Fan Guide: Tips for Colts fans traveling to Arrowhead Stadium Saturday

It looks like the Colts will be playing in a genuine classic “playoff football” type game when they take the field on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium. With a winter storm system moving through the area, the national weather service has issued a winter weather advisory for Friday beginning at 6pm and stretching until 6pm Saturday.

While it doesn’t look like they’ll face whiteout conditions during the actual course of the game, it is a possibility, and the area could have anywhere from 3-5 inches of snow dumped on it. That means tougher playing conditions that will favor the running game, as well as tougher conditions for fans who are showing up to cheer the action.

If you are one of the Colts faithful making that trip, we’ve got a couple tips for you. First, if you can, you need to get on the road fairly early.

The reports are that conditions will worsen quickly, and so if you have that drive to make, best to do it by midday so you can be arriving before the snow. We need Colts fans in the bleachers, not the hospital.

Second, if you’ve never been to a cold weather game, it should be obvious, but you need to layer up. You obviously will want hats, gloves, and lots of layers, but as Chris Shepherd advised, the thing people forget about is that the concrete at Arrowhead is the real enemy. Your feet up against it can end up the coldest, and so boots or shoes with thick soles and thick socks are ideal. Some people even bring foam blocks to put their feet on for insulation from the cold concrete.

Here are a handful of other great tips straight from the mouths of Chiefs fans

• Eat BBQ while there, because, obviously. Gates BBQ received a strong endorsement, but I doubt you can really go wrong.
• Alongside the BBQ tip, it is important to note that there isn’t really anything within walking distance of the stadium like there is in Indy, so get your food before you get to the stadium.
• Arrive early. Typically an hour would be ideal, but given the weather I’d shoot for a couple hours early. People are idiots when it snows.
• Parking isn’t cheap for these games and given weather conditions you’ll prefer being closer. If you prepay for your parking, it costs $35. Wait for game day and you’ll pay $60.
• Standard clear bag rules apply for attendance, so make sure if you have a bag it is clear. These can be purchased around the stadium if needed, but obviously it is ideal to do that in advance.
• You are allowed to bring blankets, hand warmers, cardboard, or foam, as mentioned above, to keep your feet off the concrete.
• Stay hydrated! If your throat is dry, you can’t cheer as effectively. Be ready to bring it for the Colts and that means drinking lots of water in addition to whatever else you drink. Cough drops aren’t a bad idea here either.
• Plan for a decent wait after the game. Given bad weather it could take between 1-2 hours to get to the highway from the stadium, so don’t get in a rush.
• Follow @arrowheadevents which is the Stadium’s official Twitter feed and will provide traffic updates on game day.
• You can also call a Fan Experience person at 816-920-4237 starting 5 hours prior to kickoff with any questions
• Know which lot makes the most sense and which gates will get you heading home the quickest. If you’re heading back toward Indiana, Lot A, Lot J, and Lot N on the north side of the stadium are good bets because their gates are nearest to I-70 to get you on your way home. Here is the Chiefs’ page for directions.
• Keep an eye out for Brett, Chris Shepherd, and Ana at the game. They’ll be representing the Stampede Blue crew on the ground, and if you find them and buy them a drink, it probably won’t hurt their feelings. Just think of it like “Where’s Waldo.”

If you’ve been to Arrowhead and have any tips, drop them in the comments. For those of you going to the game, represent the horseshoe well and scream your lungs out on Saturday. Go Colts!