TracyTN

Get ready to be bored. LOL I'm a Yank and I can't stand football anymore. It just is so S L O W. You get a play, wait 5-8 minutes, get another one, wait some more, TV time out, another play, wait some more, etc and so on.

Went to one game after becoming a hockey fan and I was so bored with the pace of play, we left at halftime. And I was a lifelong football watcher so go figure.

ImmortalNinja

Thanks for all the tips guys.
Its been really helpful and getting us stoked.

Gonna change our plans and see if we can get a shuttle there early (coming from foster city) and join in on the Tailgating shenanigans

KK

TimberHut

I'd suggest having a bet on the game. Not enough to skint you out but enough for you to care.

If you are unable to use a bookie then just do some sort of bet with a friend - ie have $10 on the next SF scoring play. Flip a coin - heads you get a field goal & he gets a touchdown. Just do something that makes you CARE what happens - you'll enjoy it a lot more.

Get there early with a bag of beer. You'll find somewhere to drink it and with a bit of luck you'll end up meeting & chatting to some cool people. Just go with the flow on this one & you should be fine...

As others have said it is expensive in the ground. Take a nice wedge of cash and don't worry about the cost. You'll enjoy it more and an $8 beer at a NFL game is more enjoyable than 2 $4 ones in some normal bar. At least for your $8 you'll prob have a nice drinks holder in the seat in front of you. Bargain!

You don't go to games very often so make the most of it.

At least you will be a home fan. My next game as a Broncos fan is away to the Colts. As things stand I'm not looking forward to this one too much - will probably lose and I'm sure the Colts fans will love rubbing it in to us Broncos fans who are there. 2 bags of beer pre-game I think

katnap8

Hope you enjoy the experience, as a native San Franciscan, I say GO NINERS!!!! you should have seen them in the 80s/early 90s when they really dominated the league.
I think live American football is so much slower than British Football. You will have lots of pauses in play.

Definitely dress in layers for Candlestick (glad they named it back). Opposing teams tend to hate playing there because of the wind, which is definitely a homefield advantage.

vegas

Take a mp3 player and a book

helwardman

Even better....take a portable dvd player and a dvd of a rugby league game

Englishman in Eugene

Glad you got some really good and useful replies in amongst the snarky ones.

As a Brit who has loved American Football since the mid-80s, I was really stoked to go along to an NFL game when I had the chance, and that came while visiting my in-laws for Thanksgiving in 2007, and we went to a Houston Texans game. We didn't have game tickets, just car park tickets (you should be able to buy these online before you go), and many people tailgate and not go into the Stadium. Sadly I was also ill with 'flu at the time, and dozed in a deckchair much of the time, but the atmosphere fantastic.

At Reliant Stadium in Houston there are distinct colour-coded car parks, and you buy a ticket for a particular area and park there. I'd aim to get there at least 2 hours before kickoff, and allow plenty of extra time for the increased traffic on game day. If possible do a recce a day or two before so you know your directions.

As it's a big event for you get there early, have food and drink of your own in the car (portable BBQ and coolboxes of beers and sodas, chips and dips), and be social. Go round the parking lot talking to people, and you'll get more free food and drink than you can ingest when they realise you're British and it's your first live game. There will be some exclusive parties which you might be able to talk your way into, family groups, friends who go to every home game, it's all good.

For the game itself, you will almost certainly not be allowed to take food and drink into the Stadium, as they want to sell you a hot dog and a bag of chips for $10. I finally got to see a live game at the end of 2008 with my BIL, and I was able to take a backpack into the stadium, but foolishly had to dump about $20 worth of chips that I was carrying in a plastic bag. Had I put them in my backpack I might have snuck them in, as the bag searches were not terribly rigorous.

Hope you have a great time and dress warmly! Your first live NFL game, regardless of who is playing, is an unforgettable experience.

penguinsix

Honestly, the Notre Dame - Stanford game was pretty crazy. You should have tried to gone to both games. A real football weekend.

ImmortalNinja

We did Half Moon Bay, In and Out drive through and a drive in movie today.
So not bad I guess.
Psyching ourselves up for the big day tomorrow though can't wait.

mayhemuk

Top result today! Did you make it to the Game? How as it for you?

mayhemuk

How as HMB? Was the surf still up? Anyone out there on the monster waves? Where did you park then go to view?

ImmortalNinja

The game was totally awesome!!!

Thanks to this thread we:
- took public transport and ended up taking the caltrain from Hillsdale. It was cheap and the walk from the station to the stadium along with all the other fans really helped us get in the mood.
- got there early and got to walk around the lot with our beers seeing all the trailgaters. (Even got some garlic fries out of it)
- Had plenty of warm clothing. Didn't really need it for the game as there was not really any wind and we were in the east stands in full sun for all the game. However it was hand for the end of the game and the trip home after the sun went down and it was chilly then.

Had a really great time and really enjoyed it. Wasn't bored at all and the fact that the niners pretty much squashed the Jaguars was cool. The game lasted three and a half hours and went by pretty fast. Don't really get those that said to bring a book or dvd. I certainly founded it more entertaining than a game of cricket.....
Sure there were a lot of breaks but thats what the cheerleaders are for eh?

So in summary it was fantastic for us and thanks for all the positive help people gave

For those counting:
Beer: Check
Hot dogs: Check
Peanuts: Check
Big foam hands: Check (although no-one else seemed to have them)
Shirts: we got caps instead
Cheerleaders: Big check
Jail: thankfully no

I'll post photos when I have them up

KK

ImmortalNinja

My wife and I go to HMB a lot as we like the cliff top walk.
We usually park at the lot at the end of Poplar street as its free. From there we walk along the beach and then back along the cliff.
The surf was still pretty choppy when we went but didnt see anyone in the water where we were.
The Hawks were out though and thats always cool.
KK

Johnny Blood

Glad you had fun! Your tight end, Davis, scored a much-needed touchdown for my fantasy team.

Hopefully you get more chances to see games in person. I'm going to see the Packers@Bears next week.