Go Joe Bruin talks to the fearless leaders of the best student section in nation, The Den, about UCLA Football. They also want you to Get To The Rose Bowl!
As we do at the beginning of every season, Go Joe Bruin interviews members of The Den to talk about the start of the UCLA Football season with the greatest student section in America.
RELATED: The Go Joe Bruin 2017 UCLA Football Season Preview
There are a great many changes to The Den this year and GJB gets down to the nitty gritty as we chat with President Jeff Kohl and Vice-President Kyle Grozen of The Den.
Game Week | @UCLAFootball #GoBruins pic.twitter.com/lxt6qbLV4v
— The Den (@uclatheden) August 29, 2017
Go Joe Bruin: How excited are you for UCLA Football to return?
Jeff Kohl: I¹m as excited as a pig in mud. Translation: Really freaking excited. How can you not be excited for game days at the Rose Bowl with the echoes of 8 claps bouncing off the San Gabriel Mountains, the pastel sunsets over America¹s stadium, and the best tailgating in the country?
Kyle Grozen: I couldn’t be more excited for football to come back! I think we’re all looking forward to getting the taste of last season out of our mouths, and to be back out at the Rose Bowl this fall is going to be incredible!
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GJB: So there has been a change. The Den is now in a different part of the Rose Bowl, what do you think of it and how will it affect the student section? Is this a good move?
JK: I think it¹s a great change. It¹s going to get more students closer to the field-level action and increase engagement with the football team. Coach Mora has confirmed that the team will warm up in the North end zone right in front of The Den, so students are going to feel a stronger connection with the team throughout the game. The team also has plans to engage with The Den after games as well, so it¹s a huge addition to the student experience. The number of student seats with actual seat-backs is way smaller now too, which some might see as a negative. But I think it¹s fantastic. I don¹t want students in The Den feeling cushy and relaxing; I want them on their feet, loud, and in your face.
KG: This change is really going to have a positive effect on the student game-day experience and also enhance the impact that The Den has on the game itself. The Athletic Department put a ton of time and effort into this change, and the result is more lower-bowl seating for students and the chance to follow the team to their new home on the west sideline at the Rose Bowl. It’s a great move for student engagement, and I’m excited to see the Den in our new home!