Fans of the North Dakota State Bison migrated to Las Vegas in big numbers on Saturday to watch the team’s first football game in Las Vegas against UNLV. About 20 percent of the announced crowd of 33,516 were wearing green and yellow in support of the Bison. UNLV said they sold 3,000 tickets to Bison fans based on zip and area codes, but the number of fans in attendance was expected to be greater than that number.
Aside from it being the Bison’s first game against UNLV since they joined the Mountain West this season, the location was an added bonus for fans. NDSU fan Randy Weyrauch, who traveled from Phoenix, said, “It definitely adds to the atmosphere. You got fans coming for more than just the football, and there’s other things to do, obviously.”
NDSU fan Angela Eastman, who is from Arizona, noted that the Bison base traditionally travels well, drawing fans from North Dakota and other states where alumni call home. She said, “The herd travels really well. We always want to go out and support them whenever we can. We run a local booster club called Team Makers, so we do watch parties every week in our city where we’re from. … The first time being here at Allegiant in Las Vegas, this is really exciting for all of us. It’s amazing.”
Being able to watch North Dakota State play in an NFL stadium was also a highlight for Eastman, as the Bison play in the 18,700-fan capacity Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota. She added, “I think it’s only the second time we’ve ever played in an NFL stadium. The only other time was when we played was in Tennessee.”
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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