Kiwis think we know a lot about sporting passion – but you ain’t seen nothing until experiencing the whole energy and dynamism of a big event in the US.
Winston Aldworth will cheerfully acknowledge he’s had not one, but two dream jobs. First as Travel Editor and now as Head of Sport for NZME, he’s struck the jackpots - being paid to criss-cross the globe following two great passions.
“When you’re travelling and you get the chance to see sports fans in foreign countries watching the games they love, you’re seeing people truly at play,” he says.
And one destination stands out. “The Americans do big events better than anyone in the world, and a day at the ballpark or an evening courtside is a wonderful window into their world. Throw yourself into a sport you don’t understand and ask the people around you what’s going on.
“I met a great family of locals at a Rangers baseball game in Texas. The son talked me through the dramas and characters of the team. There was great craft beer, terrific food and the mellow cadence of a twilight ballpark. Good times with people at play.”
It used to be that US sports were little-known or followed outside the 50 states. The rest of the world was quite happy with soccer rather than American football, cricket rather than baseball, Formula One rather than IndyCars or Nascar.
In just a few short years, that’s changed. Walk down any high street from Levin to London and you’ll see basketball singlets and baseball caps; walk into any sports bar from Rotorua to Reykjavik and the big screens will be tuned to the action from Soldier Field or Fenway Park. The February 2023 Superbowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles was screened in 200 territories worldwide.
While Kiwi sports followers might think they know a thing or two about devotion to their favourite teams, those who’ve experienced US sport’s unique combination of competition, entertainment and the fan experience on home turf know it’s another level.
“It’s so much more than just going to a game,” says longtime Auckland pro sports coach and personal trainer Emile Palmer, who’s played and watched dozens of codes worldwide.
One of his best sporting memories is a New York Jets NFL game at their stadium in New Jersey. “Everyone wears their colours, they crowd out the bars and the restaurants around the stadium, there’s the pre-match entertainment and the halftime show, the hotdogs and the beer at the stadium. And the fans are all having good fun with each other.”
The razzamatazz runs deep in US sporting culture, way beyond the big-name, big-city franchises. For a traveller to the US, it can be best encountered at college sports events in smaller centres.
Americans are emotionally invested in college sports and their passion is second to none. Whether it’s a Friday night or a Saturday afternoon, they’ll flock to giant stadiums often holding 100,000 fans, hollering their fight songs and war chants, boosting their marching bands and cheer squads, practising their hand signals, fired up by team mascots on the sidelines. Sometimes, a football or baseball match may break out.
One of the great traditions is tailgating, which has nothing to do with driving to the ground. It’s a pre-game and post-match party, usually in the stadium carpark, with BBQs, beers and more food and drink materialise from the backs of pick-ups and trunks of sedans. Above all, it’s a place where camaraderie takes priority over competition.
Another pleasant surprise for visiting sports fans: the quality of most US stadiums. They’re bigger; they’re newer; they’re cleaner than we’re used to, and they’re designed with the fan in mind. Expect a great view, vast screens with instant replays and umpires explaining their decisions, expert commentary on every play.
Most have a huge range of family restaurants, bars and takeaway concessions. Many venues have concierges who’ll bring your choice to your seat. Food offerings go way beyond the fabled hotdogs and sodas.
A night at the Denver Nuggets’ arena offers way more than Nikola Jokić and the NBA’s champion team. Their state-of-the-art stadium in the heart of the Mile-High City is testament to the team’s prominence and Denver’s love for the sport. With comfortable seating, exceptional line-of-sight views and top-notch acoustics, it enhances the thrill of watching live basketball.
Before every game, there are fan engagement activities around the stadium; half-time shows are legendary for high-energy performances from dance troupes to acrobatic displays; you can munch hotdogs – or gourmet options.
In a twist, just as US sports have spread around the world, global competitions are now claiming a place under the Stars and Stripes.
Take the entertainment capital of the world and combine it with the greatest show on earth, and you’ve got the Las Vegas GP, November 16-18, on a high-speed track built on and around the Strip. On a Saturday night, backlit by Sin City’s neon skyline, cars will race past the city’s landmarks at up to 340km/h. They’re expecting 170,000 petrolheads for the weekend.
On the other side of the country, soccer fans head to Miami, where the local club have signed up a little Argentine player who’s said to be quite good.
And you can get tickets to watch him, which was almost impossible in Barcelona. Only in America…
For more information. head to visittheusa.com.au