This year, for the first time in 5 seasons, I've been placed in the North end zone with some friends for the season, and I'm still not quite sure how I feel about it. I've always loved the East stands, mostly because I can actually see the game. However, the North EZ has an appeal all its own, as it is traditionally the craziest, most shiznit-losing section in the stadium (at least it should be). So here's my question for the TKP community: what do you prefer? The viewing superiority of the East stands or the atmosphere of the NEZ?
There's FBS football in less than 24 hours, and Hokie kickoff is in less than 3 days.
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North and its not even close!!!
The East stands is my favorite place in the stadium to watch. You can see the game, see the big screen, and feel like you're in the middle of a huge crowd of Hokie faithful. There is a good mix of students (over near NEZ) as well as young and older fans. NEZ is definitely an experience and I love the idea of it being packed every game with crazy students, but that ship has sailed for me.
I always have trouble choosing which I like more. My sophomore year (2011) I was right behind the MVs in between the goalposts. I got to see the LT3 run come right to me. It was great. We were all screaming like nuts and the view couldn't have been better for that play. But, the view sucks for just about any other play. East has better views, but isn't nearly as intense or loud (that or the stadium as a whole has gotten worse since 2011 - which I don't believe).
I'm back in North this year in Section C, Row M. I'm excited to get back to the energy. I'm looking forward to us scoring a ton in the North End Zone.
Oh dude. I'm section C, row H. Party on.
Party on TechHokie13.
You'll probably hear a loud and slightly drunk skinny white guy a few rows behind you and that'll be me. Very descriptive, I know.
Section D, row P reporting in (I hope this means I'm in the lower section this year).
Your Seats
Interactive Chart
Found this awesome 3d seat visualizer. Just type in section and row and boom, link is your actual seats btw. HokieTime
And yes, I do hope we see some good action coming toward us in the NEZ. Shoot, my mom might even see me on TV!
Never seen a sober person in NEZ before. It's awesome.
I never drink before games. I like to remember everything. Well, maybe one or two beers, but never drunk.
EDIT: :D I made it to 1000 legs!
Suit yourself. As far as I'm concerned, we never played JMU, BSU, or Michigan.
If you aren't drunk before the game, then you're truly missing out
If you are drunk before the game, you actually do miss out.
Related question: West stands. We'll be there for Bill&Mary, and we're super psyched! Our first game since 2001 Gator Bowl, and the hubster's first trip EVER to Lane. So we were there for MV7's last game, and we'll be there for the Brewmeister's debut. We're in section 14 West. Please tell me it's a rowdy section! And if it's not, could you please fib a little? Thanks.
It depends on the row you sit in. Higher up, it might be a little louder. When you get closer, that's where a lot of big donors who want to sit are.
But, here's the fib you requested: It's much louder than North.
Thanks. Row M, so I'm guessing we'll have to bring our own rowdy. No problem. We're from South Carolina -- we sort of specialize in stirring things up.
probably dating myself, but I haven't sat in the NEZ since they were temporary bleachers for a LOLUVA game
NEZ = For the experience
East Stands = For actually watching the game
^ This.
I spent most of my years in the East Stands, and a few scattered games in the South, but most of the best memories I have were in the North. I envy anyone who is in the NEZ for the Thursday night game against Miami.
Yep! NEZ for a crazy atmosphere that will make you want to run through a wall....
We've never lost a game when I've sat in the East Stands, but the North Endzone is just the better student experience. Plus, that's where I sat my Senior Year to witness the Tyrod Miracle
Sitting in the east stands, it felt like I was watching a tv production at some points. Sitting in the NEZ, it felt like I was having an effect on the outcome of the game. Nothing will ever compare to the NEZ for me (and I sat with the American Outlaws in Manaus when the US played Portugal during the World Cup earlier this year). It's just an experience all to its own.
My first night game was 2006 against Clemson...cheering in the NEZ, I actually felt like we were changing the course of the game:
BTW, the following guys were on the 2006 VT defense: Carlton Powell, Jason Worilds, Chris Ellis, Macho Harris, Brandon Flowers, Vince Hall, Xavier Adibi, Cody Grimm, Roc Carmichael, Kam Chancellor
What an incredible game. Their RBs were Spiller and Davis, right? Didn't they COMBINE for like 20 yards rushing this game or something like that? I remember their rushing total was some absurdly low number.
Held the #1 scoring O to 7 pts.
That was my first Thursday night game. So Awesome.
http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=262990259
Every. Single. One. Of those defenders got signed by an NFL team.
NORTH NORTH NORTH NORTH!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just got my tickets and they are in East...first time ever. I don'treally care though because football!!!!!!!!
