O/T:- Super Bowl

[jackal2]

If anyone else has any US live sporting event memories and accounts would be great to hear them whatever the sport...... even baseball

Sadly I've never been to the States, so my experience of watching American sports is limited to my television. Over the past 20 years or so I've become a confirmed fan of the NFL, and I also can watch a bit of baseball in the Spring/Summer months, although it tends to be more background entertainment while I'm tapping away on the computer. The sport I've never got into is basketball which just doesn't draw me in at all.

Something I think is true about the Americans is that they know how to put on a real show, especially around sport, so the actual game itself is just one part of the 'event' and the entertainment on offer. During the 1990s I was attracted to watching the Superbowl because it felt like something big was happening, even though I barely understood American football back then. It ended up interesting me enough to try to learn more, and once I picked a team to support then I really started to get into it, so now I always look forward to the start of the NFL season in Autumn.

I remember a lot of people scoffing when the USA was awarded the 'soccer' World Cup in 1994, given the general view at the time that the Yanks knew nothing about the game, but it actually turned out to be one of the best World Cup tournaments, showcasing among others one of my all-time favourite players Hristo Stoichkov of Bulgaria. In the American tradition the organisors had done their homework and the event was brilliantly staged, with good crowds in very big stadiums. It turned out to be the starting point for Major League Soccer which has been expanding ever since, and the production line of talented American 'soccer' players has certainly increased compared with the relatively uncompetitive team they sent to Italia 90.

[ForeignLegion]

I went to a college game in Arizona, the game meh, each team had about 100 staff/players on the sidelines, but the half time entertainment from the respective college bands was out of this world; some incredible formations in the blink of an eye. Another level over there, when it comes to crowd entertainment and value for $$.

[queenslandpie]

I went to a college game in Arizona, the game meh, each team had about 100 staff/players on the sidelines, but the half time entertainment from the respective college bands was out of this world; some incredible formations in the blink of an eye. Another level over there, when it comes to crowd entertainment and value for $$.

You'd have loved it at ML if that American bloke had bought us ( the one who sounded like a Scouse) when Pavis sold up then. Fortunatley he never got near us. I've never been to the USA. Closest I have got is Havana ( twice). Next time I go to Havana I'll be sure to go to the USA via somewhere in South America and take it in.

[keldsyke]

If anyone else has any US live sporting event memories and accounts would be great to hear them whatever the sport...... even baseball

Up until the start of Covid I worked for 2-3 years within NASCAR (with Joe Gibbs if anyone is in to it or the ‘M@M’ liveried cars for anyone who has caught a little of it). On race day it’s an amazing experience especially the build up in the pit lane, with the show that’s put on. I know the Americans get a lot of stick but the one thing that comes across massively is the patriotism when the National anthem is played (usually timed with a military fly past) The pit lane comes to a halt, arm on chest, a celebrity singing the anthem, in all honesty I wish we showed a little more pride in where we come from at times. Another great sound is when the engines fire up on all the cars along with the rolling start across the start line, truly deafening, and you can feel it in the floor and through your bones! One of the best circuits to go to is Martinsville in Virginia (if I remember correctly?) 20 second laps, it’s like being in the wall of death at Goose Fair, truly mind blowing!

A very different environment compared to Europe. The main problems being the American / European ideas on certain things, at times trying to get across ideas, points from data, previous experience from past similar situations isn’t easy, sometimes the biggest problem is getting across that the world doesn’t end at the beach!

[laddo]

It's obviously a very special experience to those who like the sport, but to those who don't like it an afternoon down Ireland Avenue watching Nottingham Rugby in front of a couple of thousand in the 1990s might be preferable. Your post just reinforces what I've said all along, it's down to liking or not liking the sport rather than understanding the finer points of the rules.

If it was that simple, anyone who studied the rules in detail would like any sport, which is clearly ludicrous.

You think it's clearly ludicrous and utter bollox to share hissingdwarf and my viewpoint. Whereas I think it's naive beyond belief and very blinkered to believe that the complexity of a sport and how much you expose yourself to it has no impact on its popularity.

