Hockey, Sports

The Dog Pound: the fan experience at Boston University

Dog Pound
The student section at Agganis Arena during a hockey game. This section is filled with Boston University students and the BU Band, who cheer on the Terriers during sports games. COURTESY OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS VIA BU TODAY

Upon arriving in Agganis Arena, scarlet and white is everywhere. Decked out in jerseys, sweatshirts, t-shirts or any other type of Boston University gear, students fill the stands, particularly in Sections 118 and 108. The student section — or as it’s called at BU, the Dog Pound — is full of students cheering on the hockey players.

“Anyone who is a sports fan at BU and goes to any of our games. Anyone who buys a ticket, anyone who shows up, anyone who’s there participating,” Rafael Perron, the incoming Dog Pound President and rising senior in the College of Arts and Science, said. “If you’re there, you’re part of the Dog Pound.”

With the band filling up a decent amount of one section already, the sections fill up quickly and stay full no matter how long the game may go.

The Dog Pound and BU Band are not just limited to hockey games though. They also attend basketball games and larger scale sporting events, like the men’s lacrosse Patriot League Final in May this year.

Perron first joined the Dog Pound to have fun and to enjoy the game with others.

“At the beginning it was really about just a place to have fun when I’m not doing my work and I’m not working,’ Perron said. “It was more of a ‘I love hockey so much, I love sports and I just want to have a good time’ and it sort of evolved from that.”

Now, Perron takes on a bigger role at games — you might see him waving the giant flag that’s “twice my height,” as Perron said, and a bigger role behind the scenes, planning trips to away games and interactive events with the team and the Dog Pound.

“People come up to me and they say, ‘I’m from a different country and I wasn’t exposed to this sport. But now I’ve come here and you’ve made me feel safe. You’ve made me feel welcome.’ That’s the best thing in the world honestly when people express to you that hey, this is a good thing you’ve done,” Perron said.

Between the cheering, the complaints and the chirps that the Dog Pound frequently yells at opposing goalies, the community that forms is bigger than hockey.

“Some of our chants might be cheesy. Some of our chants may be weird, but they all date back since before we’re all born, and they’re fun,” Perron said. “Honestly, they’re fun and they’re traditional, and you’re part of this game. So participate. Be loud. Be respectful, but it’s more fun than you may think.”

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