelling "sucks!" after each opposing player is introduced.
* Booing the refs when and opposing team when they skate out.
* Chanting "*******!" or "ref you suck!" when the refs make a bad call.
* Fat guy dances during 3rd period and they'll play a Rocky clip if they're losing.
* They changed the goal song and the new one is un-singable.
etc...?

Please skip the first game to stick it to the league, and seriously, get your kid started heckling players and refs early. I sat behind an 8 year old in the lower level who went on a 5 minute G-rated tirade against the refs and Canadians while his dad sat back and smiled. Aspire to be that dad.

Also, fat, dancing Seany was the guy that tried to hawk merchandise between the plays last season. They still make him dance. I think he used to work for the Phantoms. Not sure what came first, that gig or the dancing.

[Burholme06]

6enny pretty much nailed it. I will add to take the subway if possible - fast, convenient and a $3.10 round trip vs. $20 or $30 for parking.

[hubba1]

what are the do's and dont's? -
* Don't go into the entrance of the bathroom immediately after the period ends.
* Do in the exit and then walk to the urinal against the far wall.
* If you must use a stall (because of the kid), Do go to the bathroom during the period.
* Do spend as much time in your seat between periods because the random activities then will probably entertain your kid more (races, mites on ice, t-shirt cannon, etc. etc.)
what to expect?
* Mild swearing in the upper rows. Well behaved fans most everywhere else. Potential for fighting in upper rows during close playoff games.
what is an absolute necessity?
* Buy your kid a large soda and get one of the take home cups with flyers players on it.
* Don't miss the anthem, Lauren Hart is awesome.
traditions?
* Yelling "sucks!" after each opposing player is introduced.
* Booing the refs when and opposing team when they skate out.
* Chanting "*******!" or "ref you suck!" when the refs make a bad call.
* Fat guy dances during 3rd period and they'll play a Rocky clip if they're losing.
* They changed the goal song and the new one is un-singable.
etc...?

Please skip the first game to stick it to the league, and seriously, get your kid started heckling players and refs early. I sat behind an 8 year old in the lower level who went on a 5 minute G-rated tirade against the refs and Canadians while his dad sat back and smiled. Aspire to be that dad.

Also, fat, dancing Seany was the guy that tried to hawk merchandise between the plays last season. They still make him dance. I think he used to work for the Phantoms. Not sure what came first, that gig or the dancing.

The dancing came first... then he got hired... he also lost a lot of weight, so not sure the dancing thing will even happen this year, not as funny without the gut! lol... another fun game, and MUCH cheaper than the Flyers is the Wings... lots of action, crowd realllly gets into, music playing during the whole game, fun mascot for the kids (and those fans actually started the SUCKS chant during the intros before the Flyers) BUT I the 6enny got it pretty right, try to find the kids concession stand, I think they still have one... cheaper hot dogs\sodas for the little one.

[hubba1]

6enny pretty much nailed it. I will add to take the subway if possible - fast, convenient and a $3.10 round trip vs. $20 or $30 for parking.

YEs.. I meat to add that also, Subway if at all possible!! (4 bucks round trip without tokens)

[MNG1324]

Also have your tokens before you leave or else you will have to wait 15 minutes to get on the subway on the ride home.

Do not go to Xfinity Live. It's the Jersey shore on steriods.

I went to 18 games last year and the crowd is good during the regular season except against the Rangers or Penguins but during the playoffs drunken mayhem happens.

[xpnbob]

hmmm... sounds like a watered down version of the ECHL games i am used to going to on a regular basis. haha.

[6enny]

Yay to ECHL. I saw Dave Schultz at a Jackals game last Winter.

[xpnbob]

yeah theres really nothing like an ECHL game.. the fans seem to be more rabid/dedicated... and its nice to watch hockey where the players actually play like theres nothing to lose because they are trying to make it.

[MNG1324]

I'm going to the opener on Saturday against the big bad Pens. All the people who talk about boycotting the NHL because of the strike will hopefully sell tickets cheaper on Stubhub this year for me. The only protest that I will do is to not pay for the beer at the Wells Fargo Center or buy any merchandise for this year.

[Gone]

Been going to Flyers games since 67 , bring plenty of money. Nothing like live pro hockey

[brian0912]

tickets are WAY too expensive. 83.00 for the cheapest seat???? that's for ONE game and not even a playoff game??? thats ridiculous. you'd think the owners would lower the prices this year for putting the fans through another lockout. greedy bastards. and they know they can get away with it because the people still go no matter what. wsh the phantoms were still here,those games were entertaining and much more affordable.

[rjj]

Please skip the first game to stick it to the league, and seriously, get your kid started heckling players and refs early. I sat behind an 8 year old in the lower level who went on a 5 minute G-rated tirade against the refs and Canadians while his dad sat back and smiled. Aspire to be that dad.

this is gold.

[xpnbob]

yeah my mind changed the moment i saw ticket prices.... thank goodness i have nbc sports network.

[Burholme06]

yeah my mind changed the moment i saw ticket prices.... thank goodness i have nbc sports network.

You could always catch a Penn or Drexel game right next to your office.

[xpnbob]

yeah ive also considered that too... or even getting involved since i play too. eventually once i get a little more settled in im also planning on making some short trips to see some minor league action as well.

[Brian616]

If you want some good, cheap heckling, get a River End ticket to a Union soccer game sometime.

[MNG1324]

Try StubHub i got tickets for $27, $45 and $37 for games in Feb. Of course the games are Toronto, Winnipeg and Florida but you can get cheaper tickets if you plan ahead.