AITA for standing at a college football game?

A 35-year-old man with season tickets to his college’s football games faced complaints from spectators behind him for standing during the game. He maintained his stance, stating it was part of the game atmosphere, especially during important plays.

After security intervened, he continued to stand, leading to further conflict with the attendees who deemed him an “asshole” for not sitting down.

‘ AITA for standing at a college football game?’

TLDR: This past weekend I got in an argument with the people behind us about standing at a college football game. I’ve (M35) had season tickets to my Alma Mater’s football team since my freshman year of college. I’ve had the same 4 seats the entire time i’ve had season tickets. I’ve had 6 friends and family move around me.

Our section we sit in is a big StubHub/SeatGeek section, meaning a majority of the people around me are different every week and for worse opponents even empty. This was a larger crowd and very close to a sellout. I’m up and down as is the rest of my crew (and stadium really).

So i’m standing for big plays and all 3rd downs.These guys (guess in their 50’s) behind us started complaining almost immediately. We ignored them. In the second quarter, he tapped me on the should and asked me to keep seated. I told him no. Its a big 3rd down and we are at a football game. In the 3rd quarter they called security on us.

They came to talk to us. Told us to stay off the seats (which we never stood on) and asked us to sit down. I pointed out the thousands of others standing and said if you wanted to relocate us to front row seats, leave us alone.That was that with security. 

The 4th quarter the game was very tight and we were standing a majority of the time.These guys were calling us assholes. We had a lively discussion about standing and I really don’t think I was wrong.  AITA?

Heres the input from the Reddit crowd:

poppopintheattic11 −  NTA! Guessing a lot of the AH votes are not CFB fans. It’s not a symphony performance of Mahler… Standing for 3rd down and in the 4th of a tight game is absolutely customary in CFB and I would argue even expected for the home team fans. Don’t bury the lede here–you have to tell us what game is was and what visiting team the people behind you were pulling for!

trev4_a86 −  NTA. ITS A FOOTBALL GAME!!!!! If you want to sit and watch the game do it in a bar or at home. Why would you pay to go to a game and then just sit the ENTIRE TIME?!? I’m sure you weren’t standing the entire game and there were moments you sat down here and there but seriously you go to a game to experience all of it.

The crowd, the atmosphere, the excitement. Me, I have issues with loud yelling and don’t like to stand very long (health issues), which is why I watch my game AT HOME!!!
So NTA, have fun at the next game for me.

Dwinxx2000 −  NTA It sounds like you handled the situation respectfully as you could and didn’t do anything to escalate it which would have been easy to do. This is an instance where norms rather than rules apply and you were exhibiting normal behavior by standing up for third downs and big plays and the 4th quarter. Unless you’re a Buckeye fan. Then I would rule differently on general principle.

1962Michael −  NTA. The seats are for those 3-minute “media timeouts”, halftime, etc. If most of the stadium is standing, they shouldn’t be getting mad at you. On Saturday our stadium gave out poms. The guy in front of me not only stood, but was shaking his little pom right in front of my face for half the game. I just leaned over see around it at the critical times.

UnderTheSea622 −  NTA. Standing during key plays is extremely common at every football game I’ve ever been to. I’m beginning to think most of the people answering have never attended a live game, or if they have, their team sucks.

Low_Needleworker4817 −  NTA… A lot of these people have never been to a college football game…especially in the south.

Soft-Tangelo-6884 −  NTA. Whenever this issue comes up on the sub I think a lot of people don’t attend a lot of concerts or sports events. If you want to see well while seated at a show like that then buy a seat in the first row. Have these guys never watched a game on tv and seen everyone standing? It’s not the opera, the ballet, or tennis, which are events where it’s not customary to stand.

xodevo −  nta . all the people who say otherwise have probably never attended (or cared about) a football game

Mission_Spray −  NTA. Even if what you did annoyed them – standing to cheer for great plays isn’t exactly unheard of or rare. It’s the risk you take when attending public events, and those sitting behind you should have been well aware of that risk.

Is it fair to expect fans to remain seated in such an energetic environment, or is standing part of the experience? What do you think? Share your thoughts below!