The Left Field Lounge

[ElwoodBlues.sixpack]

I was going to let this go, but after watching Arizona last night in the College World Series I just can’t help but think about their “amazing experience” in Starkville at the “World Famous Left Field Lounge.” I was also at the Super Regional when Arizona came to town a couple weeks ago and had a completely different experience. And after talking to a number of people, it seems I’m nowhere near the only person who feels the way I feel.

I only get back to campus a couple times a season and I was lucky enough to bring my son for the two games of the Super Regional. We don’t have chairback tickets and I couldn’t imagine roasting in the bleachers with a 7 year old. We decided we would find a place in right field where there’s always room behind the visitor’s bullpen. And that’s what we did. During the game, I decided to walk him through the rigs and see if I could see any old friends. First, the board walk is blocked at numerous points by tables put out by Loungers and makes it hard to navigate, and I know a lot of that has to do with the crowd. As I’m walking, the crowd began to cheer and I hold my son up to see what’s going on. Some jackass looks at me and says, “Hey bud, this area is for the people on this rig.” I politely said I’m sorry and proceeded. I literally walk 3 rigs down and stop again to watch a pitch or two. Some guy, who was grilling, gave me the head-cocked-sideways look of “what the hell are you doing here?”

At this point I’m getting somewhat pissed. Hell, the next rig had a freakin sign that said, “reserved for members of this area only.” We made it around the entire outfield and after being essentially shunned from every area, I came to this conclusion. I’m ready to tear the sumbitch down. Just because you may have a rig out there you pay $200 a year for. Just because you feed an opposing team or broadcasters and billow smoke out of your grill for 3 hours doesn’t make you any more of a fan of Mississippi State baseball than me. The Lounge is essentially a country club you can’t get in to, even though the people out there pride themselves on being the “everyday fan.” Screw you. I’m ready for a way to walk my kids around the field so we can watch the game and not have to look at a ratty old pickup or a self-proclaimed “Redneck Skybox”. You may think it’s cool and others think it provides great fodder for television, but it makes us look as just that, rednecks. It’s kinda like going to the Neshoba County Fair and not having a fair cabin. The locals and cabin owners think it’s cool, but most people realize it’s pretty much hell on earth.

My thoughts are this. I was almost pissed the university was wanting to do something to the Left Field Lounge. But after talking to a few people who tell me what they’re actually going to do rather than listen to a blowhard rig owner tell me his crap, I’m ready for the university to build “their” lounge. One I can walk around the outfield and not think I’m bothering anyone. One that can accommodate more people and actually looks good too. My kids can enjoy the experience and not feel like we’re tied down to our seats.

My message to the rig owners is you can still feel the need to feed opposing fans, players and even the tv guys. But the inclusion will finally be there for Mississippi State fans like me. My suggestion is when they decide to start the outfield, we pile up all those platforms and everyone can bring lighter fluid. I’ll bring the match.

 

[CrookedLetta4Eva]

Do your panties stay in a wad on a daily basis?

 

[Hoover Dawg]

You have a valid concern, there is no debating that.

 

[engie]

You are going to get skewered -- but you would be shocked the amount and percentage of people who have similar experiences... The time to have a better experience is on a weekend when it's not as packed -- but because it's not as packed -- there is a smaller chance that you are actually there. DNF has never been kid-friendly relative to other parks. Will help a lot when they have the playground in the new version.

 

[dawgstudent]

If you don't have a spot in the LFL - it sucks. And that's a quote from people who have spots in the current LFL.

The new stadium will have a 360 degree walking path and you can see the field regardless of if you are behind home plate or standing on the walk path in the outfield.

To me, that's where the major improvement will happen at Dudy Noble.

The one thing I disagree with you about is the lounge's atmosphere. If you don't try to go out there - it's awesome from a fan point of view and I do think some of that uniqueness will be lost with the new stadium. But I will take the positives over the very few negatives every day with the new stadium.

