As part of a series we’ll be running on The Roar over the next few months, I’ve been asked to share my ultimate bucket list of sporting events I would like to attend.
It’s an essential question for all but the most casual of sports fans. Everyone has an identity as a sports fan, and the capital you can gain from attending some of the biggest sporting events in the world can bring unspoken benefits among mates and fellow fans.
From zincing up in the heat to wrapping up right in the coldest cold, nothing quite brings credibility like attending a match live.
Bragging rights, stories of when it all went right and lamentation for when it all went wrong. Moreover, plenty of opportunities to reminisce, compare and laugh about the grounds we’ve been to and players we’ve seen.
We all have a list of sporting events that we would love to attend. Mine has a few events that I would love to attend for very different reasons, and I’m also lucky enough to have ticked some events off my list.
Some of the events, like the 2014 NRL grand final with 50,000 Rabbitohs fans screaming their lungs out, wasn’t on my list, but quickly found its way onto it after the incredible atmosphere demonstrated by members of the Burrow.
Here are my ‘must dos’ for the sports I grew up with, as well as some I didn’t. Feel free to share yours in the comments section below.
Sydney Derby
Living in Sydney, I’ve watched this rivalry grow from nothing to something bordering on ridiculous in just two years.
Driving past Moore Park a couple of weeks ago, watching the Cove make their march over the walkway, flares in hand illuminating the blue jerseys, and hearing the noise of the chants… That’s something that makes for unparalleled atmosphere. Throw in the Red and Black Bloc, and I’m interested. Very interested.
It’s an event that is a must-do for Aussie sports fans, and is one that will only grow on the Australian sporting calendar.
You’d think a Merseyside Derby or North London derby would hold more appeal, and it probably brings more worldwide capital, but being an Australian it’s great to see a local football derby flourish, and I think it is just a little bit different for a sports fan.
Lord’s Ashes Test match
How many retweets would a selfie from the media box in Lord’s get? Probably plenty, and that’s not including the texts you’d get from your mates after you send it to them.
My professional goal has long been to attend a Test match at Lord’s and cover the game from the media box.
Hopefully, that day isn’t too far away.
Because what can bring more credibility to a sports fan than watching the Ashes at Lord’s, the home of cricket, from the space age media box.
Tour de France
Cycling is a fantastic spectator sport.
I was lucky enough to be at the finish line of the 2012 Olympic road race, when Alexandr Vinokourov stormed away from the pack to take the gold medal.
But administrators, crowds and cyclists alike have made the middle Grand Tour into the biggest by some margin.
To follow the great race, either in a van or on a bike, has to be on every sports fan’s list, even if you only see the peleton for 30 seconds a day, and spend the rest of it reading l’Equipe.
The Masters
Augusta National is the most exclusive golf club in the World. Chances are you will never play there, and you will never know someone who has played there.
However, once a year they open it up to the squirming masses and the best golfers on the planet to fight it out for the most prized of all things – a green jacket.
A true participant’s sport, this is the one time of year that the game of golf captures the public’s imagination. The waves in Australia when Adam Scott won the most prized major are still rippling today.
Being there would be something else. Seeing an Aussie win would be an absurdity.
Having only been alive for 26 years, I can’t say I have attended too many events that would make many people’s bucket lists. However, there are two, aside from the 2014 NRL grand final, that stick out in the memory.
Yankees vs Red Sox at Yankee Stadium
A teenager who had never seen a game of professional baseball couldn’t ask for a much better induction to the sport than this.
Yankees Red Sox on the hallowed turf of Yankee Stadium. Sweepers dancing the YMCA. Massive sodas, hotdogs and great food to go with a seat behind the plate.
Despite the many memorable days at Sydney and Gabba Test matches, this game sticks out as a must do.
Sure, I was lucky in that Pedro Martinez was pitching for the Red Sox against a batting line-up that included Jason Giambi, Alfonso Soriano, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Hideki Matsui. Mike Mussina was on the mound for the Yankees, facing David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez.