This is something Id like to know too. I sat in East my entire Hokie career and loved it. Maybe Ill try and get a ticket in north just to see. If you know any students getting rid of theirs, let me know!
I love North for the experience. Just got mine today and was so pumped to have north for my senior year (section D row P).
Still not sure how they select who gets to sit where for student season tickets but a friend of mine's younger sister who is a freshman got north while several of my senior friends got east. Personally I don't think that right but that just my PO.
I like the view from North but I prefer the fans in the East. It seems like the vast majority of Greek Life organizations are in North, and you end up with a lot more clueless people that are just there "because everyone else is doing it"
I could not agree more. I've never heard more stupid comments at a football game than I did when my seats were in the north. Most of the people there have about a 25% understanding of football rules and penalties but are always the loudest about cursing the refs. I also noticed way more "Fire Beamer" comments there too. Nobody there knows player names either.
I spent 2 seasons in the north and 1 in the east. The north fans are increasingly becoming the let's go to tots at half time group of people which makes me mad. I think the north needs to be the loudest group of people for the entire game so they should let people from other sections fill it up when the frat bros leave at half time.
Also, I propose that the band not be allowed to leave their post or stop playing music until it is officially half time. I can't tell you how many times the band has gone down to prep for their halftime show while we could have used the noise to help the team out. They make the shape of Virginia every time anyways they have to know their spots pretty well by this point.
Sorry for my rant on your post but I have strong opinions about my time in the north haha.
First of all, the band does a different show for just about every halftime throughout the year, so no they aren't making the state of Virginia every time. That's done for pregame shows only (in general) which the MVs only do once a year.
Secondly, they need to go down and get into their spots and be ready to get on the field ASAP, otherwise the show runs long and we run the risk of getting the team penalized, which I think is more important to avoid than making a little more noise before halftime. Trust me, the band is still making noise down on the sideline anyways.
^This
Also, the band isn't there to "make noise." We don't play music just for the sake of making noise. If you're referring to the shouting and screaming though, there's no reason the rest of the NEZ needs the band to tell them when to yell at the other team.
Not necessarily just making noise but getting and keeping the crowd involved. All of the drunk bros in the north need all the guidance they can get and having a chant to yell keeps them from yelling offensive things at other fans and the refs.
Also the band leaves the stand about 3 minutes before halftime, so that still leaves almost the entire first half we are in the stands with y'all. HokieBone12 is absolutely right that if the band doesn't rush onto the field as soon as the football teams are off, then the team gets penalized and then its the whole "Blame the band because Logan Thomas couldn't hear" situation all over again. (Isn't it funny you blame the band for not being loud enough, yet the band got blamed for being too loud?) I can't remember how many times I've looked back up into the NEZ and seen plenty of people not even watching the game because they were too busy talking to their friends or had too much to drink to even realize where they were. Plus if you are saying the band needs to stay in the NEZ stands until the final whistle of halftime, then the rest of the NEZ needs to stay until the final whistle of the game... Ever notice how empty the NEZ is in the 3rd and 4th quarter because people decide to leave?
This was by no means a personal attack on any of you guys. I just think that the band plays a more important role during the game than they do at half time.
I hated the people in the north that you are referring to and having to listen to everyone talk about where they were going to go drink at half time was agonizing. I think that sitting in the north should be an application process and a privilege. Only the most dedicated fans are allowed in.
My comment was not meant as an attack on the band (which I believe is how you took it). When the band isn't playing the fans are less engaged in the game and it takes a little momentum out of the game atmosphere. I think the band is vital for college football but I also think that they are more useful during the game than they are at halftime. Feel free to disagree with me, it seems like most of you were in the band so I understand where you're coming from. I'd be pretty stoked to go out on the field for any reason during a game so I know it's a cool experience.
While I understand that most fans could care less about what we do at halftime, that is what we work for every week. That's what we put in 8 hours a week for on top of our regular classes. It's to put a quality show on the field, a new one every game, so that we, as musicians, can entertain during a period where there is no action on the field. Imagine what halftime would be like if it was similar to a youth sports match where the teams go to the sideline, eat their oranges, and listen to the coach, but instead of lasting 5 minutes, it lasts 20. I get that we don't put on the most exciting of shows. We haven't done some video game themed show or some giant moving figure, but we still do our best to entertain while the reason everyone came to the game is taking a break. I know you aren't trying to attack the band for leaving early, but you have to understand why we have to do it. If we don't get there early, the kickers can't take the field to warmup for the second half in time or they can't do some competition during the break. Everything is on such a tight schedule that things can't slip at all.
I know what you're saying. Like I said having the opportunity to go out on the field to do anything would be awesome, but especially if it is something you work for. I wasn't trying to offend everyone (I finally made an account to contribute here, not to terrorize haha).
