The 2010 NFL football season kicked off this month, and will run weekly to early January. This is the 91st season of the NFL, which began on September 9th at the Louisiana Superdome, and will end on January 6, 2011 with Super Bowl XLV at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Over the next 4 months, millions of fans will be coming out to stadiums across the country to watch their favorite teams. It’s one of the biggest live spectator sports in the world, with an average attendance of 67,509 per game. Last year, a total of 17,282,225 spectators attended NFL games.

Despite the advent of big screen, high-definition TVs and the comfort of home viewing, 65% of NFL fans still prefer to see their games at a stadium.

Meanwhile, the NFL is continuing to enhance the stadium experience with pre-game shows and festivals, as well as mobile technology that gives exclusive information to fans attending the game.

So what’s so great about stadium football? Standing, jumping and cheering with 60,000+ other passionate and exuberant fans. Not just being a spectator, but actually living the game. Sharing team knowledge, player histories and statistics with friends and family. The wins…and the losses.

And don’t forget about the socializing that creates a sense of community, like tailgating parties. These rambunctious gatherings have gone from parking lot subculture to mainstream social events.

Once inside the stadium, your football experience is also going to include a trip or two to the concession stand. If you haven’t made it out to any major sporting events lately, you might be surprised at some of the more upgraded stadium menus. Here are some treats you don’t want to miss:

Gordon Biersch Garlic Fries (San Francisco 49ers, Candlestick Park)

Capicola & Cheese Sandwich (Pittsburgh Steelers’ Heinz Field)

Stacked Smoked Brisket Sandwich (Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City)

Chili Bowl (Baltimore Ravens’ M&T Stadium)

Chiefs’ Brisket Stack (Kansas City Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium)

Peach Cobbler (Atlanta Falcons’ Georgia Dome)

Cuban Sandwich (Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Raymond James Stadium)

S'pacific Salmon BLT (Seattle Seahawks' Qwest Field)

Halftime shows are another reason to attend a game. Marching bands, cheerleaders and dance teams can be excellent entertainment, even more so when the performances is live.

Stadium football is always fun and memorable. Wouldn’t you have wanted to be in the stands when the Saints and Colts battled back and forth throughout Super Bowl XLIV (44) in January of this year? Or, Antonio Freeman's Monday Night miracle in 2001? How about David Tyree’s famous Super Bowl catch in 2008? Televised football is great, but being there when it happens, well, it can’t be beat.