Tales of the Thirsty Sports Fan: XFINITY! Live Edition
On to Round Two – the Flyers have kept our Stanley Cup hopes, and my blogging duties, alive. How could I avoid stopping by the new Philly sports hotspot in my search for the best viewing party in town – XFINITY! Live. A sea of orange t-shirts, jerseys, and jeans (guess colored jeans really are back) is what I was treated to as I strolled in on Sunday afternoon. Standing room only was an understatement as I squeezed by Flyers fans with the obligatory and ignored “excuse me”. Finding a seat was impossible unless I wanted to venture onto PBR’s mechanical bull—maybe next time. Here are my thoughts on the new, shiny South Philly destination.
Crowded? Beyond. Sandals are a no-no unless you don’t mind leaving with a chipped pedicure and bruised toes from people stepping on your feet.
Diverse crowd? Diverse in a “we all bleed orange” kind of way. There were a number of Phils fans who filed in after the game, but it was mostly our Flyers loyalists. Great male to female ratio – holla ladies!!
Variety of beer? Depending on which venue in the complex you decided to watch in, the beer selection changed. I stuck with my good ole stand by Miller Lite and the price was affordable. Also, thanks to Rick who picked up a round for me and my lady friends, good manners are always appreciated even if you are my dad’s age and may have been married. (Names have not been changed to protect the innocent.)
Food? Although crab fries, cheesesteak egg rolls, and Goodnoe’s ice cream were available we opted for a liquid lunch. It was 3:00 pm, c’mon.
TVs? Everywhere you stand there is a great angle — except for behind a posse of 6’ 4” men, thanks for letting me hang out around you.
Overall energy? The first period was a little quiet, but once the goals started to come, of course, the crowd got rowdy. Everyone for the most part was very nice and understandable about the tight quarters.
XFINITY! Live gets two very enthusiastic thumbs up and an A- from my grade scale. Nothing better than watching the game with everyone in the city who wished they had been able to score tickets to the game. The minus is in lieu of the parking situation — $15, ugh – it’s like a deceptive cover charge. Should have taken the subway.
