ESPN reporter pitched bubble tent inside Arrowhead before Chiefs-Dolphins game
Ticket prices on the secondary market continue to drop for Saturday night’s Wild Card game between the Chiefs and Dolphins, but some fans aren’t worried about the bitter cold.
For instance, fans got to the gates outside GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium 23 hours before the 7:10 p.m. kickoff on Saturday night.
Yep, 23 hours.
My neighbor. 1st in line already. Insane, but awesome. #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/wypmdanuxa
— Ballot or the Bullet (@JJones816) January 13, 2024
The line grew longer on Saturday morning as this video from Kelli Peltier of Fox 4 shows.
It’s 9AM in KC and feels like -14 with the wind chill.
Here’s the line of #Chiefs fans waiting in line for tonight’s Wild Card playoff game vs the #Dolphins. pic.twitter.com/snh2vfrtfy— Kelli Peltier (@KelliPeltierTV) January 13, 2024
ESPN’s Jeff Darlington also arrived early on Saturday, and probably wished to be assigned to the Bills-Steelers game in Orchard Park, New York. That contest was supposed to start at noon Sunday but was pushed back to Monday at 3:30 p.m. because the forecast predicts 2 feet of snow could fall in the area.
Darlington, who graduated from the University of Florida and used to be a Dolphins beat writer for the Miami Herald, brought a bubble tent with him to Arrowhead Stadium. There appears to be a heater in there.
.@JeffDarlington EPIC. pic.twitter.com/RfXos7xI4S
— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) January 13, 2024
They're coming for us @JeffDarlington pic.twitter.com/32cIxSsFij
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) January 13, 2024
Whatever it takes, people! https://t.co/WcFhTAdrGN
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 13, 2024
Darlington stepped out of the tent for an on-air spot, and talked about how the NFL is helping the Chiefs and Dolphins prepare for the brutal conditions.
“Allen Sills, the Chief Medical Officer for the NFL has been in touch with both teams about the weather tonight, trying to give them tips on things that they can do to stay safe because they’re certainly not going to be able to stay warm,” Darlington said. “Both teams have been provided with extra additional gear, heated benches because, get this guys, let me tell you what the temperature is going to be.
“We’re gonna have an actual temperature of minus-5 degrees around kickoff with wind gusts up to 29 miles per hour, which means it’s going to feel like an ungodly negative-30 degrees. What are we doing people?!?! But anyway.”
Darlington also is wearing multiple layers of clothing, but perhaps not as many as Joey from “Friends.”
Spot on. https://t.co/I4wRbU1QlQ
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 13, 2024
And he shared a photo of the playing field at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday.
The view of Arrowhead Stadium inside eight hours until kickoff. pic.twitter.com/VqAuVirzkZ
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 13, 2024