I'd never been to a Phoenix Rising game before. Apparently this is the third stadium for them, so it's fairly new. I've heard the games are always a blast, especially the supporter section, so when I got the invite I absolutely had to check it out!
I was worried at first because of the location. Downtown on Washington is not known as the easiest place to access or navigate, especially for parking & even more getting back out after dark. However, this location was a breeze compared to other major events! We were able to park within 5 min after paying the general fee, and not at all a very far walk to the gates.
The security lines were very quick- again less than 5 minutes. This was about 30-45 min prior to kickoff. Inside there was swag immediately available. Not just from Circle K & Phoenix Rising sponsoring, but lots of other booths & vendors! I saw many walking around with some really cute shimmery Smirnoff backpacks. Wish I would have seen that booth!
Plenty of vendors/food trucks. A great selection & variety. Alcoholic beverages are also an option. There's also a nice merch shop with very good quality items & the ability to make custom printed jerseys for a very reasonable price.
The restroom facilities are a notch up from the usual port-o-potties. They have the nicer trailers, which are much easier to maneuver & in general more cleanly. The grounds are well-kept. Asphalt, some turf & maintained gravel. Walking was easy & accessible for all. What I also found brilliant: a hydration station with cups provided so you can fill your own bottle or grab a quick cup- with a sign encouraging hydration in the desert heat. It's conveniently placed next to the medic tent.
Seating is not "picky" or strict. Especially in the supporter section. Really, that is ideally the section you WANT to be in. Looking across the stadium- all the others were boring, sitting & not at all actively engaged. Whereas we're sitting, standing, drums & chants going, cheering, color bombs going off & water bottles spraying on occasion... everyone was having a blast! Kiddos included, jumping up & down chanting & dancing alongside. They're basic bleachers, but you're not really focused on that when up & down with the action. We had plenty of space & everyone was extremely courteous of one another. And, if there were any issues, security was on site & very easy to access. They were also very polite, as were all event staff.
It was a tie game. So no big celebration from either side but still a fun time for all. Exiting wasn't nearly as crowded or chaotic as anticipated. Everyone was calm & moved at their own pace without issue. Many wanted to line up for autographs along the player's exit route (which they gladly oblige & access is easy), and staff makes sure to route everyone accordingly so as not to disrupt the flow or cause confusion.
It was easy enough to find the vehicle again, not too far away. It looked like getting out was going to be a long wait, but luckily the traffic directors here were really good about splitting the route & diverting as necessary. We had to take a slight detour, but it still got us out well ahead of waiting in the opposite traffic line. They were very friendly about it & gave the option of staying in the long line or turning to take the alternate exit of a detour.
Overall, this is a newer stadium so it's not totally up to par but man, it was a great evening & you really don't notice anything out of the ordinary. I'll definitely go back for another game! read more