Taking the trip to go downtown for a Raven's game is not always all fun and games, here are all of the reasons why your trip may be extra stressful from start to finish!
1. Ticket Prices
Being a college student, no one is rolling in money on a regular basis. Tickets can get expensive, especially the really good seats. Just purchasing a set of tickets online and having to pay the "convenience fees" can really take a toll on your bank account. Some of the best seats go for upwards of $200.
2. Dressing For The Weather
In Maryland, the weather is always unpredictable. Let's be honest, we all struggle to find the perfect thing to wear to the game. Is it picture worthy? Will we sweat through this or will we freeze? So many options, and such a difficult decision to make. Always be sure to pack what you think you may need!
3. The Light Rail
The prices for the Light Rail are really great -- no one can beat $4.20 for a round-trip pass! But it's not all sunshine and roses. I once took the Light Rail downtown, and it just stopped at one of the stations with no explanation. We had to pay for a Lyft to take us back to our car. Let's not forget how on game days, the Light Rail gets so packed it can be hard to find a seat. Overall, maybe the discomfort is tolerable considering the price!
4. Traffic
This may be the most frustrating part of going to the game. If you don't leave early enough, you will get stuck in horrendous traffic that will make you wish you never even bought those tickets. What does leaving late plus a bunch of stupid Maryland drivers equal? The answer is disaster and stress. Be sure to leave as early as possible in order to avoid this!
5. The Great Parking Debacle
Everyone knows that parking downtown for a game can get very expensive. Not to mention how easy it is to take a wrong turn and get lost. Like, why are they trying to make you pay $25 just to park? I can't even begin to imagine how much money they make from just one game.
6. Lost In The Large Crowds
Thousands of people attend each game and getting through the gates is absolute pandemonium. It's important to keep a close eye on the people you go the game with to make sure that you all stay together. Never underestimate the power of the Buddy System!
7. Finding Your Section And Seats
M&T Bank Stadium is huge. With a total of 71,000 seats and a bunch of different sections, it can be hard to find exactly where you're supposed to be sitting. Luckily, there are a bunch of wonderful attendants to help show you exactly where you should be.
8. Expensive Food And Drinks
So far, you've paid for tickets that should not have been that expensive to begin with and you've had to pay for parking. But the real icing on the cake is how expensive food and drinks are. I know they said they were lowering the price, but can they just give it to us for free? We've spent enough of our hard-earned money already.
9. Watching Your Team Lose
No feeling is worse than paying to go to a game and seeing that team lose. There are days where I'm 100% sure that I would be a better wide receiver than anyone that they have on their team. You can call out play after play from your seat, but odds are that things will not be getting better from this point on.
At the end of the day, even after all that it took to get to the stadium and all the money that you probably spent on tickets, parking and food, there truly is no feeling that is comparable to sitting in one of these illustrious purple seats and relax as you watch the sun set on M&T Bank Stadium.
