Everyone loves sport. Whoever doesn’t, clearly has issues (do not show my wife that comment.)
Being a sports fanatic myself, I always enjoy the occasion, just as much as I do the sporting event, itself.
Having been to a few American sporting events, the amount of enthusiasm, energy and excitement they put into their events, is incredible.
The passion in which they deliver any kind of entertainment, the pride in which they perform the anthem and the overall vibe of the event itself, is phenomenal.
I attended a local high school football game in a small town outside of San Francisco. The town would’ve only had a somewhat small population. The game in itself, was awesome, but what I was in awe of was the atmosphere of such a minute event.
Marching bands, fireworks, the passion in the fans, it had it all. Just a small local high school team, with so much support. Unreal!
I’ll go on a limb and say, a high school sporting event in the US of A, gets more credible attention than the Australian kangaroos do, for rugby league. A vastly firm statement, but I’m willing to back myself on that
Do we celebrate our sporting events wrong? Or are we simply just not over the top, like the Americans?
I’ve always admired the passion in which the Americans showcase in their anthems, but making the event seem much more than what they actually are, is phenomenal.
I would love to see the Kangaroos get the due as one of the best international sporting teams in the world. I would love to see the AFL crowd figures in which they produce, get their due credit for creating such a heavy number of supporters.
I would love to see our big events promoted and celebrated in their rightful way.
Not an eccentric over the top type of way, but an event such as the Bathurst 1000, or the NRL GF, I wish it was celebrated as much as I know Australians actually adore the event.
The Roosters are just one of many teams from Sydney. (AAP Image/Craig Golding)
How would one celebrate our sport correctly?
The entertainment at big events could definitely use with a makeover. Some of the ‘headline’ acts at events are sometimes atrocious.
The detail in some of the promotion work could always be increased. The only event I think that we celebrate well (we-Australia), is easily the State of Origin.
That series alone, albeit only focussed on two states, is promoted and celebrated exactly how an American company would.
The buzz on Origin day is incredible. The feel of the tension is amazing. It reminds me of an NFL game I attended, which was a rival game (Eagles versus Giants). The feeling is incredible. Origin is easily our most marketable event in sports, but it isn’t nowhere near what could be considered our ‘best’ event.
The Australian and Kiwi nature is somewhat of a relaxed vibe. Maybe the stand of going all out for our events isn’t in our nature? But just imagine if we were to put on a show for our big events like the Yanks do.
It would be great promotion for not only our sports, but for the countries as well. We’ve shown we can hold a dam good Olympics, if we can show we can celebrate our key sporting events as well as we did in 2000, it would be a great marketing tool for the country and sports in this country.
Let’s not get all Super-Bowly on our events, but maybe let’s up the enthusiasm, increase the passion and uplift the vibe to our big events – then we can really be onto something here!
Simoc
Guest
Rather ignorant here. Schoolboy rugby was huge in NZ between traditional rivals (including live TV coverage) and probably still is. The crowds in AFL are the best and most involved of any sport I have been to here or overseas especially in rivalries where both sides fans are in attendance. It seems to me you are suffering from lack of sporting knowledge.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
It is quite incredible how big high school football games can be in the states, but do I long for that in Australia. No, not really. Each to their own. Anyone who has such a longing for the American way has never got stuck sitting next to the brass band at a basketball game. No thanks.
Old Greg
Guest
Exactly. I've never been to the US for a sporting event, but I did see Perugia play Sampdoria in 2003 when they were in Serie A (this is when Perugia had Zeljko Kalac in goals). The stadium only held 15 000 but it may as well have been 150 000! Tifos, firecrackers going off every three minutes, the fans singing non-stop, you don't really get that here, let alone in the good old US of A.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
It is hard to compare the Kangaroos with the American examples you give because outside of Soccer and to a lesser degree Ice Hockey and Basketball, the Americans don't play a lot of main stream team sports as a National team. I do agree, our sporting contests lack atmosphere and I have enjoyed every college football, NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and EPL match i have been fortunate enough to attend. But the things you are asking for - people to show passion and enthusiasm - are intrinsic things. You can't just flick a switch. Generalising, but for all thier flaws, US sports fans have a sense of civic pride. We don't have it and in Rugby League where we have teams called "Wests" and "Souths" which don't really represent a specific area with clear, traditional boarders, it makes it that little bit harder.
Harry
Guest
I think the example you used for the Kangaroos is different because international League doesn't have the appeal of a big rivalry game in the NFL (one of the biggest in the nation with Giants Eagles). International League is Australia and New Zealand, then not much else. If you look at some of the big AFL rivalries, like the showdown, or a Melbourne clash, they have the intensity and importance similar to Origin or American sports. One a smaller scale, when the Waratahs come to Canberra, the intensity of the local Brumbies fans is big as well. We don't need to be over the top with fireworks and marching bands like the US, but to generalise that we don't celebrate sport correctly, except Origin, is a bit close minded and League focused. Australians are passionate sports fans and I feel we do celebrate with just as much emotion as Americans.
lesterlike
Roar Rookie
Australians might celebrate sport poorly, but to look up to the Americans as a ideal example is just as bad. They and us are pathetically quiet as fans on match day and have an expectation to be entertained rather than participate in building the atmosphere themselves. It's all about sitting on your backside and yelling "go team go" when the stadium announcer tells you to. Even if you wanted to keep it to just Rugby League, the English and French blow Australia and New Zealand fans away when it comes for passion and atmosphere on game day. All the commercialised garbage you saw in the NRL GF like pop music in play or pre game shows would be booed mercilessly in the Super League. A demand for authenticity and real unprompted passion for their Clubs is their leagues strength and our fans are just utterly lazy in comparison.
steve
Guest
I agree but unfortunately the sports yis a lot of dire spoeou speak of just aren't great spectacles. There is a lot of dire sport in this part of the world.