More than happy to agree to disagree

As hoped the initial Superbowl post has spawned lots of good posts about Notts' fans experiences of watching US sports be it on TV, in a rowdy bar or live.

[laddo]

I went to a college game in Arizona, the game meh, each team had about 100 staff/players on the sidelines, but the half time entertainment from the respective college bands was out of this world; some incredible formations in the blink of an eye. Another level over there, when it comes to crowd entertainment and value for $$.

That's my one big negative of college football the games can be very one-sided due to huge variance in size of schools, sporting programmes and ability of the teams. I've seen a fair few blowouts for the home side where the question early on isn't who will win but by how many. Thankfully the weather was lovely.

But I have no complaints because the whole experience including pre game, HT entertainment and overall size of the spectacle was so impressive. Agree about the college bands, awesome. Just about beats the days of the Notts cheerleaders at HT back in the day. I remember they started out as about 8/10 of them and just before they were discarded it was an embarrassing and sorry looking 3 or 4.

[laddo]

Great read Keldsyke, sounds quite the experience. I've never seen NASCAR live and don't understand the finer points but would absolutely love to experience and take some earplugs one day.

I have been driven around a NASCAR track in Charlotte, NC but it was in a family SUV at very modest speed and only at the shallow part of the banking with Christmas tunes playing in the background. Certainly different but not quite the same as your experience lol

[keldsyke]

Great read Keldsyke, sounds quite the experience. I've never seen NASCAR live and don't understand the finer points but would absolutely love to experience and take some earplugs one day.

I have been driven around a NASCAR track in Charlotte, NC but it was in a family SUV at very modest speed and only at the shallow part of the banking with Christmas tunes playing in the background. Certainly different but not quite the same as your experience lol

Charlotte is great, I have a photo of when we had Papa Johns Pizzas delivered to us on the pit wall at Charlotte during a NASCAR race, only in America! (Its a shame I can't post it on here) Also, I think it was 2016 or 2017 when a hurricane hit Charlotte (can't remember the name but it was one of the biggies) was coming in they postponed the race to the following day as we were holed up in a Holiday Inn while it passed (scary) on the following day out came the 'Jet Trucks' to dry the circuit, race on, shame they couldn't do it at Dover!! :-)

[hissingdwarf]

Sadly I've never been to the States, so my experience of watching American sports is limited to my television. Over the past 20 years or so I've become a confirmed fan of the NFL, and I also can watch a bit of baseball in the Spring/Summer months, although it tends to be more background entertainment while I'm tapping away on the computer. The sport I've never got into is basketball which just doesn't draw me in at all.

Something I think is true about the Americans is that they know how to put on a real show, especially around sport, so the actual game itself is just one part of the 'event' and the entertainment on offer. During the 1990s I was attracted to watching the Superbowl because it felt like something big was happening, even though I barely understood American football back then. It ended up interesting me enough to try to learn more, and once I picked a team to support then I really started to get into it, so now I always look forward to the start of the NFL season in Autumn.

I remember a lot of people scoffing when the USA was awarded the 'soccer' World Cup in 1994, given the general view at the time that the Yanks knew nothing about the game, but it actually turned out to be one of the best World Cup tournaments, showcasing among others one of my all-time favourite players Hristo Stoichkov of Bulgaria. In the American tradition the organisors had done their homework and the event was brilliantly staged, with good crowds in very big stadiums. It turned out to be the starting point for Major League Soccer which has been expanding ever since, and the production line of talented American 'soccer' players has certainly increased compared with the relatively uncompetitive team they sent to Italia 90.

Which team did you go with?
Interesting how people ‘choose’ their team.

Agree with all of the above. Started around 30 years ago and now finally understand all the details of the game.
#GoBrowns

[SaltySeaDog]

To be fair, most of their sports need to make it an experience to fill the gaps between the actual sport where the timeouts and commercial breaks are ongoing.

I went to a couple of hockey games in Canada when I was over there, and found the whole experience a bit unfulfilling. Too many delays, too much fluff, and the crowd only seemed up for it when a fight happened.