Why actually go to a game?

I'm a huge sports fan, Redskins, especially, but I wouldn't go to a game if Dan Snyder gave me his private suite. I am so comfortable at home with my beers and food and bathroom and better view of what's happening than anyone at the stadium. I can curse as loud as I want, check out other games during breaks, avoid the traffic, drunks, parking problems, costs, DUI's, [after 2 beers you get stopped, DUI] and the general mayhem connected with the event. I am no less thrilled when we win, nor pizzed when we lose. So my question is, why go?
PS. been to Professional Football, Basketball, Hockey, Baseball, Golf, Volleyball, NASCAR events.

My problem is traffic---I run into too damn much between St pete and the Meadowlands.  Then I have to find the car after the game and head back down I-95.  So Mr Tom I agrees with y'all wholeheartedly. 
 
I have sat in Giant stadium when it was zero degrees and when the rain came down so hard it caused Noah to give up all hopes of survival----
It is better on TV----instant replay and a fully loaded Refrigerator are
better than a frozen butt and shoes full of water.   -

 
I have thought the same thing about music concerts.  The music is much better technically listing at home on a good system than in a live venue.  If someone prefers live concerts it have to be something more that the music.
 
If someone prefers going to a game over seeing it on a wide screen HD TV it must be more than watching the game they are after.  I'm not saying its a bad thing, just different.

The hot dogs.

Baseball is better in person, football and basketball on TV.
Soccer and hockey get the channel changed.
NASCAR is incredibly boring on TV, as is golf. Never been to either one of those in person so I'll withhold judgement. 

 For me I get enough satisfaction from watching most sports on TV. Being there isn't worth the hassle and expense.
 
I agree with Bill on watching the cars go in circles (ovals), and the golf games, Both sleepers in my eyes. Tennis used to be in the same boat...but then Venus and Serena entered the game and I will watch them if 'forced to' !!

For most sports, I would absolutely agree.  However, I have this deep-seated need to watch hockey in person.  Probably because I never watched it until we got an AHL team and I started working all the home games.  It definitely is a completely different experience seeing a game (or a concert) live.  plb - if you think your home stereo sounds better than a live concert you're listening to the wrong music.

I agree about pro sports but there is something about college football that I find so much better in person and I love it on tv (currently been watching it for about 9 hours today).  I have only missed a handful of Ohio St games since I moved here in 1994 and I regretted it every time.  The atmosphere, the band, the mushy hot dogs.  It's more fun to celebrate with 100,000 people after a big win (Michigan 2006, 2002) and it helps to be with 100,000 people after they lose (Michigan 1996, Michigan St 1998). 
 
And so what about traffic.  What exactly are people in such a hurry to get home about.  Not matter how big and close the game is there are always those that get up and leave midway through the 4th quarter.  And for what.  You will get home eventually and the extra hour or two it takes is worth seeing the end of an exciting game.
 
 I also agree with Felix.  Hockey of at any level is way better in person.  It just doesn't play well on tv. 

chewingthefat


I'm a huge sports fan, Redskins, especially, but I wouldn't go to a game if Dan Snyder gave me his private suite. I am so comfortable at home with my beers and food and bathroom and better view of what's happening than anyone at the stadium. I can curse as loud as I want, check out other games during breaks, avoid the traffic, drunks, parking problems, costs, DUI's, [after 2 beers you get stopped, DUI] and the general mayhem connected with the event. I am no less thrilled when we win, nor pizzed when we lose. So my question is, why go?
PS. been to Professional Football, Basketball, Hockey, Baseball, Golf, Volleyball, NASCAR events.

 
Fact is Chewy, You're getting old  

Joe you may have hit the nail on the head ----- CTF is and I am.
 
I agree with a lot of the previous "banter"----
 
Hockey is 1000% better in person, too fast and the puck is too small to see it well, even with my new binoculars and a big screen.
College football is great because of the kids enthusiasm, the tail-gaiting and the lovely fall days.  For years I went to Army games up on the Hudson---terrific.
 
Golf and Nascar are boring. 
 
So now that i said my piece i will go take a nap.
 

the ancient mariner


Joe you may have hit the nail on the head ----- CTF is and I am.