 

[Rog.sixpack]

You're not wrong at all

The rigs are the most exclusive thing on the campus of MSU...unless you're a visiting player or family of a visiting player.

It sucks because we don't have quality GA seating right now, which is 100% why we need to get the new stadium built. There will be a boardwalk that will encircle the entire stadium that doesn't obstruct people's views and will still allow you to look for old friends.

The New Dude can't come soon enough.

 

[Hump4Hoops]

Your experience is 100% typical for someone without connections.

Unless you have a buddy that owns a rig or are an athlete or media type, the left field lounge is basically a series of clubhouses with secret handshakes. It's not the friendly "walk up and have a good time" place that we portray it as. There is zero space in the outfield not always occupied by someone's property that doesn't want random people crowding it.

It's a cool place if you're invited (I was a few times many years ago), but it's not something every MSU fan is currently allowed to experience.

 

[aTotal360]

They are paying much more than $200/year to do what they do. They can spend that much on food, drinks, charcoal, gas, time, etc. for every game.

If you show up looking like a bum, you'll get treated one. That's concept is not unique to LFL. Shake someone's hand, offer up a cold one, and be humble. Yes, the LFL is littered with ********, but there are tons of people looking to share their experience with others. You have to have some people skills.

 

[dawgstudent]

That's the choice of the rig owner. But isn't it like $300/year to reserve the spot?

Do you have to buy a season ticket if you reserve the spot?

 

[engie]

This is true in general -- but big weekends are too hectic for all of that in my experience.

A "spot" in a lounge is made in the offseason/preseason. Or like I said -- in the early weekends/"not SBW or postseason"...

 

[rem101]

We had a spot at a friends lounge for the regional, so a place to watch game wasn't a concern. However, about 30 minutes before the Saturday night game started, I saw some friends 3-4 rigs down. So I went to talk to them about where we would drink beer after the game. I was there maybe 5 minutes, talking to them along the fence. The rig next to them starts talking about "bustin heads" because people are getting in their space. I told them I had a space to watch the game and was just coming to talk to a friend before it started. What the 17 is that about? I guess during the game you don't get warned and just smashed in the head. Awesome.

 

[aTotal360]

I think it's just shy of $400. But people think that's the ONLY cost involved. They don't want to consider upkeep (they might look ragged, but they are a PITA to keep them from collapsing), storage, and time and effort to put in place. It takes a lot of money to create the atmosphere you see on TV.

I guarantee you the average fan that strolls up to campus twice a season would not want any part of owning, paying, and managing a LFL. It's worse than owning a boat.

 

[patdog]

If you don't have a spot in the LFL - it sucks. And that's a quote from people who have spots in the current LFL.

That's the thing about the current DNF. It's fine for the haves. The have-not's get screwed.

 

[ronpolk]

It's too exclusive. It would be nice if a spot or 2 was left open and rotated who could use it on various weekends. Maybe like a lottery system. The area is really cool but 95% of Msu fans will never experience it, which sucks.

 

[birdawg]

What in the world made you think you could stroll up to someone's paid area and block their view?

If you'd walked up and introduced yourself and asked if there was somewhere you could stand while your kid gets a view, I'm sure the answer would've been yes. It's a bit presumptive to walk into someone else's paid area and act entitled to their area.

In the new park, if you just walk into someone's paid LFL box, the result will be the same.

I grew up out there. From mid 80's until 2005 when moved outside MS. Strangers often show up and help themselves to your beverages, your food etc. But if they asked, the answer was always "yes, help yourself!"

Just ask, don't assume or act entitled. This isn't a new park vs old park debate.

 

[thekimmer]

I have been to many MSU baseball games but have never once set foot in the outfield area. Just my preference. I remember up to the late 80s you really didn't see a lot of rigs out there. Mostly lawn chairs in back of trucks and things like that. Looking at the current scenario I can certainly see where things would become quite 'territorial' even though the place is touted as just one big party come one come all. It sounds kinda like private boxes but without walls. Hopefully the new stadium will solve the problem without completely killing the atmosphere.

