Arizona Cardinals built it, so fans continue to come

The Arizona Cardinals will have a lot of roster turnover when all said and done but fans will continue to flock to games on Sunday’s

University of Phoenix Stadium has been the home of the Arizona Cardinals since its opening in 2006.  They have sold out every game since then.

There have been good years and there have been a few lean ones as well in between then and now.  This year we don’t know exactly what kind of product the Cardinals will put out on the field.

One thing is for sure though, no matter who the Cardinals put on the field, fans will continue to go to games.  The gameday experience has drastically changed since the early days.

Many of us remember the days of Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe.  Not necessarily a bad place to watch a game as most views were just fine.  The problem was the heat and lack of tailgating space around the stadium.

Lack of amenities certainly was a concern.  Sunday’s still felt like college gameday on Saturday’s most of the time.  University of Phoenix Stadium turned that feeling around.

Now with new quarterbacks, new cornerbacks, and new offensive linemen added since the beginning of free agency, there has been a lot of complaining.  Some “fans” have even threatened to stop following the Cardinals.

Which is just fine for those of us who are true fans of the team.  Sure, it is frustrating to watch some really good chances to win championships over the last several years go by the wayside but the experience at University of Phoenix Stadium is second to none.

Look at the years the Cardinals had guys like Max Hall, John Skelton, and Kevin Kolb starting.  Those days were tough.  Some feel like it could be a similar experience this upcoming season with Sam Bradford and Mike Glennon.

We’ll see how 2018 transpires.  When healthy, Bradford is one of the most accurate passers in the NFL. Fans will continue to make UOP one of the loudest home field advantages in the NFL no matter what happens.

As for the gameday experience, the tailgating is outstanding.  Great food and great times with great people, even those who are fans of the visiting teams.  It is always a good time for the four hours leading up to game time.

This is why despite what’s being put on the roster, people are going to still come.  Why?  Because it is the NFL and this is a community that loves football.