I agree with a lot of the previous "banter"----

Hockey is 1000% better in person, too fast and the puck is too small to see it well, even with my new binoculars and a big screen.
College football is great because of the kids enthusiasm, the tail-gaiting and the lovely fall days.  For years I went to Army games up on the Hudson---terrific.

Golf and Nascar are boring. 

So now that i said my piece i will go take a nap.

 
If I want to take a nap, I'll put on golf or nascar

Besides the traffic and the cost of parking and the hassle getting out of the parking lot and the traffic going home and the guy next to you won't let you move over to get to the exit ramp because he has been tailgaiting all afternoon and thinks he is tough because he saw big guys banging each other around and he is only 5-8/160 and his face is still painted blue and the..............
 
I think I will do like Joe---put on a little Nascar, hit the mute button, and take a nap. 

mar52


The hot dogs.

LOL...at $25.00 a dog they are a steal, literally!

joerogo

chewingthefat


I'm a huge sports fan, Redskins, especially, but I wouldn't go to a game if Dan Snyder gave me his private suite. I am so comfortable at home with my beers and food and bathroom and better view of what's happening than anyone at the stadium. I can curse as loud as I want, check out other games during breaks, avoid the traffic, drunks, parking problems, costs, DUI's, [after 2 beers you get stopped, DUI] and the general mayhem connected with the event. I am no less thrilled when we win, nor pizzed when we lose. So my question is, why go?
PS. been to Professional Football, Basketball, Hockey, Baseball, Golf, Volleyball, NASCAR events.

Fact is Chewy, You're getting old  

Well said, but the fact remains that when I was 25 as soon as I walked the 2 miles back to my seat from the Men's room, I had to walk back. After the first whiz I figure 10 minutes in between visits interrupted by purchases of more beers...Groundhog Day

chewingthefat

joerogo

chewingthefat


I'm a huge sports fan, Redskins, especially, but I wouldn't go to a game if Dan Snyder gave me his private suite. I am so comfortable at home with my beers and food and bathroom and better view of what's happening than anyone at the stadium. I can curse as loud as I want, check out other games during breaks, avoid the traffic, drunks, parking problems, costs, DUI's, [after 2 beers you get stopped, DUI] and the general mayhem connected with the event. I am no less thrilled when we win, nor pizzed when we lose. So my question is, why go?
PS. been to Professional Football, Basketball, Hockey, Baseball, Golf, Volleyball, NASCAR events.

Fact is Chewy, You're getting old  

Well said, but the fact remains that when I was 25 as soon as I walked the 2 miles back to my seat from the Men's room, I had to walk back. After the first whiz I figure 10 minutes in between visits interrupted by purchases of more beers...Groundhog Day

 
Well, I am ready to declare myself an old fart.
 
I will be watching the Penn State - Michigan game from home today.  You see, it's a 2 1/2 hour drive to State College from my home.  Also it's an 8:00 PM start, which means I would be getting home around 2:00 AM Sunday morning.  For reasons which I will explain below, I would have to be on the road already, making it around a 16 hour day.
 
Now here is what I am giving up:
*Round trip in a beautiful motor home(clean crapper all day)
*One of the oldest and best tailgate parties on campus.  Paula Dean will be at the party with one of her sons between 2-2:30 preparing food.(in order to make the show I would have to leave at 10:00 AM)
*Luxury box seats(cleanest crappers in the stadium)
 
I feel very old right now.
 

I have pretty much given up on attending sporting events myself. With one exception. The Indy 500. I just won't give that up. Go up with my buddy a couple days before, party way to hard and just have a great time seeing those people you only see once a year.

fishtaco


I have pretty much given up on attending sporting events myself. With one exception. The Indy 500. I just won't give that up. Go up with my buddy a couple days before, party way to hard and just have a great time seeing those people you only see once a year.

I used to love watching the 500, A J, the Unsers, all the greats, now I hardly recognize a name, Danika Patrick, LOL! Old fartism

We did something interesting yesterday. The Palm Beach Gator club had a VIP viewing party at a very ornate downtown theater called the Muvico Parisian for the annual Florida-Georgia game. Plush recliner seats, 55 foot hi-def screen, $2.50 -3.00 beers and b1g1 appetizers, all for a $5 donation which included a free beer. Plus the concession stand was available if you wanted anything from there. This theater also has a full cocktail lounge but we stuck to the bargain beer being served in the theater auditorium. It was a fun afternoon. 

