My last post received quite a lot of feedback regarding the possible decline of the NFL. The responses I received spoke volumes about the passion this fanbase still has for it’s sport. So assuming that the NFL is positioned to stay on top for many years to come, we cannot ignore the fact that attendence at the actual stadiums has dropped since 2007 while tv ratings (especially during the Super Bowl) have been higher than ever. This would suggest that NFL fans are telling us that the passion is still stronger than ever there but the stadium experience isn’t worth the asking price. So this raises the question: is it simply better to watch the game at home?<\/p>\n
Anyone who has even the most minimal connection to the NFL is well aware of the arguments that NFL fans have for staying at home. Staying at home won’t cost you $200 for an “ok” seat, $40 for parking, $30 for gas and tolls and at least $100 for food and beverage. Getting in and out of the stadium is a headache and you stand the risk of being next to some loud drunk who’s going to ruin the experience for you. At home you’ve got instant replay, access to EVERY game, surround sound and a 80″ HD screen. The only drunks you have to deal with are the ones you’ve invited to be there.<\/p>\n
I respond with a simple question. Ever gone to the beach? It’s sweaty, it’s a massive project getting everything packed\/unpacked, you have to deal with long lines of cars and parking issues, you stand the chance of having to set up next to some drunk meathead blasting club music, the sand gets in everything, you could potentially cut your foot on a seashell or get attacked by a shark\/jellyfish\/giant squid or other scary ocean creature! Wouldn’t it be soooo much nicer to crank up the air conditioning and watch the beach on your great big flatscreen tv? Maybe you could even set up an umbrella in your living room to make it even more “authentic”.<\/p>\n
My point is that going to the game (or the beach for that matter) is about the experience. Sometimes it’s not perfect but when it’s working properly, there’s nothing else like it in the world. Is it expensive to go to an NFL game? Yes. Are there drunks there? Plenty. But if you’re a football fan (even the most passive one) and have never experienced an NFL crowd, you owe it to yourself to get to at least one game. There’s a communal feel to it. Five buddies in your living room will never compare to the excitement of being around 80,000 fans who are as passionate as you about your team. Think of it as a party with a population as big as some cities.<\/p>\n
Your living room doesn’t offer you the ability to trade food with other tailgates, hang out and celebrate with other fans or to be there when something incredible, or possibly historic, happens.<\/p>\n
Get to a game this season. If you missed something, hey, there’s always TIVO.<\/p>\n
HAPPY NFL 2012 SEASON!!!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
My last post received quite a lot of feedback regarding the possible decline of the NFL. The responses I received spoke volumes about the passion this fanbase still has for it’s sport. So assuming that the NFL is positioned to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":177,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\r\n