Before we kickoff this State Farm Stadium terrace level review, let’s talk about the location of the venue which catches people off guard. It’s a 25/40-minute drive from downtown Phoenix, which seemed to surprise a lot of people attending the 2019 Fiesta Bowl as hordes of Clemson and Ohio State fans kept talking about the distance.
Once you reach the friendly confines of Glendale, Arizona, finding parking at the stadium isn’t too much of a hassle. You’re looking at paying around US$20 for the outlying lots which are a good 15-minute walk from the stadium’s main gates. Getting in and out isn’t too much of a drag, but there is usually some traffic.
Once you enter the main concourse, it’s butt-to-nut traffic as people lineup to buy beer, food and other trinkets. I’m not sure if it is this bad for Cardinals games, but big neutral site encounters like the Super Bowl, Final Four and Fiesta Bowl, see lots of bottleneck.
However, if you have upper deck tickets, or terrace level as the stadium refers to it as, you can avoid this chaos by making a beeline for the escalator which is pretty close to the main gate of the West Entrance. You are on your own if you enter any of the other gates. Once you reach the terrace level, you will find most of the same food and beverage options as well as some outlets selling gear albeit with smaller lines.
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Now that we have made it to the seats, let’s get to the most important part of this State Farm Stadium terrace level review; the view. The views are good. Unlike AT&T Stadium, where the upper tier feels far removed from the field, you still feel like you can see the action at what used to be known as Cardinals Stadium. The seating isn’t as steep as Century Link Field, but I felt satisfied paying US$150 for tickets on the 20-yard line of the terrace level.
The one downside is that you aren’t getting much in the way of legroom or seat width. This does create something interesting, however. It’s super easy to see what the people in the row in front of you are looking at on their phones. The lady in front of me, who was clearly forced to attend the Fiesta Bowl by her husband, felt the third quarter of the game was a great time to share memes with her friends via WhatsApp.
Here’s the thing, the meme she shared was about how women with mean faces have the best personalities. Seriously? The best college football game of the year is unfolding and you and your possibly not very attractive friends think it’s a great time to be sharing this? Come on, just stay at the hotel.
State Farm Stadium terrace level review score: 7
It is a nice stadium and one you should visit if you ever have the chance. I’m not saying you should go out of your way to see a Cardinals preseason game or anything like that. But if you’re heading to Phoenix and there is a game going on, try and score some tickets. Also, the person behind you can see your phone so be careful.