If that doesn’t do it for you, you need to reassess your sporting priorities, because it was pure sporting theatre. And yes, I will brag about it.
Super Rugby final at Suncorp Stadium
It might not sound like a bucket list item, and it’s not really.
But it was one of those events where you had to be there to fully appreciate what the Reds accomplished that year. Perhaps it was similar to what the Waratahs did in 2014 – I can’t say, I wasn’t there.
Australian rugby can often be a fractured community. But in this case Ewen McKenzie had the Reds playing such an attractive brand of football in the right spirit that you couldn’t help but like them, no matter which team you supported.
Will Genia and Quade Cooper were at the absolute peak of their game, and some of the things they did with Digby Ioane, Rod Davies and the rest of the team were borderline unbelievable.
But more than that, the way the Reds club had managed to harness the Brisbane and Queensland community into a uni-coloured mass chanting “We are Red” had to be seen and heard to be believed.
At Suncorp Stadium, it is still the loudest and most excited I’ve ever seen a crowd.
So Roarers, what are some of your greatest sporting memories? And what are some of the things you want to tick off the list?
And remember, the better your list, the bigger the bragging rights among fellow fans.
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Ryan O'Connell
Expert
I love getting a raise out of Paddy. One way or another.
30 Home Games
Guest
I'm a basketball enthusiast. I've watched International basketball in a few places with an ultimate goal to visit all 30 NBA Cities. I've been to most of the FIBA regional tourneys. Starting with EuroBasket '11 (Lithuania), FIBA Americas '13 (Venezuela), FIBA Oceania '15 (Melb, NZ) and FIBA Asia '15 (China). These trips were all done while backpacking so its how I've managed to do it on the cheap. Only AfroBasket and the FIBA World Cup remain. Basketball has really been a pretext to go on adventures and visit some overlooked destinations. Too much basketball can get you weary, balance is key. On the flipside, when the travels become tough or inconvenient I remind myself of the mission at hand. I wouldn't mind doing a sweep of all the NBL cities one day too.
cuw
Guest
I said F1 anywhere but its gotta be at Yas Island Ferrari World AbuDhabi . 3 nights and days of music and racing. Dont think any other leg offers the same.
wardad
Guest
I remember watching Big Bad John and Abdhulla the Butcher with me Nanna nearly killing the telly !
Matth
Guest
I have only done a few - Origin at Lang Park (pre-Suncorp), a rugby league test match at the same venue. The noise when some English guy tried to stiff arm Alfie Langer into next week was unreal. The commonwealth games at the MCG when Craig Mottram nearly ran down a couple of Africans was pretty loud. And Peter Siddle taking an Ashes hat trick at the Gabba was pretty special. But the best days have been more personal, pre Brisbane Broncos going to Dolphin Oval with my brother to see Redcliffe play valleys (who had a young Wally Lewis), seeing my cousin win the Noosa Triathlon, seeing sprint cars back in the 70's at the Brisbane exhibition. My father used to race. One memorable year my Dad was a track Marshall at some rally car race on the Gold Coast hinterland. Basically this involved hanging out at this horrible bog that had developed in our Landcruiser ute, with my brother and I standing in the back, and pulling car after car out so they could race on. I remember Colin Bond abused us for not getting him out quick enough. And later we had to move to another checkpoint and the only way was to use the actual track so, with my brother and I still bouncing around standing up on the back we had to absolutely floor it to get out of the way before the next racer came through.
