
*It's been a while since I've had a post with a header image hasn't it? Also, in posting this, I realized that I have not one, but TWO catch-up posts I never published, so...whoops!*

I've been to Rutgers quite a few times for a HOST of sports: [lacrosse](2025-08-26_rulacrosse_mens), [basketball](2025-11-25_rubasketball_womens) ([twice](2025-12-21_rubasketball2)), and even [two different sports at the same time](2026-03-29_rutgers_batandball) - but now it's time to talk about their "main" sport.

I won't go over the ENTIRE history of the Rutgers football program, but for those unaware: Rutgers famously hosted the first college football game in 1869 and claims the national title from that year (i.e. the first national title EVER in college football). Since then...the program hasn't done much. Sure, there was that one time they upset Louisville back in 2006, but outside of that, I can't think of a singular notable thing Rutgers football is known for (save for maybe Eric LeGrand).

This lack of accomplishment has been amplified with the school moving to the Big Ten back when I was (kinda sorta) a student[^1], where every season seems to play out the same way: start by beat weaker out-of-conference foes, then have everything come crashing down against the conference's national powerhouses before petering out into MAYBE a bowl appearance (though football isn't the only sport where this seems to happen - I won't elaborate for now). This game - the team's first game and home opener for 2026 - falls VERY MUCH into that first category, as it's against one of the few D-I programs that could actually make Rutgers look like a powerhouse: the [University of Massachusetts (Amherst)](2025-10-05_umasshockey).

As an alum, you'd think I would have at least tried to go to a football game once or twice, but I haven't[^3]. One of the big reasons: parking. As you'd expect for power conference football, it's not cheap - and even though there's a local park and a church with decent parking nearby, THEY'RE not much "relief" either (and the park is now apparently "not an option"). In the end, however, I ended up opting to park at a nearby church despite it being WELL more than what I paid for the ticket (more on THAT in a sec BTW). I've been to the stadium before (hence the "NEW TEAM" badge), but it HAS been [quite a while](2025-08-26_rulacrosse_mens) since that last visit (and the stadium was only partially open then), so I think a "reintroduction" is in order.

Opened in 1994 as a replacement for another stadium built on the same site, what is now SHI stadium (obviously) hosts football and lacrosse as well as the annual commencement ceremony for Rutgers (New Brunswick)[^4]. Most of the seats here are in a singular bowl save for each sideline having a second deck, but outside of that, the stadium is a little...basic - though to be fair, when it was built Rutgers was in the Big East - a conference which is now basketball-only (and even back then had a WAY smaller profile in football). I did take a peek at the concourses for the upper sections, but it seems that they lack concession stands. Outside of that, it is worth mentioning that the south endzone used to be fairly smallish, but a 2009 renovation added seats and "completed" the concourse so that it wraps fully around the stadium (there's a "lower walkway" about ten rows up a la places like [nearby TD Bank Ballpark](2026-04-17_sompatriots), but it's cut off by the new seats).

One thing outside the stadium (literally) worth mentioning: the Boardwalk. The Boardwalk at Rutgers is a fan festival outside the stadium which, in essence, serves as the school's official "tailgate". In a way, it functions similarly to the [Winter Village](2025-12-21_rubasketball2), though it was MUCH bigger and featured several food trucks as well as a ferris wheel and a carnival game. I would say that while a lot of it, I think it definitely (and seemingly does not require a ticket - just a way to get to it on gameday).

![An image of the Rutgers Marching Band](/images/2026/0903-marchingband.jpeg)

Inside the stadium, one of the big things that separates college sports from the pros is atmosphere, and football is widely regarded as the biggest example of that college atmosphere. Before the game and at halftime, the school's marching band performs, and I must say: while [Princeton](2025-11-15_princetonfootball) does a lot of the same things, the impact the Rutgers band had on the pregame and halftime shows was WAY more impressive largely due to just how much bigger Rutgers' band is. In fact, there were multiple things going on during halftime: the band, dancers, cheerleaders, and which made the whole thing kinda hard to follow.

