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The Arena: Inside the tailgating, ticket-scalping, mascot-racing, dubiously funded, and possibly haunted monuments of American sport
The Arena Inside the tailgating ticketscalping mascotracing dubiously funded and possibly haunted monuments of American sport Author:Rafi Kohan Riotous fan behavior, wild behind-the-scenes machinations, and madcap histories dominate in this unrivaled exploration of the modern American sports stadium. The American sports stadium, in all its raucous glory, is a shockingly overlooked centerpiece of our national culture. In this game-changing romp, intrepid sportswriter Rafi Kohan finagles ... more »access to our most beloved fields to find out just what makes them tick: from old-timer Wrigley, creakily adjusting to the twenty-first century, to the flashy new lights of Jerry?s World in Dallas; from the uneasy return to enthusiasm at Penn State?s Happy Valley to the roller-coaster economy of LeBron?s Cleveland. Investigating quirky logistics and deeply ingrained traditions that encourage rowdy customs? like scalper turf wars, window-shattering fighter-jet flyovers, and death-defying halftime acts?Kohan debunks reductive truisms to expose the often punishing realities of building and maintaining these commercial cathedrals of sports worship. Rollicking and unforgettable, The Arena is a must-read for super fans, shameless bandwagoners, athletes, broadcasters, umpires, groundskeepers, architects, culture junkies, tailgaters, and anyone who?s ever eagerly headed off to the ballpark to catch a game.« less