Ben Chase: The man living every sport’s fan dream
Attempting to attend 70 college football games in one season
November 1, 2022
Meet Ben Chase, University of Florida graduate in 2014 and working in Name-image-and-likeness-consulting before wanting to road trip.
While researching college football road trips, and with the help of College Football’s Reddit, he found a road trip guide for 42 college football games in one season. However, 42 games were not enough for Chase.
“I looked at every HBCU, Ivy League, D1, D2, and I got 62 games… I’m chasing 62 games,” Chase said.
While traveling without a real set plan during the season Chase has room to squeeze in other games if necessary, and with the help of social media and TV rights putting certain schools and games on week days, he was able to add more games to his road trip.
“Because of Saturday, you don’t know the time until two weeks before… five Saturdays I was able to double up, and because of the Hurricane I added two more games,” Chase said.
Although Chase is doing this road trip for himself and for fun, he still is thinking of others as he is soon to bring 70 kids to a football game.
“In two weeks I have a new goal of bringing 70 kids to a game in South Florida… I’ll have enough tickets to get everyone there,” Chase said.
In talks with Roll Up Network, Chase is able to get 70 kids and family members to the SMU vs USF game in mid-November and they all get a shirt and a hat, the same merch that Chase gets from each school he has gone to so far.
“Chase what you love… Tell people what you want to do and they will help take you there,” Chase said.
Chase has reaped the benefits of putting into the world what he wants to. He has backing and people supporting him along the way. When he arrived at WSU, he explained that of the 35 games he had been to including the WSU game, he only had to pay out of pocket for seven of them. The others were paid for through donations, and WSU gave Chase field passes to the game, a stadium and football complex tour, as well as the student section. ZZU Cru gave him free merchandise.
“I never ask for that, they appreciate me going out of my way to come here and tell the story of Washington State,” Chase said.
At the halfway point when Chase arrived at Washington State, he had over 150 people who have Venmoed him to help with ticket costs and gas to travel in his minivan named “Betty”.
Chase does not travel by plane or any other mode besides his own car. He started the journey on a road trip in Betty, and that is where he will finish the road trip and his 72nd game at the National Championship in January.
So far his favorite memory is when he was in Boone, North Carolina, Appalachian State has a tradition where they jump in the pond after a win. The game that Chase attended in Boone was a victory for Appalachian State, he and a few students jumped into the pond to celebrate with the encouragement of fans who knew he was there.
“The school police was there to save me a spot… someone texted me saying they’re chanting: where is Ben? I show up and two other people were jumping in with me, that was my favorite story,” Chase said.
Chase wants people to follow his journey and wants to be an inspiration for people to follow their dreams.
“There’s a YouTuber I listen to who has a saying, start before you’re ready and punch fear in the face,” Chase said.
Whatever your passion is, Chase wants people to lean all the way in, no matter what kind of hate or discouragement you get, push through and lean in.
“You gotta lean all the way in… I don’t care what people think, I see negative comments and I keep it moving. I have no regrets,” Chase said.
Follow along with Chase below as he attempts to hit 72 College Football games in one season.