Oh right, the game. Like I mentioned earlier, I got lucky on SeatGeek and had this view for an INSANE percentage (read: WELL over 50%) of face value:

![An image of a play during a football game](/images/2026/0903-thegoodtimes.jpeg)

<figcaption>Pay no attention to the fact that I named this photo "thegoodtimes.jpeg"</figcaption>

It would've been the MOST Rutgers thing imaginable to see them lose to a team widely regarded as the worst in the country by a country mile (having gone completely winless last year AND being dead last in several statistical categories). Of course, Rutgers is a Power Conference school with a well known coach, so it's not like they're going to pull a _<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Pittsburgh_Steelers_season" target="blank">Days of our Steelers</a>_[^5] and play down to their competition-

_\*insert "Vine boom" sound_

![An image of a scoreboard at SHI Stadium showing Rutgers being down 24-7](/images/2026/0903-halftimescore.jpeg)

<figcaption>This was the score at the half - I wanted to show the final score, but they pulled it off the scoreboard before I could get a photo. Trust me, it isn't much better...</figcaption>

It is worth noting that the head coach for UMass was Rutgers' defensive coordinator before taking the UMass job last year, so in essence, Rutgers got "Bill Belichick against one of his former coordinators...'d"[^6].

### MERCH

My last "non catch-up" post on this blog involved [football](2026-08-15_nyjets), but if you missed it: I'm not that into football items. Having said that, however, I do have a SUPER old Rutgers football jersey I got at a TJMaxx or Marshalls WAY back when (as in it's probably older than some of the kids attending Rutgers now), but the number on it...is a bit controversial (it's one of the school's biggest NFL stars, but he's partially remembered for that one night in Atlantic City).

That aside, there were a fair amount of merchandise areas inside the stadium...but not much of interest outside of mini helmets (though I don't really have a place for one). The "main" store had fitted hats that were labeled as "baseball hats", but I looked at the baseball team's Instagram and they looked just different enough to the point where I'm fairly sure they're NOT the same.

---

### ON DECK

The first song that played immediately after the game ended was "Stick Season" by Noah Kahan. There's a line within that song that I do kinda resonate with...and I'm going to kinda sorta discuss it tomorrow (though I've actually talked about it before on this very blog).

---

[^1]: I went to [Rutgers Newark](2026-06-05_morriselite), which is TECHNICALLY its own school with its own athletics department, but it's a D-III school without football.

[^2]: Though as a Rutgers Newark student, I don't know if we "count" (i.e. if Newark and Camden are eligible for student tickets).

[^3]: The lots nearest the stadium were SUPER expensive, so obviously I was never going to go for them (especially with how much my ticket cost). The least expensive lot is actually the one for Jersey Mike's Arena, and there is a shuttle to and from the stadium, but I've heard it's AWFUL, so in some ways, I don't really regret paying to park at the church (especially as it allowed me to be out fairly quickly).

[^4]: I don't like "aging" myself, but there was a famous controversy with Barack Obama giving the commencement speech in 2016 to commemorate the university's 250th anniversary (after I had already graduated). Newark and Camden students wanted to attend (and, IIRC, _were_ allowed to), but New Brunswick students argued that since they didn't go to the main campus, they shouldn't be allowed to walk (or something like that - it's been ten years man...).

[^5]: I know I linked a Wikipedia page, but look up "Days of our Steelers" on YouTube at your own discretion - it's by the same guy who did the Antonio Brown vid I liked when I first talked about [Indoor Football](2026-04-19_jerseybearcats), and he tends to be a bit loose with his language if that's a concern of yours.

[^6]: For those who don't know: Belichick assistants who became head coaches had a surprisingly good record against the Patriots in the Brady/Belichick era. While their overall record is TECHNICALLY "mostly okay" at 19-18, I recall the three most notorious "Why did we let Bill Belichick fool us into thinking this guy was good" guys (Eric Mangini, Josh McDaniels, and Matt Patricia) all being quite successful against Belichick. Also, this is probably not relevant to anything, but I lived in the same town as McDaniels (plus several other Patriots) during my time in Massachusetts (my cousin knew his daughter from a high school musical, which is more than I can say about the child of an NFL head coach who went to the same school I went to...).

