SAN BENITO — It always seems to be a battle on the field nobody wants to miss out on.
That’s why San Benito Greyhound super fans started lining up outside the ticket booth of Bobby Morrow Stadium Sunday, hoping to grab tickets for Friday’s game.
The same thing was happening outside of Boggus Stadium as Cardinals fans geared up for the big contest.
It’s called the Battle of the Arroyo and it pits the San Benito Greyhounds against the Harlingen Cardinals.
For many, it’s always the game of the year.
And once again, residents of San Benito weren’t playing around when it came to buying tickets for the big rivalry game.
With tents, mattresses and snacks in tow, fans lined up against the chain-link fence waiting for tickets to go on sale this morning at 7:30 a.m.
That didn’t stop several fans from lining up early to ensure they’re able to see the game up close and live Friday night.
San Benito resident Oscar Medrano was first in line and said he had been set up in the spot since Sunday afternoon.
Medrano, a season ticket holder himself, who already had his own tickets for the game, waited in line to purchase tickets for his family. It was all to support his alma mater and his nephew, Tyron Harper who is on the team.
“This is a big game for us,” Medrano said. “The Battle of the Arroyo is one of the most intense rivalries in the state of Texas and we can’t miss it.”
The 1990 San Benito graduate said he never misses the battle.
“I’m a true Greyhound fan, once a Greyhound always a Greyhound,” Medrano said.
Many in line shared the same sentiment.
Whether they knew someone on the team or not, the residents were ready to support the town’s team.
“It’s like the Super Bowl,” Joe Salazar, a 1981 graduate, said about the big battle.
This year, the game is expected to be huge. The Greyhounds appear to be the team to beat in the area.
Salazar was in line with his family including his niece Olga Ortega whose son plays for the team.
“I think we’re going to take it,” Ortega said. “I think the Greyhounds are doing really awesome.”
Salazar and his wife Maria also had been in line since Sunday.
They are both season ticket holders, too, but were helping out friends, who live out of town, get tickets.
“We were hoping that they wouldn’t start (lining up) until this morning but somebody got in line so of course we had to get in line, too,” Maria said.
Tickets this year are restricted to 10 per person and are payable with cash only.
The new regulations come after an incident last year when a single person purchased 200 tickets.
Yolanda Gonzalez from the athletics department said that was the reason the department added limits this year.
They were put in place to give everyone an opportunity to buy tickets, Gonzalez said.
Lines weren’t limited to San Benito as Harlingen fans lined up outside Boggus Stadium as early as Sunday for their chance to attend the game.