Matth
Guest
My family saw Yankees v Redsox at Yankee Stadium in September. Hell of a venue. On our night the atmosphere was a bit flat. Might have been because by the time we sat down with our nacho helmet (that's right Nacho ..... Helmet), the Redsox were up 6 nothing at the end of the first inning. Not a great year for the Yankees.
wardad
Guest
I took my girlfriend to Pink Floyd at Thebarton Oval in Adelaide in 1988 ,I had to get my wife to drop my tickets off to me at work .... I was standing there in the semi=darkness before the band and crowd fired up and my former room mate from Randwick Barracks the year before walks up to me out of the crowd and goes 'Hi !" like he expected to see me there ! 50,000 people in the crowd ! He wandered off to the loo and havent seen him since .
wardad
Guest
The only one I have is the 1987 semi at concorde oval .Although it took me from 1981 to last hyear to see the ABs win live ,dont ask me why but the only games till last year that I saw were the few losess and a draw at Suncorp . Penance for going to the matches vs SA in 81 ?
Machooka
Roar Guru
chucked... Pink Floyd most definitely back in da day, Albert Hall or otherwise. And likewise Isle of Man...are you serious?!
chucked
Guest
Masters Definitely and British Open in howling winds at St Andrews Motocross Des Nations (Motocross ) somewhere, anywhere in Europe Ellis Park Test All Blacks Vs Springboks Landsdowne Road All Blacks Vs Ireland Pink Floyd Concert Albert Hall (Tribute Band, and while not a sort I would ensure some sports were on I could watch) Isle of Man TT, craziest guys in the World then die happy
cuw
Guest
talking of title fights wonder how many auzzy on this site went to see Rhonda Rousey vs Holly Holm in melbourne???
cuw
Guest
no he means somewhere like Reykjavik, Iceland !!!
marron
Roar Guru
Did west ham Chelsea several years ago. which prefaces what I was going to say in general. my bucket list is simple. Derby days. What ever the country, whatever the level, it doesn't matter. They're the ones to get the juices running and have the intensity wash over you.
marto
Guest
West Ham v Millwall ....
SuperEel22
Roar Guru
I've ticked a few of my events off already: 1. Tour de France: Did that in 2013, following it through the Alps. 2. Liverpool match at Anfield: Did that in 2013 but have plans to return. 3. State of Origin series win: Saw my first series win live in 2013 whilst sitting in Blatchy's Blues. 4. Test triple century: Fortunate enough to snag member's tickets on day 3 at the SCG in 2012 when Michael Clarke scored 329*. 5. Ashes Test match: Don't know if this quite qualified but I worked as an RSA Marshal at the Sydney Ashes Test in 2014 and saw the 5-0 sweep. 6. World Cup qualifier: Went to a qualifier for the 2010 world cup. Still on the list: 1. Test match at Lord's 2. Boxing Day Test 3. NRL Grand Final (preferably with a Parramatta premiership) 4. NFL game at Lambeau Field
Hello
Roar Rookie
Love the Hurling saw Cork play Kilkenny - they are nuts. If you ever get a chance go see it
Farqueue
Guest
This article made me remember all the events I've been fortunate to see. The 1990 and 1994 kangaroo tours. Including that great 2nd test in 1990 were Ricky made the break to send mal in, they scored just in front of me. Four rugby league grand finals, including the mighty dragons in 2010, I can die happy now. The first 500cc race at Philip island, Gardner winning a thriller. The first F1 race at Adelaide in 85. At least 20 state of origins, in Sydney ,Melbourne and Brisbane. An NFL match in USA. A few boxing world title matches. Greg Norman in his prime. Now what I would like to see...... Super bowl. Monaco gp. Big boxing title at Madison square garden. Dragons winning 11 straight again. That's not too much to ask is it.
Perry Bridge
Guest
the intended 'back hander' was more to the 'event chasers'.
Paul Nicholls
Roar Guru
Harry: "the Winter Olympics somewhere exotic" - you mean like Tahiti ?? That would be something!
berrlins
Roar Pro
Mine isn't so big, the dogs and cats prelim of 2008 was pretty epic though we lost, I went to a bundesliga game with Bayern Munich and Hamburg, best football match I've ever seen but the best sporting event was the ebel (Austrian Hockey) final between Bolzano and Salzburg where the foxes beat the red hot favourites in their debut year to become champions