I FINALLY watch the signature sport of my (kinda sorta technically) alma mater

Rutgers Scarlet Knights Football (Big Ten) @ SHI Stadium (Piscataway, NJ)


### [SUMMER OF BASEBALL 2023: STOP 24](2026-08-16_summerofbaseball2023)

The Keene Swamp Bats are one of the NECBL's more successful teams. They were founded in 1997, have only missed the league's playoffs seven times (though most of those were in the past few years), and have won six league titles (which is second in the NECBL only to [Newport](2026-08-20_nptgulls)). They're also rather successful in the stands: despite (or because) Keene is kinda isolated from the "big cities" of New England, they draw in a lot of local support (though the team's leadership also seems to put a lot of work into promoting the team), and have been consistently third in the NECBL in attendance the past few years (the top two being [Newport](2026-08-20_nptgulls) and Martha's Vineyard).

Alumni Field is, according to Wikipedia, the largest stadium in the NECBL by seating capacity at 4,100 "seats". This can likely be attributed to the (relatively large) grandstand down the first base line, which extends essentially all the way from home plate to first base. Outside of that, scattered bleachers dot the rest of the infield - though I feel like . When I originally wrote a few notes on Keene in 2023, I compared it to [Mackenzie Stadium in Holyoke](2026-08-28_valbluesox) due to the large first base side stands both stadiums feature; however, in terms of experience, they are quite different given Keene (though the data suggest that Valley was once a big draw as well). Also, the grandstand in Keene is a bit more “cozy”, so to speak: it’s got a roof on top of it, netting all the way down, and is closer to the field than Mackenzie's is.

This is the FIRST instance in this series of posts where I only visited the field once (one of three). The game I went to featured a special kids event, and there were a ton of families at the game, but outside of that, I don't exactly remember much (it was on Juneteenth FWIW, and I found a used media store with Chuck E. Cheese plush toys for sale afterward).

### MERCH

There's a trailer behind home plate that kinda sorta serves as the team store, and I say that because most of the items were actually in front of the trailer. Alas, as I only made one visit and the team does not have an online retail presence, I can't say I remember much about what they sell that isn't just "shirts, hoodies, and hats" (outside of me being somewhat interested in a jacket that I eventually decided not to go for).

Keene is kinda weird in that their hat logo is literally just their whole primary logo (text and all - just like [their defunct in-state rival](2026-04-11_wpsmuskrats)), so while I do like the uniqueness of their colors (purple and black), the team's full name being on there makes it kinda weak amongst NECBL hats IMO (and they're also not the only team that wears purple and black in the league...).


One of New England baseball's hidden gems

Keene Swamp Bats (New England Collegiate Baseball League) @ Alumni Field (Keene, NH)


### [SUMMER OF BASEBALL 2023: STOP 23](2026-08-16_summerofbaseball2023)

North Adams is, in some ways, a "quintessential New England town" given its location in the Berkshires, but it is SO FREAKIN' FAR from Boston that I had never heard about it until I was much older (despite it having a rather famous art museum)[^1]. However, to my surprise, the SteepleCats are quite old (and pretty "unsuccessful") by NECBL standards: founded in 2002, they have yet to even make the NECBL's championship series, but what they do have: one of the best views in all of New England Summer Ball.

![A photo of the mountains behind Joe Wolfe Field](/images/baseball2023/nahills.jpeg)

<figcaption>Having grown up with Vermont/mountain vacations my whole life, I’m a sucker for mountain backdrops, and with all due respect to the teams in Vermont, this one beats them out by quite a bit.</figcaption>

Outside of this view[^2]...Joe Wolfe Field (where the team plays) is pretty "standard" IMO. One thing I do find somewhat interesting, however, is that the grandstand here (for some reason); yes, it's all metal seats (and seemingly hasn't been changed since the day it opened in 1986 - for better or worse), but for some reason, it feels different from other NECBL fields with grandstands behind home plate (maybe due to its size and the fact that there's nets around the entire thing).

