Arena Football Gameday Experience

by Cody Zeeb

I attended my first Arena Football One game in person this past weekend in Salina, and let me tell you. It was electric. Here’s the story of my Arena Football gameday experience.

Going to the Game

I live in Lincoln, Nebraska, and when the AF1 schedule came out with the Salina Liberty hosting the Southwest Kansas Storm in Week 5, I circled my calendar. I wanted this exciting rivalry to be the first  AF1 game I attended. I jumped in the car and made the three-hour road trip south to Salina. 


I arrived at the Tony’s Pizza Event Center before the doors opened and was greeted by a long line wrapping to the side of the building. People of all ages and backgrounds were lined up outside wearing Liberty Jerseys, red, white & blue hair, and tossing around footballs. They were ready to see and support their hometown team. 


Pre-Game


When I entered the arena, the atmosphere was electric.  Even during pre-game warmups, the music was jamming, fans were ratting their cowbells and noisemakers. The players were talking to the kids who showed up early, taking pictures with them on the sidelines. A group of five boys came down to the first row, and Liberty quarterback Javin Kilgo came over and played catch with them from the field, tossing the ball back and forth to each kid and ribbing them on their throws, or lack of a catch. 


The kids would shout out Hey, #3! Can we get your autograph? “Ball hawk” Dewayne Autrey gladly obliged, hopping over the wall and signing the kids' gear. Another player came over, and the boys tossed him their phone. He snapped a selfie with them in the background. Players from the visiting Storm team also chatted with fans and took pictures. A very relaxed and friendly atmosphere. 


When it came time for player introductions for the Liberty, the lights went out, and the spotlight shone on a big inflatable helmet. The players exited the fog as their name was called and ran through a line of fans who were allowed on the field, giving each fan a high five as they went. Everything about pre-game included so much fan interaction. 


Game Action


Finally, it was time for the kickoff. It still amazes me how close to the action fans are allowed to be. Fans lined the arena wall as players crashed into it. So close to the action, some fans who were enjoying their Real American Beer were talking to the coaches and players on the field. Offering words of encouragement and support, or doing a little playful poking depending on what team you were on. 


I wanted to get the full experience, so after watching some of the game from the sidelines, I made my way up into the stands. Out in the concourse, the concession lines were booming as fans grabbed a pretzel, hot dog, or, of course a slice of Tony’s Pizza. There was a table where you could purchase Liberty gear, shirts, hoodies, hair ties, commemorative footballs, and more. 


Once in the stands, I couldn’t find a bad seat in the house. No matter how high or low I went, if I was at midfield or in an end zone, the view of the game was great, and it felt like you were right on top of the action because, well, you were. 


The game itself was intense. You can tell these players are there because they love the game of football, and they are giving it their all. I’ve been to plenty of football games in stadiums as big as 90,000-plus. The action on the condensed field in the arena moves so fast, the hits were explosive, and the crowd was very into it. The noise level was great throughout the evening, and the Storm struggled at times getting their calls in because of the noise.



My best advice, keep your head on a swivel at all times at an AF1 game. The football flies around that small field and oftentimes finds its way into the crowd. The Liberty staff were quick to exchange the game ball you caught for a commemorative 2022 Liberty championship ball, a free souvenir just for making a good catch! 


There were plenty of fan activities during media timeouts and in between quarters. From kids playing tug-of-war to spinning around in circles 10 times before trying to throw the football to who can get dressed in football gear while running down the field the fastest. The halftime entertainment was two separate (and very cute!) dance squads of young girls who put on a great performance, wowing the crowd with their discipline and moves. 


Post-Game


When the clock struck 00:00, even though the home team came up just short of grabbing their first victory of the season, the action wasn’t over. It wasn’t a case of filing out of the building as quickly as you can and racing to the car to get home. Instead, some of the players headed back to the locker to change quickly, while others stayed out on the field. 


Fans filed out onto the field to greet the players and coaches as the remaining players came back out of the locker room. Players and coaches from both teams sat and stood around as fans of all ages came up to talk to their favorite players, get pictures, autographs, and player cards. The players seemed to enjoy the interaction just as much as the fans did. 


This trip was well worth the six-hour round trip spent in the car. The atmosphere was electric, the football was exciting, and I was thoroughly entertained. The Salina Liberty and AF1 run a first-class organization and deliver an outstanding gameday experience. I will certainly be back, and can’t wait to bring my wife and daughter next time, because this is fun the whole family should enjoy together!