Homecoming game at Levi’s Stadium is inconvenient and unlikely to generate school spirit

For the first time, the school will hold a Homecoming football game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Sept. 21. Although it is an amazing opportunity to play on an NFL field at no cost for the school, the whole thing is an unnecessary hassle for most students.

Perhaps this sounds like whining on my part, but I’m hardly alone in feeling this way.

Traditionally, the Homecoming game is held at school, and for most students, the school is less than a 10-minute drive from their home. Getting to Levi’s will take half an hour or more, and many students will simply not bother to go since they care little about football anyway.

This year, the school plans to sell $10 tickets for “spirit buses” so students can get to and from the stadium, and the Homecoming court will take limos to Levi’s.

Although playing at Levi’s will not cost the school any additional money, attending the game itself will be more expensive for students. On top of purchasing tickets to attend the game, students must also pay “spirit bus” tickets or pay for gas to drive to the stadium independently.

Also, having to take a bus is inconvenient for students who may not want to stay for the entirety of the game.

Personally, for every football game I have been to, I have not stayed for all four quarters. Whether it be because I get bored or have somewhere else to be, school is just a short 2-minute drive from my house; I can easily pop in and out of a game.

With home games, I can still support the football team and show my school spirit even if I didn’t spend three hours in the stands. This year, I’ll have to choose between the game and possibly any other commitments.

Perhaps the final reason to be disappointed in the Levi’s location is that Homecoming is a time to celebrate school spirit, and should always be an on-campus celebration. Playing at another stadium defeats the whole purpose of coming home.

All in all, I understand that this is a great opportunity for players and die-hard football fans to be in such an esteemed stadium. But I’m afraid that in a stadium that seats around 70,000 people, Homecoming will feel empty and not very spirited with a crowd of less than 2,000.