Unfortunately, this is also probably the most remote field in all of the New England summer leagues. Getting here from Boston is quite the hike: the main route here is a local road (Route 2) which is notorious for a few rather poor "layout decisions" (see: the Concord Rotary), after which it becomes country road for 50 or so miles before getting to North Adams, though it is quite scenic (and you go through one of the best town names in Massachusetts: Florida). I also had to go BACK the way I came to meet up with friends the night I went, so that ended up being a TON of driving in one day (about five hours worth overall)...and this was the SECOND trip (in 2023).

For the first trip (2022), I came here from [Westfield](2026-08-17_wesstarfires) (schedule timings worked out well for me in 2022), and part of that drive featured roads with ZERO cell service (which I found out when Spotify suddenly cut off). That date also featured a visit to a stadium the SteepleCats played a few games at in either 2024 or 2025 (I honestly don't remember) - and I will get to the "where" and "why" of that soon enough...

### MERCH

There’s a building on the third base line which houses concessions and merch. The Steeplecats had two or so hat logos when I visited (in multiple styles), and I also got a hoodie here that I like as it features an "extra" pocket. I also recall seeing what looked like practice jerseys here one time, but they weren't the best looking things I'd seen...

I must say that it was rather unfortunate that management had apparently decided to not order 2023 player caps for fans...or at least that’s what I heard from the woman at the merchandise stand the day I went. She did say that multiple people had asked about it, but I wasn’t able to find if they ever sold them. However, images I've seen of the SteepleCats since 2023 indicate that they've had some pretty major color changes (they had blue, black, and yellow when I visited, but have seemingly dropped the blue), so I'm hoping I can return sometime in the future to see what's new (but not holding out hope for that as, again, it's a bit remote).

---

[^1]: Also, in case you were wondering: Samuel. Yep, the same one from the beer. There's another town just south of North Adams called, well, Adams from which NA split a LONG time ago.

[^2]: In case anyone was wondering: I do have more photos from back in the day, but since I was shooting most of them as Instagram stories, there are VERY few that are NOT portrait, and a bunch of them have text that's hard to remove due to how Instagram stories get saved.

...with New England Baseball's most scenic stadium

North Adams SteepleCats @ Joe Wolfe Field (North Adams, MA)


### [SUMMER OF BASEBALL 2023: STOP 21](2026-08-16_summerofbaseball2023)

_\*For more on the Cape Cod Baseball League, I wrote about it [here](ccbl_overview), and I personally recommend you check it out._

Founded in 1947, the Cotuit Kettleers are, in essence, the CCBL’s version of the [Yankees](2026-06-04_nyyankees): they wear pinstripes and have won more championships than anyone else (17 of them, with their most recent one coming in 2019).

If I’m being honest, the Ketts have probably one of the better stadiums on Cape Cod in Lowell Park. While it doesn't offer much that "stands out" amongst Cape League fields IMO save for the fact that it's one of three stadiums without lights but also only one of two stadiums in the league with a video board (with the other being [Wareham](2025-08-20_wargatemen)), the stands are fairly modern and the entry plaza is super cool thanks to recent renovations.

However...parking is kinda sorta absolute hell. The stadium has a tiny lot next to it that can only fit like 50 cars for spectators (the rest is for players, staff, and umpires), and if you park too close to the field, you’re liable to have a foul ball break a window/windshield (something that ALMOST happened to me at [Red Wilson Field](2026-08-29_ydredsox) the first time I went there). There is a bigger “main lot” that they use, but it’s a short walk away (i.e. not fun when it’s 80+ and humid, which is bound to happen at some point given Lowell Park being one of three Cape League fields without lights). In addition, you’ll often find cars parked ON the sidewalks near the park (though I THINK the team is trying to discourage fans from doing this). It's due to the parking situation plus the lack of lights that I feel like this is the stadium I have visited the LEAST, which is a bit of a shame.

