‘It’s like I’m up in Boone again’: Charlotte-area App State fans ready to cheer on Mountaineers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - On Saturday, Kidd Brewer Stadium at App State will experience its second sold-out game of the season when Troy comes to Boone to face the Mountaineers.

The eyes of the college football nation will also descend upon the mountain town as ESPN’s College Gameday will make its first-ever appearance on campus for Saturday’s contest.

The city of Boone will be filled to the brim with the Black and Gold faithful, but for a group of devoted fans in Charlotte, there is another way they feel that App State community from over 80 miles away.

Related: Security plans in place for Appalachian State football game this weekend

Angry Ale’s became the de facto App State bar in the Queen City in roughly 2008, when management found a way to stream games directly from the school’s web feed for fans to watch in Charlotte.

Now, the bar has become a home to dozens of Mountaineer alum and fans who want to feel a little slice of Boone on gamedays.

“It truly is something surreal,” server and App State alum Gracie Lankford said. “We usually have a line out the door 15 minutes before we open. And if you’re not here 15-30 minutes before we open you’re not going to get a seat.”

Even 80 miles away, these Mountaineers still feel like a part of every win and every loss.

“It makes me so proud that I get to be a part of that,” server and App State alum Hannah Schriefer said. “I’m gonna tell my kids about it, and that I got to experience it and watch it on TV, it was just an unreal experience.

Copyright 2022 WBTV. All rights reserved.