By Kamiyah Hill

As thousands of fans took their seats at Sports Illustrated Stadium, Red Bull New York was not the only focus of the crowd. The stadium, which holds over 20,000 people, leaves a lasting impression on anyone who has ever stepped inside. During Saturday’s game against Charlotte FC, fans filled the stadium hoping to see a win. But would that excitement hold? 

One reason for the excitement: Game day, July 25, was the birthday of the team’s mascot, REDD. A party for REDD was held at a fan event called The BULLevard, where the well-known cast of Sesame Street welcomed young Red Bull fans to celebrate with meet-and-greets with Elmo, coloring stations, face painting, and games. The Red Bull logo was everywhere. Fans were encouraged to arrive early to receive a limited edition REDD bobble head.

After making it past security, the majority of the crowd went up a large staircase to the stadium’s concourse, where food vendors lined the walkway. The smell of the greasy chicken tenders, fries and pizzas was striking. Fans searched for their seats in sections labeled above staircases, which made the area easy to navigate. 

The stadium appeared to be freshly cleaned; the floors were wet and shiny, presumably mopped and pedestrians navigated the paths without much foot traffic. In a women’s bathroom near third story Section 224, the floor was clear save for a few tiny ants marching between the stalls. The bathroom was accessible, fully stocked and welcoming to all, with many stalls and sinks available. 

The rows in the upper stands were close together, forcing fans to stand from their seats to allow others to pass or turn vertically to slip through, which made it hard for others to get to their seats. The stands were trash-free and the seats left no residue.

Fireworks went off before the game began, leaving behind a thick grey smoke that made it hard to see the action. As the smoke cleared, children and adults walked onto the pitch holding a New York Red Bull banner during the national anthem, which was followed by another firework display. The game began shortly after. 

At halftime, youth teams took the field while Elmo helped REDD celebrate his birthday with a cake. If the environment was supposed to be family friendly, many fans did not receive the message. Older fans yelled out profanities and degrading chants, disappointed by their team’s poor performance in a 0-2 loss to Charlotte FC. 

Despite the loss and the inconsiderate behavior of some of those present, the fans had fun and the stands were clean. For some, that’s enough. But for others, the bathroom conditions, lingering fireworks smoke and lack of space in the stands might be a dealbreaker.