### MERCH

I mentioned this [some time ago](2025-12-26_merchstops), but Cotuit is one of few teams on Cape Cod that has online merchandise sales; while they’re not quite as "robust" as some other teams around New England, given that most teams barely sell ANYTHING, it's still nice. While most items the team offers do feel a bit "generic" (save for maybe a windbreaker I got back in 2022 plus the fact that I bought a game-worn jersey one time[^1]), the team did used to have a book written by the then-manager and his son (who was an MLB player probably best known for being a Baltimore Oriole).

Also, for as long as I’ve known about them, they’ve been stingy about player hats: they typically wait until mid-season to sell them, and it seems like they sell pretty quick. However, I recall purchasing a player hat in 2022 early in the season (though it may have been because it was a special 75th anniversary hat), and as mentioned last year, I was able to snag a 2025 player hat (which sold out shortly after I ordered it).

Since this is the final Cape League team I'm going to be talking about (at least for now), I feel like I should also mention that the league itself has its own line of merchandise and has had pop-up "merchandise sales" from time to time around Cape Cod[^2]. I went to one of these back during my time in Massachusetts, and while it was fairly small and only had "league" items, I did end up finding a jacket I liked (though I think I accidentally ruined it by leaving it in my car for too long[^3]).

---

_As a final, FINAL note on Cape Cod (partially with this post's title)...RIP the Cape Cod Potato Chip factory in Hyannis._

### ON DECK

The greatest view in New England baseball - and it's NOT in Vermont or New Hampshire.

---

[^1]: I distinctly recall visiting the team store out of sheer curiosity (something I did quite a bit with Cape League teams), seeing jerseys available, buying the jersey, and then IMMEDIATELY heading off to another game - sorry Cotuit. It should also be noted that some teams on Cape Cod run in-person merchandise sales outside of the season - Cotuit and [Falmouth](2026-08-27) being the most notable ones.

[^2]: The Futures League has it's own stuff as well, but those items are pretty much just "custom spiritwear" (and the only "Futures League" things I've seen in person are baseballs). I don't know if there's a "line" of NECBL merch, but I did see a NECBL logo hat at a few stadiums.

[^3]: It's supposed to be a darker color, but has som weird reddish tint on it - probably UV damage...

Cape Cod’s version of the New York Yankees

Cotuit Kettleers (Cape Cod Baseball League) @ Lowell Park (Cotuit, MA)


### [SUMMER OF BASEBALL 2023: STOP 19](2026-08-16_summerofbaseball2023)

_\*For more on the Cape Cod Baseball League, I wrote about it [here](ccbl_overview), and I personally recommend you check it out._

The Bourne Braves are Cape Cod’s “newest” team (along with Brewster). While other Cape League teams had called Bourne home, the current team was founded in 1988 as an expansion of the league. Pre-COVID, they had one title, but since the Cape League came back from a cancelled 2020 season, the Braves have been the league's dynasty - making the championship series in EVERY season since 2021 (including this past season) and winning three (2022, 2023, 2025).

For whatever reason, however, their Wikipedia page combines them with the previous teams in Bourne and gives them ten titles - the other six of which, obviously, predate the Braves (though for what it’s worth, the team’s media guide only goes back to 1988). Notably, the team kept the “Braves” name when the MLB trademark situation happened (and seems uninterested in changing anytime soon despite the controversy surrounding the name).

I couldn’t find any good information about their stadium history (one of them was apparently the Massachusetts Maritime Academy across the canal in Buzzard’s Bay), but in 2006, they moved from a small field (that seemingly doesn’t have lights) to their current home: Doran Park on the campus of Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School. Doran is unique amongst Cape League parks in that THERE ARE NO METAL OR WOOD BLEACHERS WHATSOEVER (even the more “lawn chair” heavy stadiums have a few); I think there used to be (based on a visit back in 2021), but recent renovations have removed them. Instead, there are terraces around the infield (which were recently renovated), with brick edges you can sit on if you don’t have a lawn chair.

One of Bourne’s biggest advantages if you want to see Cape League action but can’t justify traffic/driving is that it’s literally right between the two bridges! Sure, the traffic pattern getting to/from the stadium kinda sucks, but as long as someone hasn’t messed up in the rotary and shut it down, access is easy from "mainland" Massachusetts! This stadium also features one of the larger parking lots in the Cape (as it’s on the campus of a high school), and the team has contingency plans (read: a nearby ice arena + shuttles) when it gets full, so it’s highly accessible if you’re coming from Boston (like I typically did back in the day).

