Alabama alumnus Aaron Blackwell attended his 120th consecutive Alabama football game at Texas A&M Saturday in College Station, Texas, which was happily met with a win. The last game he missed was Nov. 29, 2003, in Hawaii. Calling Blackwell a dedicated fan would be an understatement; however, Blackwell said he didn’t set out with the goal of never missing a game. He just loves Alabama football.
“It’s my hobby,” Blackwell said. “I don’t hunt, fish or golf. Going to games is what I do for fun. I’ve never had a goal and didn’t aspire to get to any certain number. It’s my team, my school and I’m grateful I’ve been able to go to as many games as I have.”
Blackwell, the assistant manager of Alumni Fund at the University, has seen countless big moments of Alabama football in over eight years of uninterrupted attendance. Alabama’s record is 92 wins and only 28 losses during Blackwell’s consecutive streak. He has seen three national championships, two SEC championships, the “Rocky Block” and Alabama going to the BCS Championship, despite a one-loss season, twice.
His favorite game is the 2009 SEC Championship against Florida, though. It had been about 10 years since Alabama had an SEC title. The win signified the start of a new era in Crimson Tide football.
“That game meant a lot to me,” Blackwell said. “Just to have some success and knowing I was going to the National Championship in Pasadena after that. It was amazing.”
Often, Blackwell attends games with his wife or with his brother or father, as is the case of the Iron Bowl. Sometimes, though, he goes with his longtime friend, Brennan Shores.
Shores accompanied Blackwell to College Station Saturday and expects that Blackwell will continue to attend Bama games for years to come.
“It’s crazy,” Shores said. “He doesn’t show any sign of slowing down either. By the time we are old and have grandkids, there is no telling how many games he will have been to.”
Like many children growing up in Alabama, Blackwell’s love for the Crimson Tide was embedded in him as a child. His dad began taking him to games when he was just a kid. One game stands out in his mind, in particular: the 1992 Iron Bowl.
Alabama won 17-0 that day, and Blackwell’s dad bought him a cushion seat. After the game, they went down to the field, his dad leaned over the railing at Legion Field, and Coach Gene Stallings autographed the seat.
“That was probably the most memorable game I went to as a kid,” Blackwell said.
Blackwell hopes to pass on the same love of Alabama and football to his daughter.
Blackwell has never added up the cost of tickets, gas, hotels, food and souvenirs, and he is certain he does not want to know the total. He has missed weddings, funerals and other family events to go to games.
“I wouldn’t be able to do this if I didn’t have such a supportive wife and family,” Blackwell said. “They know that I love Alabama football, and they wouldn’t want me to be anywhere else.”
He is often asked when his streak will end, but his response is always the same, Blackwell said.
“When I no longer enjoy going or can’t afford to provide for my family and still go,” he said. “The latter will probably occur long before the former.”
An Alabama football game becoming unenjoyable seems foreign to Blackwell. Attending a game is an experience unlike any other, and at this time, when winning is not uncommon for the Crimson Tide, it is just that much more exciting for Blackwell.
“Winning is always more enjoyable than losing, but the fun is in winning,” Blackwell said. “But it’s also in the atmosphere. It’s in the roar of the crowd. I’ve never enjoyed a game I’ve watched on TV the same as when I am in the stands. You just can’t replicate the experience.”