 

[Xenomorph]

Wow.. that's a lot of expenses. I guess they do have the right to act like ********.

 

[Xenomorph]

Damn straight.. holding a kid up to see the game should be a criminal offense.

 

[aTotal360]

I'll say again. The majority of have-not's probably don't want to make a season long commitment. They want to "have" for a game or two.

I'll admit I'm lucky enough to have a couple rigs where I'm welcomed. But not for the life of me would I want to own, upkeep, and manage that zoo for an entire season. It takes a special person to do it.

The idea of having a couple rigs that swap out every series and are won via a lottery sounds really cool.

 

[patdog]

I'll say again. The majority of have-not's probably don't want to make a season long commitment. They want to "have" for a game or two.

So what's wrong with a stadium where everyone can be a "have" whether it's for a full season or for a game or two, or twenty?

 

[aTotal360]

Easy, Daddy Warbucks. Are you saying spending a couple hundred bucks every weekend isn't expensive? Add that on top of the license, annual storage if you don't have a shop, annual repairs and maintenance, the cost of food, drinks, cooking, and then the time and effort in doing it. You can then multiply those cost by 2-3x if you live out of town and have to pay for hotel and gas.

 

[thatsbaseball]

We got that thing started in the late 60`s with blankets, towels and ice chests (cheap..definitely not Yetis). Alumni wouldn`t be caught dead out there and the Starkville police police wanted it shut down until coach Gregory stepped in and put his foot down. Coach Gregory let it be known we were the most loyal fans the program had and we weren`t going anywhere. It`s been a great part of MSU but sounds like some of the current residents (who are paying next to nothing for their spots) have gotten too big for their britches and think they own the place. It`s time.

 

[eckie1]

Irony at its finest...

What in the world made you think you could stroll up to someone's paid area and block their view?

If you'd walked up and introduced yourself and asked if there was somewhere you could stand while your kid gets a view, I'm sure the answer would've been yes. It's a bit presumptive to walk into someone else's paid area and act entitled to their area.

In the new park, if you just walk into someone's paid LFL box, the result will be the same.

I grew up out there. From mid 80's until 2005 when moved outside MS. Strangers often show up and help themselves to your beverages, your food etc. But if they asked, the answer was always "yes, help yourself!"

Just ask, don't assume or act entitled. This isn't a new park vs old park debate.

^^^"Dont hold your kid up in the vicinity of MY area, that you are more than entitled to walk near!!!"

That's "entitlement".

 

[Xenomorph]

Well.. I really wasn't disputing that it's expensive to commit to a rig.

 

[thatsbaseball]

^^^poster child for "entitled" ^^^

 

[Xenomorph]

You're old school.. You know what it's like to bust a few heads if your blanket gets sat on.

 

[aTotal360]

Nothing. I just imagine the logistics being a nightmare. Also, consistent participation could be an issue. You know the current LFLers are going to be there.

 

[ckDOG]

High demand / limited space. Inherent negatives to that...

You know what? That's life. Nobody is going to roll out the red carpet for you when there's a ton of people that want in on something in short supply. But with a little effort and tact (hey, bud, mind if is show my boy the view from the outfield for a bit?), you can probably get in on the fun too.

I have no doubt there are some douchier rigs than others that are high on attitude and low on manners or getting along with strangers. That sucks. Again, that's life too. No need to set fire to everything because of it.

 

[thatsbaseball]

I want to know why the school is accepting $200 when they could get $2000. What makes this different from the seating priorities at the other major sports ?

 

[patdog]

Not at all. We're starting construction on it next summer. The new stadium will be a better fan experience for everyone, not just the select few.

 

[birdawg]

LOL at this. If I pay for something, Im damn well entitled to it. Problem is there's a growing number of people who think they're entitled to things/areas they didnt pay for and whining they should get it for free on someone else's dime.