### MERCH

If you’re wondering where all those fans got those hats (or the short sleeve hoodie I got in 2023), the merch store WAS in the lower level of the press box for a while. The terraces made it kinda hard to get to, and there’s only like one sign pointing to its location as the merch store, but it was one of two stadiums with a “walk-in” merch store (the other one being [Falmouth](2026-08-27_falcommodores)). Thanks to the press box blocking home plate from the terraces, the little window to the field here was the only place where fans can get a view from behind home plate.

In 2025, however, the team store was moved to a shipping container at the edge of the parking lot. While I've never seen the team sell player jerseys (i.e. the button down ones) in my many visits, I saw a video on the internet that seemingly indicated that the team sold old jerseys in 2026 - alas, since I haven't been back since [a brief 2025 visit](2025-12-26_merchstops), I have no idea if they're still doing this or what they still have...

Cape League Baseball just over the bridges

Bourne Braves (Cape Cod Baseball League) @ Doran Park (Bourne, MA)


### [SUMMER OF BASEBALL 2023: STOP 18](2026-08-16_summerofbaseball2023)

_\*For more on the Cape Cod Baseball League, I wrote about it [here](ccbl_overview), and I personally recommend you check it out._

Formerly the Cardinals until the 2010 trademark situation, the Firebirds have been an Orleans staple since 1947.  In terms of "winning", they've won eleven league titles, but their last title came when they were still the Cardinals in 2005 (notably, I realized when writing this sentence that none of the teams who changed names in 2010 have won under the new names).

Eldredge Park opened in 1913, which makes it the oldest park on Cape Cod (at least according to Wikipedia). As the team furthest up (or down) Route 6 by exit numbers, this is probably the second furthest team from Boston (as Chatham involves a long drive down local roads; I'm not actually sure which team is a further drive). While I honestly can't say that Eldredge is super "special" as far as Cape League fields go (save for maybe the bandstand which functions as the Firebirds bullpen), there is one thing worth mentioning: if you are able to crush a home run to straightaway center, WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE CAPE LEAGUE? At 434 feet from home and at an angle pointed outward, it’s by far one of the furthest distances (if not the singular furthest distance) from home plate in the entire sport! The last time I was here, concessions were similar to Brewster: a small local company (the same one in fact) running out of a tent (of course, given that this is the Cape League, you can DIY “concessions”).

A fair warning if you intend on coming here: if you don’t have a lawn chair but don’t want to sit on the grassy hill down the first base line, your options are a small set of bleachers (which, surprisingly, aren’t reserved for scouts) or the outfield. There are no other options but to stand.

It is due to this that I've heard about the practice of fans placing their chairs LONG before game time (for instance, the Firebirds made the championship series in 2023, but lost to Bourne), but I never brought a lawn chair to any of the Cape League games (as a reminder: I went to SEVERAL of these games on weekdays after work).

### MERCH

Merchandise is sold under tents here, making Orleans the only team without a “physical” merchandise building (the press box here is kinda smallish and a bit too close to the field but has indications that it did used to house merchandise). However, I feel like it’s one of the more extensive merch selections on Cape Cod, so that may explain the tents.

While Orleans, like most teams, does not really sell merchandise online (except at special times, and even then it's a bit limited), they USED to have a pretty robust online merchandise presence. In fact, the first jersey I got from the Cape League was a Firebirds jersey I ordered back in 2021; it was made by a manufacturer run by former Firebird and Major Leaguer Marcus Stroman, but was rather small despite being labeled as my size, so I ended up having to get a new one in the bigger size the following year at the park.

---

### ON DECK

The Cape League canceled its 2020 season because of you-know-what. Since it came back, one team has DOMINATED the landscape - and it's one I actually mentioned last year.


Sportventures

Swampy

The Hills are Alive...

Kettle Chips

The Bourne Dynasty

Old Orleans