A stadium filled with cheering fans. Detailed outfits picked out weeks in advance, coming together for a kaleidoscope of school colors. A set plan for weekends, a connection to the class, and, of course, tailgates.

For many students, college is practically synonymous with sports.

Schools like Notre Dame, Penn State and even UConn pride themselves on their teams and a culture of students that widely support them. In fact, many students at these locations choose their college based on this promise of championships and comradery.

Now, Fairfield is known for many things, but being a true “sports school” is not one of them. 

Personally, I think that’s okay.

Throughout the years, students have argued for the addition of a D1 hockey or football team to increase school spirit and organized fun. Don’t get me wrong, I have fallen victim to seeing a picture of a Notre Dame football game and wondered what that lifestyle would be like. I just don’t think Fairfield could implement it.

For starters, we already tried to increase our sports presence. During my freshman year, I would walk by the construction of Mahoney Arena, ecstatic for the games to come. The following winter, the arena opened and, as imagined, was absolutely beautiful. The first game, my friends and I put on our Fairfield gear and excitedly watched the game. We had a great time, but as time passed, we didn’t feel drawn to return. The few other games we went to that year, the student section was largely empty, a sad sight among the new, spotless facility. 

The sad reality is that, as a student body, we don’t attend games. We have amazing athletes and programs that make huge achievements every season. Yet the minuscule numbers at any game make them feel lackluster and leave students without the urge to return. I do not think that adding a new sport would increase attendance numbers. Rather, I think it would be another example of the Mahoney Arena, a great investment without the desired return.

The fact of the matter is that people are drawn to Fairfield for what it is. 

I was not actively looking for a school without a huge culture of going to games. In fact, I always thought it looked like fun. But I was so drawn to the vibe of Fairfield University that suddenly that interest went out the door for me.

In most cases, a student selecting Fairfield chose it for the senior houses on the beach or the small-town feel with connections to major cities. Maybe they heard about senior events, like ‘nauts’ or The Grape, or perhaps they fell in love with the campus. 

No matter what the reason, Fairfield is unique because of both the things it has, and doesn’t have.

So, although tailgate TikToks and the lore of a Big 10 school may occasionally creep in, students should remember that Fairfield is simply not made to be a school for sports fans. And personally, I think that is exactly how it should stay.