Gear for the people
in the stands

Before you buy

Questions from the stands

What should I bring to a cold football game?

Work from the bench up. Metal pulls heat out of you faster than the air does, so something between you and the plank matters more than another jacket: a foam or heated cushion first, then a waterproof blanket you can sit on and wrap up in, then hand warmers for the parts that still complain. Layers you can shed beat one heavy coat, because the walk in is usually warmer than the fourth quarter.

Are heated seat cushions allowed in stadiums?

Usually, but the battery is the part that gets stopped, not the cushion. Many venues run a clear-bag policy, and a power bank has to fit inside whatever bag you are allowed to carry. Seat backs and cushions are also sometimes limited by size. Check the venue's own bag and seating policy the week of the game, because these rules change season to season and vary by school and stadium.

Will a bleacher seat fit our benches?

Measure first. Bleacher planks vary more than you would expect between an old high school field and a newer one, and clamp-on seats are built for a particular plank depth and thickness. Check the depth of the seat plank and the gap behind it, then compare against the product listing before you buy. A seat that does not clamp is a seat you carry back to the car.

How do I keep my phone from dying in the cold?

Cold drains lithium batteries fast, and a phone that reads twenty percent in the parking lot can be dead by halftime. Keep it in an inside pocket against your body rather than an outer one, and carry a power bank. Rechargeable hand warmers are useful here because most of them double as a battery pack, so it is one thing in the bag instead of two.

What paper should I print bingo cards on?

Plain copy paper is fine if the cards are getting used once and recycled. If they are being passed around a room, handled with food, or saved for next week, card stock in roughly the 65 to 110 pound range feels like a real game card and survives the night. Print at actual size rather than fit-to-page so the grid stays square. Shop printable bingo.

How do I reuse printed game cards all season?

Two ways. Slide each card into a dry erase pocket and mark it with a dry erase marker, then wipe it clean at the end of the game. Or print on card stock and use daubers for a one-off, which is faster to set up but uses a fresh card each time. The pocket route costs more up front and nothing after that. See the how-to kits.

What do you need for a fantasy draft party?

A board everyone can see, labels that stick, and something to argue over at the end. A wall draft board keeps the room honest about who is gone, which is harder than it sounds once the third round starts moving quickly. A trophy for the winner and one for last place does more for the league than either is worth. Fantasy football printables.

Do you sell this gear yourselves?

No. Everything on this page links out to Amazon, and Rivals Fanzone earns a commission if you buy through one of those links, at no extra cost to you. What we actually make is the printable side: bingo, squares, invitations and party packs you download and print at home. Shop the printables.