I haven’t been to a Hog football game since the fall of 1990. The opportunity to attend the Arkansas vs Rutgers was one I could not pass up. In addition, I had decided (because of cost) that I would take my 11-year-old daughter, Emma. Her older brothers had had a huge summer of events with Boy Scouts which she was not able to attend, which is why I did not purchase tickets for them. So, this game turned into a father-daughter date which would be a most memorable event, mostly in-part to the Arkansas Alumni Association, cheering squad, marching band and the mascot.
The Hog Wild Tailgate was without a doubt worth every cent, primarily because we were up-close with excited alumni, the Razorback marching band, cheering squad and the mascot. Not to mention it was my daughter’s first opportunity to call the Hogs!
I want to thank you and all the staff for hosting a wonderful event. It FAR exceeded my expectations. I had no idea the marching band/pep band, cheerleading squad and the mascot would also be in attendance, perform a small rally AND be available for 1-on-1 photo opportunities.
Emma had such a great experience with the entire tailgate party and all the festivities. To top it off, we walked with the band over to the stadium. When we arrived at our seats we discovered we were next to two other hog fans. I had purchased my tickets via Stubhub and had no idea how many Rutgers fans would surround us. Turns out the Rutgers fans were extremely courteous and tolerated my shouts of joy when the Hogs scored or successfully pulled off a tough play.
Emma was able to make instant friends with the pep rally team members. Specifically, Patience on the cheering squad, Candace (trumpet) and Conner (sousaphone) who are marching band players. Towards the end of the tailgate a die-hard Razorback fan, Sue, rolled into the visitor center decked to the nines in hog gear. Emma and I agreed we had to capture a picture of Sue. So, we introduced ourselves and asked for a photo op. Sue was more than happy to oblige.
Overall the entire experience is now cemented into Emma’s memories and will be something she and I can reflect fondly on in the future. It’s also given college football a whole new perspective in her mind.
