BRIDGEWATER, Va. – The Jopson Athletic Complex at Bridgewater College is in dire need of one specific change to the stadium – more overhead coverage. This adjustment would solve Bridgewater’s problem of fans leaving games early due to the blistering heat.
Numerous athletic competitions at Jopson start mid-day. Until the sun descends below the treeline, Eagles fans are sunburnt, blinded or simply unable to enjoy their gameday experience.
“I have had friends leave football games because of the sun glaring in their eyes,” said Bridgewater College student Claire Griffith. “The heat definitely hinders the enjoyment of the games.”
Positive fan experience is a crucial factor in having a fun atmosphere. That electric atmosphere dies out when fans leave the stadium early to continue watching from their cars in the tailgating lot.
There is a smaller, reserved section for fans containing four rows of bleachers that receive the most, but very limited, protection from the sun.
Meanwhile, the 3,000 fans in general admission are dealing with the heat beaming down onto their faces and reflecting off the metal they are sitting on.
Daytime August and September temperatures can be dangerous for anyone. As a football player at Bridgewater, I have witnessed multiple people passing out from heat exhaustion.
Ian England, a fellow football player at Bridgewater College, had previously watched games from the bleachers. He obtained a better understanding of how fans were feeling during games.
“Fans are persistent about how hot it gets early in the season,” said England. “A noticeable number of them are out of the stadium by halftime. It’s just a little more difficult to create a spark in the crowd once a few hundred fans have already left.”
There are a few possible solutions to this issue.
Changing the seating from metal bleachers to plastic chairs would take away the heat that comes from the metal’s reflection; however, this solution does not protect fans from direct sunlight.
Another solution would be to reconstruct the stands so the home and visitor sides switch spots. Despite how perfect of a scenario that is, the biggest issue is the cost.
Expanded overhead protection would be a game changer in keeping fans happy and in their seats. With this addition, fans would gain protection from the sun as well as any forms of precipitation.
Another bonus for putting a roof over the fans can be observed at Lumen Field, home of the National Football League’s Seattle Seahawks. Their stadium’s roof structure makes it so that the crowd noise echoes louder onto the field, and in the Seahawks’ case, the noise had produced an earthquake.
While Jopson may not be able to create movement in the earth, having a capacity of about 95% less than Lumen, additional noise would provide a louder and more energetic atmosphere for the Eagles.
Overhead coverage would impact the fans in a way that will make game days a more positive experience. The addition of the roofing is the most logical solution to the ongoing problem with the sun.