No offense taken my friend. Just trying to explain the logic behind it. As HokieBone said though, we're very fortunate to have the HTs at Tech. When the team scores while the MVs are on the sidelines, the stadium still hears Tech Triumph. Sometimes it works out that there's no action at all before halftime once the MVs go down to the field, other times it's craziness. Unfortunately we just have someone in the booth who shouts down to the director through the headset that it's time to move and we follow orders.
Glad to hear it. Nothing makes me happier than a VT football game. We're all brought together once a week to support the university and the team and all play different roles in that. Thank you for having an intelligent debate with me and not getting out the pitchforks haha.
Go Hokies!
In discussions like this, it's also important to be reminded that the MV's are not scholarship band students. It's all volunteer, budgeted on a shoestring for decades now, and the kids that do it, do it for love of - fill in the blank, game day, party atmosphere, music appreciation, whatever their reasons. But, unlike most other schools, like UVa, etc. These guys just did it/do it because they love it.
My comment's purpose was to inform. I understand that most people that weren't in the band might not know why the band does many things that it does.
Those students work approximately 1.5 hours a night every day during the week and several hours before kickoff (keep in mind that the majority of these people are not music majors, too) putting a new show on the field for each gameday, so it's certainly not a case of each member doing the same routine every Saturday.
They're also bound to the whim of the athletics dept. If the band was 15 seconds late getting onto the field, the athletics people would throw a massive fit and then they risk losing some of their standing.
We also have a 2nd band on the other side of the field that takes over all playing between downs and after scores when the MVs are otherwise occupied, which is a rare luxury to have. I know it's harder to hear them but let's be honest, if the students were as loud as I feel they should be on key plays, the music/chants really shouldn't be much of a factor whether it was coming from 100 yards away or directly in front of them.
I get where you guys are coming from. I'm not trying to take anything away from what you guys do or play down on the importance of the band!
EDIT- Nevermind. Took too long to comment. "Work" happened.
I was NEZ last year, and just got section 1 in East this year. Pretty sure I'm the only person who is excited in my group about this...but the people around us last year were indeed not that crazy. It was always the far east sections starting chants and going crazy from the looks of it...plus there were huge gaps of the NEZ often unfilled after halftime. I know I only experienced it last year and not in its hay-day, but I think it's over-hyped.
West Stands for watching the game in the shade.
I sat in both during my time getting those nice, cheap student tickets (two years in East, one in North) and NZE was the vastly superior experience.
I'm not gonna pretend like East wasn't rowdy at times, because I certainly had my fair share of airplane bottles rain down on me, and it got loud for key plays and first downs, but it was a bummer to be the only one yelling in my section at times while the opposing offense was on the field, even in close games.
I never had that problem in North.
Any hokie would die to be in NEZ. it is awesome. i will say the last couple years, the fans there have been...somewhat lackluster. one section will be pumped but the rest of them show up late and only cheer when they announce homecoming court. just be loud and be proud. i would love to be there again!!!
North and its not even close
For me its about the view of the game. I personally prefer the East Stands; right along the 50 is great! I had season tickets in the NEZ one season (either '08 or '09) and while it was fun, and loud, I just have so many memories sitting in the East Stands that it beats out the NEZ.
If you want the bigger party atmosphere, take the NEZ. If you want the better perspective of the actual game, take the East stands.
I really miss the student section of the East Stands. I've been asked/told to sit way too much elsewhere.
As a football fan, and not just someone who is there to get blitzed wasted, I much prefer the East Side
Don't get me wrong, the NEZ has its perks, but I just much prefer to be able to watch and follow the game without having to constantly look at the scoreboard to see what happened. I had some great times in the NEZ in my days (2003 Miami game, 2003 Texas A&M game in Hurricane Isabel, 2002 LSU game, 2009 Miami game) but sometimes the overly drunken behavior in that area goes a little too above and beyond. I have found the students in the East Stands are far more knowledgeable, can hold their liquor better, and aren't nearly as assholeish as those in the NEZ. Plus, for the most part, theEast doesn't see its crowd vaporize at halftime of Homecoming.
The north is definitely more reckless. I have seen more Hokies get in fights with other Hokies for absolutely no reason other than both parties are entirely too drunk.
Let me put it this way:
For a noon kickoff vs. Western Michigan, I want to be in East.
For a Thursday night against Miami, you better damn well believe I want to be in North!
I don't like this debate because I truly don't think there's a right answer, it really (at least to me) just depends on the type of atmosphere you want to experience that day!
Exactly. I loved standing with my friends and being rowdy when I was a student, but the view from the West Stands around the 45 is pretty nice.