Ill gladly be the poster child. LMAO.

Im sure all these posters also wouldnt mind if I take their seat at any sporting event and refuse to get up.

Or maybe park my RV in their front yard.

 

[Cousin Jeffrey]

Just because you may have a rig out there you pay $200 a year for.... doesn’t make you any more of a fan of Mississippi State baseball than me.

Ummmm... Maybe not. But it certainly gives them the right to not allow anybody and everybody who walks by to take up that space they paid for.

I've never set foot in the LFL. And I've always suspected it is as you described. But people who are out there pay good money for that privilege. If you don't, then you have no right to expect to be able to experience it like they do.

This is the same as sitting in someone else's chairback seat and getting upset when they ask you to leave.

 

[thatsbaseball]

Believe me...it was very laid back and the most fun you`ve ever had at a MSU athletic event. I can still hear the crack of those wooden bats echo through the stadium. The events were kind of a mixture of sports and a rock festival. Now it sounds like a bunch of "soccer hooligans" have taken the place over.

 

[patdog]

You know what? That's life. Nobody is going to roll out the red carpet for you when there's a ton of people that want in on something in short supply. But with a little effort and tact (hey, bud, mind if is show my boy the view from the outfield for a bit?), you can probably get in on the fun too.

So increasing the supply of desirable spots in the stadium just isn't even an option? Let's keep the supply low, so only the entitled can enjoy the game.

 

[birdawg]

^^^"Dont hold your kid up in the vicinity of MY area, that you are more than entitled to walk near!!!"

That's "entitlement".

Your definition of entitlement is skewed. To be "entitled" means you own the title to something i.e. a car, your house, anything you've paid for, you essentially "own the title".

My point is since you and others think it's OK to walk onto someone's else's entitled property, refusing (in this thread) to introduce yourself and ask if its OK, get the stink eye, and whining about it in a public forum is literally the definition of false entitlement. Literally.

 

[engie]

LOL at this. If I pay for something, Im damn well entitled to it. Problem is there's a growing number of people who think they're entitled to things/areas they didnt pay for and whining they should get it for free on someone else's dime.

Ill gladly be the poster child. LMAO.

Im sure all these posters also wouldnt mind if I take their seat at any sporting event and refuse to get up.

Or maybe park my RV in their front yard.

So you paid for that deck in front of the lounges?

How about the bylaw giving the deck to the LFLs?

At bare minimum -- the intended purpose of that deck is unclear. It appears as an intended walking path "to the non-initiated".

 

[DAWG61]

You think you've got it rough but have you considered all the lesbian sport-hating gluten-free vegan hipsters that literally can't eat anything cooked on the grills or drink any of the adult cokes?

 

[ckDOG]

Yeah, that's exactly what I said**

nm

 

[birdawg]

So you paid for that deck in front of the lounges?

How about the bylaw giving the deck to the LFLs?

At bare minimum -- the intended purpose of that deck is unclear. It appears as an intended walking path "to the non-initiated".

The understanding has always been, whether or not in writing, is the front lounges property extends to the fence which is where they put their grills. Things may have changed since I've been there consistently, and Im totally unfamiliar with RF.

I just cannot for the life of me understand why asking for permission from the owner is such a terrible suggestion. I've never heard of anyone asking and being denied out there. Explain why that's not a good idea?

 

[Ishmael]

Ummmm... Maybe not. But it certainly gives them the right to not allow anybody and everybody who walks by to take up that space they paid for.

I've never set foot in the LFL. And I've always suspected it is as you described. But people who are out there pay good money for that privilege. If you don't, then you have no right to expect to be able to experience it like they do.

This is the same as sitting in someone else's chairback seat and getting upset when they ask you to leave.

I didn't read the original poster as taking anyone's spot. I think he said he was walking through the public walkway and stopped to watch what people were cheering about. That's a normal occurrence whether you're in the outfield or not, and fans shouldn't complain about it anywhere - as long as it's just a brief stop to check out the game.