How safe is Candlestick?

[Reggie Dunlop]

My wife and I are both diehard hawks fans who've been trying to land season tickets for awhile. Since we couldn't get tickets to the SF game at Centurylink this year, we decided to pick up some seats at Candlestick in the nosebleeds for about $100 each, and fly down and make a weekend out of it Dec 6-8.

It'll likely just be the two of us (maybe a few friends as well) who make it to the game on Sunday the 8th. From anyone who has past experiences, how safe would it be for the two of us to be sitting in a sea of red, potentially with playoffs/division title on the line? I've heard some rough stories from other friends who've made this trip in years past. I'm not looking to get kicked/punched or have a beer dumped on me. While I do expect some verbal jabbing back and forth, I'm just wondering if going as 2 was a good idea, or if we should have gone in a larger group of hawks fans.

Thanks for your input! Go hawks!

 

[AbsolutNET]

I wouldn't take my wife into Candlestick after what I've heard about it, especially in the cheap seats.

 

[Seahawk Sailor]

I've been there before a few times, and although I've been harassed, screamed at, taunted, and cursed at a lot, there has been no real physical violence. Of course, I am very non-confrontational in situations like that. Had I reacted in any way to a lot of it, I'm sure things would have escalated nicely. Go at your own risk. I'm certainly glad I'm not in a position anymore where that's my only option to see a 'Hawks game.

 

[Marvin49]

As much as I'd love to disagree with the posters above....I can't.

It's pretty bad these days. Has alot to do with the stadium itself being so old and ticket prices have remained stagnant. That and the team sucking for so long introduced a new "element" to the stands.

Too many people getting drunk before they even walk into the stadium. I've taken my friends who were fans of the Bears, Saints, and Steelers to several games and they never had any problems...but then again they were with me...so I wasn't gonna let other Niner fans treat them poorly.

If you are quiet and don't talk back too much, you will most likely be fine. The 49ers put plain clothes officers in the stands to monitor this stuff so it's gotten better. It will also get worse the cheaper your ticket is. The team has also made food halfprice before the game in an effort to get fans into their seats and out of the parking lot getting drunk. Bottom line I'd say you should be fine but I don't want to make any guarntees. Its not like you'll be injured or anything like that, but the fans will likely give you a pretty hard time.

Also be aware that Candlestick is in the worst neighborhood in SF...Hunters Point. I love the 'stick because of the history that's taken place in that building, but the place is and has always been a dump.

Hopefully all these problems go away in the new building in Santa Clara. Higher ticket prices, much better neighborhood, MUCH nicer facility and much more of a sense of ownership since every seat is connected to a PSL.

 

[RolandDeschain]

They're the only stadium in the NFL (and probably all of professional sports) to have a stabbing on or in the immediate vicinity of their stadium grounds for 3 years running, if that helps you decide.

 

[Marvin49]

They're the only stadium in the NFL (and probably all of professional sports) to have a stabbing on or in the immediate vicinity of their stadium grounds for 3 years running, if that helps you decide.

Well...to be fair one was a shooting. LOL.

Yeah...things don't go well when the Raiders come to Candlestick. That's why they don't play in the preseason anymore.

 

[RolandDeschain]

Give me a break, I was referring to 49ers fans being the perpetrators, lol. Blaming that crap on Raiders fans...

 

[Reggie Dunlop]

Yeah I've read the reports of the Battle of Bay games with the Raiders/49ers. I'm pretty non-confrontational in situations where I'm outnumbered by the thousands, so it's not as if I'll be picking fights. I can handle some swearing/taunting, that's really not a big deal. It's just any physical issues I'm concerned with. The only thing that might get a rise out of me would be if a SF fan grabbed my wife/dumped a beer on us or something along those lines.

I just want to see the game and check out the old Stadium. SF as a city is one of my favorites. Lets just hope the fans aren't the single worst out there.

 

[Subzero717]

Just buy good seats. I've never had an issue. Although we both sucked the last time I was there and it wasn't and hadn't been much of a rivalry to that point.

 

[mikeak]

If I was in the cheap seats I would swallow my pride and go in a generic sweater and not wear team-colors. Not stand up and yell when the Seahawks score any of their 6 touch-downs nor celebrate Sherman's intereceptions etc

At the end of the game with nobody around you then it should be safe to celebrate

 

[chris98251]

Given our recent rivalry with the 49ers escalating I would be doublely cautious, if it were the Jaguars coming everyone would probebly give good natured crap, being it's us and there is a division title and possible Super Bowl birth on the line emotions will be higher and hotter so take that into account.

 

[Stephen SeaHawking]

Probably the most dangerous stadium and fan base (and that includes the Oakland Raiders) in the NFL. Ask yourself: How many other teams had someone stabbed to death outside their stadium last year? Zero. Candlestick is the hive for violent, drunk, moronic sports fans.

 

[-The Glove-]

If I was in the cheap seats I would swallow my pride and go in a generic sweater and not wear team-colors. Not stand up and yell when the Seahawks score any of their 6 touch-downs nor celebrate Sherman's intereceptions etc

At the end of the game with nobody around you then it should be safe to celebrate

Best advice on here...it ain't worth it to "represent your colors" in Candlestick as many of their fans actually see it as the street form of the meaning.

 

[look@dafilm]

Give me a break, I was referring to 49ers fans being the perpetrators, lol. Blaming that crap on Raiders fans...

The last incident at the stick was a Raider fan stabbing....another Raider fan. I fail to see why you would laugh that off other than sheer ignorance.

 

[lvnginhwktwn]

The Stick as dear to me as it is, has gone to the dogs, the neighborhood surrounding it has always been bad but has gotten worse over time. There are alot of Raider fans that come to the game disguised as 9er fans with the sole purpose of getting drunk and causing trouble. If you are really wanting to see a Hawk game against the 9ers at home then wait til next season. I am from the Bay area and there is no place I like to visit more than the city, but there is no way in hell I am taking my wife or my daughters to a game at the stick, and it really pains me to say that but that's the truth.

 

[lvnginhwktwn]

Give me a break, I was referring to 49ers fans being the perpetrators, lol. Blaming that crap on Raiders fans...

Have you ever lived there and seen things first hand? Or do you just pass on the rumors you here? I here lots of things about the Clink but I base my statements on what I see for my self. And if you think the Stick is bad, go to a game at Oakland and sit in the Blackhole with an opposing teams jersey, makes the stick look like Disneyland.

 

[JSeahawks]

I don't mean this as an insult to 49er fans, more sports fans and rivalries in general, but its pretty damn sad that you even have to ask the question.

 

[Happypuppy]

I would rather go to the Oakland Coliseum. I am not kidding either , at least you can go on BART. I was robbed at the 'Stick once in the parking lot.

 

[minormillikin]

I've been to many seahawks games at SF. The fans are more obnoxious than raiders fans and eagles fans combined... In the cheap seats.

I had the pleasure once of sitting 50 yard line, ten rows up. Totally different experience in the pricey seats. Either rich people are brought up better, or they were just too busy checking their stock quotes. Nice people in the fancy seats. (though, after the game, we found out that they had complained to the season ticket holder who gave us the tickets about giving the seats to seahawks fans)

 

[Tech Worlds]

Depends on what you do when you go to away games.

If you shut the f up and not engage the other fans you will probably be ok. Yeh you will be verbally abused, maybe have food thrown at you, but physical harm probably won't happen.

That's how I treat away games.