There was a lot of nay-sayers about Matt Brown’s decision to bring the National Indoor Football League’s Greensboro Revolution to the coliseum. Both the league and the ownership have questions about their past.
Regardless of those questions, it was a smart move because it has returned an activity that the citizens of Greensboro can afford and enjoy. 8,012 people were in attendance to see the Revolution win their first home game 34 to 26 over West Palm Beach. I was sure that the crowd was larger as the lower arena was nearly filled to capacity and the upper deck (featuring $5 tickets) was equally as crowded.
Reports of only 1,000 tickets sold on Friday resulted in the coliseum under staffing concessions. This is a common problem with coliseum events – you really never know what the walk-up will be on game day. Lines started at the ticket boothes and conncession stand lines blocked the concourse at every stand. While lines are good for business, it is bad for public relations as fans waste valuable game-viewing time in lines.
The game did not meet expectations – it was low scoring, only a handful (5 or 6) footballs went into the stands; it was STILL a very good first start. This is still a “new” sport. Arena football is not the football we grew up with. 50 yard field. 8 Man Squad, Multiple Men in Motion, Coaches on the Field. Most of the players were local college standouts and they are still adjusting for the small confined playing area.
The Revolution is a great addition to Greensboro and finally puts the public back into a public facility. You can’t go wrong going to the game. They play in Greensboro the next 3 weekends – Sat 04/01, Sat 04/08 and Fri 04/14 before heading out on the road. Come out early and tailgate with fans.