We live about one hour away from Philly and the Eagles games, but for what it costs for a family to attend, with the tickets, parking, food etc, we could go on a vacation!

I don't go to too many sporting events. I have to decide where we're going to spend our "fun" money - and it's selfish for me to go to a game, when my wife isn't a sports fan.
 
HOWEVER... the game day experience is awesome. Ever been to a Penn State white out? Well, it's freaking awesome - and as much fun as I have at home watching the game, the in-person experience is much better.
 
This year, Penn State is playing a game 20 minutes from my house - I'm going. Of course the tv would provide replays and close ups, etc, but being there is much more exciting.
 
I can watch DVDs of Woodstock, but I wasn't there experiencing it firsthand.
 
I go to minor league sporting events when I can because it's relatively in expensive. Every year, I get a large group together to go to a Syracuse Crunch game the day after Thanksgiving. This year is no different. AHL hockey is fun, and it's a great opportunity to get friends and family out of the house and have an experience together. Watching tv, isn't an experience.
 
Next week I'm going to George Mason's home men's basketball opener. I haven't been on campus is a few years, so it's a sort of homecoming for me, and a chance to see the team live, something that tv rarely, if ever, provides.
 
Oh, I watch more than my fair share of sports on tv, but going to a game is a special event for me. I don't care about the crowds, the parking, etc. I just enjoy the excitement, the verve, the anticipation, the electricity, the scoring, the experience only a live performance can give.
 
Would I be a season ticket holder? hell no. I don't like to get locked into things like that. Then "fun" becomes a chore, for me. But some people see it as an escape. That's their activity. Some people like boats, some people like camping, some people like jumping out of perfectly good airplanes, others like going to a game.
 

Concerning my post above.  I am glad I stayed home.  Paula Dean didn't show, but her son did.  I don't think he had a good time though.  Everyone was calling him Jimmy Dean, and asking about his sausage.  He should have come earlier when everyone was sober....well sorta sober

plb


 
I have thought the same thing about music concerts.  The music is much better technically listing at home on a good system than in a live venue.  If someone prefers live concerts it have to be something more that the music.

If someone prefers going to a game over seeing it on a wide screen HD TV it must be more than watching the game they are after.  I'm not saying its a bad thing, just different.

You go for the show and the spectacle, and the artist's stage presence.  If you've ever been to a Springsteen concert, you'd know what I mean. 

bill voss


Baseball is better in person, football and basketball on TV.

 
My Milwaukee Brewers 9-game ticket package (2 seats) renewal came in the mail the other day and it's nice that the price is the same as last year, and if I pay in full by Dec. 15 I get 2 tickets (same value but not necessarily the same seats) to the home opener as well as an opportunity to buy playoff tickets before they go on sale to the general public.
 
Compared to some other sports a baseball game in Milwaukee is actually pretty reasonable as far as cost goes and the location of the ballpark makes driving a piece of cake.
 
Brad

fishtaco


I have pretty much given up on attending sporting events myself. With one exception. The Indy 500. I just won't give that up. Go up with my buddy a couple days before, party way to hard and just have a great time seeing those people you only see once a year.

I'm 100% in agreement. The Indy 500 is my one annual go to event and I live 650 miles away. I grew up next to the track and have caught every race since 1949 in person or via radio and TV when I couldn't be there.

Davydd

fishtaco


I have pretty much given up on attending sporting events myself. With one exception. The Indy 500. I just won't give that up. Go up with my buddy a couple days before, party way to hard and just have a great time seeing those people you only see once a year.

I'm 100% in agreement. The Indy 500 is my one annual go to event and I live 650 miles away. I grew up next to the track and have caught every race since 1949 in person or via radio and TV when I couldn't be there.

 
Yep I know you have Davydd! See ya  on trackforum!
 
500dude

Most sports I enjoy watching on TV because of traffic, parking, angle of the camera, the action, etc.
 
I've gone to a few Clipper's games during the years because my brother "had" season tickets.   Basketball is more exciting than baseball but I'd much prefer to be at home.  I was doing him a favor by going.
 
However, the volleyball games during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics were electrifying.   Much better in person.