Duke City Gladiators




Anybody that knows me knows that sports are a very important thing to me. Whether it is baseball, football, or especially college football I can always sit down and watch a game at any time. Living in Denver it was very easy to be a sports fan, at any time of the year there was a game to watch. Not even from the major sports, there was even two options for professional lacrosse. So, moving down here was a little bit of an adjustment. Thankfully as the time passed by, I did discover a form of football I honestly didn’t even know was still around. Indoor football. So when I found out that Albuquerque had a team I was excited about going to my first game, which of course had to be the home opener. So on a Saturday in March, I was eager about my first experience of the Duke City Gladiators.

With ticket in hand, I headed to the Rio Rancho Events Center excited about seeing my first live Indoor Football League Game. The home opener was the Duke City Gladiators vs. the Frisco Fighters, and it had elements of a pro football game. Outside the center fans were tailgating, kids were throwing the football around all in excitement of seeing the Gladiators take the field. Inside the teams were warming up, the stadium food was everywhere, drinks flowing, and teams warming up on the field. The only thing that needed to happen was the kickoff.

Once the game started, I forgot just how paced football is in person. The action was fast paced, and the game moved just as fast. Unfortunately, it was not the Gladiators night, as they ultimately ended up losing in their home opener. The Gladiators struggled to get their offense clicking and ended up falling short. Did it matter? No, this was a very entertaining way to spend a Saturday night. The players were all playing very hard, and that’s what matters. In this day and age of multi million-dollar contracts, it is such a relief to watch football being played by athletes who merely love playing the game.

So, the question I regularly ask is would I go to another game again? The answer is absolutely. The cost was great, I sat at midfield for $14. The game was entertaining with fast paced action. With NFL and college games costing more and more to go to options to watch live football can be difficult. The Indoor Football League provides a great option for a very cost-efficient price. This was entertaining just for me , but I would bring other people. Like previously said, finding new teams to cheer for has been hard since I moved down here. Well, thankfully I discovered the Gladiators. I will be back for sure, and hope they come out winners in my next venture to one of their games.

To see photos follow me on Instagram @the_nm_tx or tag me using #thenmtx 


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