Last year as a freshmen I was in the East stands in section 25 and the view of the field was great but the crowd would start yelling about 2 seconds before the play which is...not cool...however this year I am in NEZ and I'm excited to see what the difference will be. Needless to say ill have a better answer on saturday after the game.
NEZ debate, and no one mentions exhibit A?
I'll just leave this here:
Winner.
Reason number 1 of many why I enjoyed being in the MVs, and especially being one in the front row.
I prefer NEZ, but East does have very good views. I'm excited for this Thursday night game this year though, should be very hype in NEZ
West stands to watch football (but get yelled at for being rowdy)
North end zone for the crazy experience (but not being able to tell the difference between a 2 yard run up the middle and a 15 yard one, if it's down at the far end)
East stands for the best compromise
South End zone...we have a south end zone? I mean I know we have some corps seating and the visitors section, but beyond that? could have fooled me.
West Stands. Never been yelled at for being rowdy. Stand for defense and most of the time on offense.
I always get annoyed starting at the half watching the fans stream from the NEZ and East stands during the game.
After the game today, I was a little disappointed at the noise from North. Not many people yelled around us. No one really tried while the W&M offense was in the judge and then finally would a few seconds before the snap.
I get it wasn't a big game, so maybe I expect too much.
Yeah, there was one guy right behind me who bood after just about every play. That was really annoying. First off, you never boo your own team. That's just uncool. Those kids are out there working their asses off, and you're there to support them. Also, if you're gonna criticize, have a valid point. Saying "the playcalling sucks" or "just catch the ball" really doesn't help anyone and it just makes you look like a tool. Overall, I was happy with the noise in the stadium. I think they overdid the music just a tad, mostly on kickoffs and any time the cheerleaders tried to get a "let's go Hokies" cheer going. Other than that, I thought it was a great atmosphere.
Whit was specifically asked about the music during the off season, and said he'd look into it. Maybe this is a good time for timely feedback.
I know I asked him, and I'm writing an email now. #Whitness
On TV, the band sounded out of whack, on the H-O-K-I-E-S cheer especially--not the band itself, but I was hearing it twice, like an echo chamber, so that it came out unintelligible (like two bands playing the same thing, but way out of sync). Was this due to the artificial amplification?
When the hightie tighties played, they had a mic on them, so by the time they played a note, it came out of the scoreboard, and got back to them, it was about a second off.
I was actually extremely impressed with the students today. As a senior, i don't remember the last time the north was PACKED to the brim 15-20 minutes before enter sandman. The row i was in actually snapped off about 5 seconds into enter sandman. I know its been louder for sure, but it was definitely the most hype our first game of the season has been since ive been here (except for the GT Monday night game, which was basically like a Thursday night). If we put up a good showing against Ohio state and avoid slumping against ECU, I think Lane may be poised for a return to selling out just in time for Miami
I agree wholeheartedly with all of this. I was very pleased with how many people were in and stayed in the NEZ. And of course, the lack of paper airplanes is always cause for celebration. I really hope we can get Lane back to its sellout ways soon, and I think Whit and the team are gonna make that more and more appealing.
I was in the North for the '09 season and got to witness the VT-Miami rain game where we brought their hype machine back down to Earth. That is still one of the best experiences of my life. Was also in the NEZ for the TT-DC Nebraska miracle.
As a student, sit in the North and go nuts. You can watch the game in detail later.
I have season tix in the West now and I love them, in spite of its lack of craziness. There's a time and a place for one to sit in the North and it is the four (5 if you're smart) years you are at Tech.
Or 9-12 years if you're really smart and/or stubborn.
Dr. TechHokie13????
That's the idea.
From experience, I can tell you that you have made a wise decision.
North felt like a student section again yesterday rather than a country club or something. Crowded, loud, most people stuck around for most the game.
That said I'd like to see students in their assigned seats (or at least in the right quadrant of the stadium). There were probably 3 extra people per row in north; in fact when the 8 of us or so got there about 30 minutes to kickoff our entire row was already full and we had to do some rearranging. All those extra bodies in north mean empty seats somewhere else, aka top of east and south. Fill those seats and Lane starts looking a lot more full.
Anyone get caught in the mob under the nez prior to kickoff? I am amazed that someone wasn't seriously injured. I missed kickoff and I was in the stadium 30 minutes prior. My hubby said cop threatened to arrest him because he thought he was pushing and then grabbed the guy who was pushing and arrested him. A young coed was knocked off her feet and I and two students grabbed her and pulled her up, I swear she was getting trampled. Most terrifying thing, I wonder if failure to check tickets going into nez was a contributing factor. Been going to games for over ten years and never experienced anything like it. I literally was being squeezed to death and found it hard to breathe.