Memorial Hall Library

The arena, inside the tailgating, ticket-scalping, mascot-racing, dubiously funded, and possibly haunted monuments of American sport, Rafi Kohan

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

platesillustrations

index present

non fiction

The arena

bibliography

959875390

Rafi Kohan

inside the tailgating, ticket-scalping, mascot-racing, dubiously funded, and possibly haunted monuments of American sport

"The American sports stadium, for all its raucous glory, is an overlooked centerpiece--a veritable temple--of our national culture. A hallowed ground for communal worship, this is where history is made on grass, artificial turf, hardwood, and even ice; where nostalgia flows as freely as ten-dollar beers; where everything thrills, from exploding fireworks to grinning cheerleaders. In The Arena...intrepid sportswriter Rafi Kohan crisscrosses the country, journeying from one beloved monument to the next. As he finagles access to the unexpected corners and hidden corridors of our most frequented fields, he discovers just what makes them tick--and what keeps us coming back time and time again."--Jacket flap

Before we begin (or: Preface) -- Taking the oath (or: The old-timers) -- Super subsidize me (or: The newcomers) -- All the ticket men (or: Beyond these walls) -- "As far as the eye can see, toilets" (or: Straight to the dome) -- Ed Mangan's burden (or: Field of dreams) -- Extremely loud and incredibly gross (or: Fans behaving badly) -- Identity 101 (or: Col-lege!) -- The other side of the t-shirt cannon (or: Are you not entertained?) -- The secret life of stadiums (or: Let's get logistical) -- Sex. War. America. (or: For god and country) -- Ghost world (or: Life after sports)