[one_half]Overrated – Anthony McInnis
Watching sports is a tradition for most Americans. Whether it be baseball, basketball or football, the custom of the family gathering to watch “the game” is common to many households. Another aspect of being a fan of sports is to see live games in a stadium. It gives avid fans a chance to cheer for their team in person, to join with others and to step outside their own town. However, at the end of the day, unless you’re a sports fanatic or rich, it really isn’t worth the trouble.
Often the seats for professional games will be very expensive, yet won’t provide an adequate view of the game. Looking directly at the field, it’s nearly impossible to make out which player is doing what. If one has to constantly look at the Jumbotron to be able to follow the game, then it’s essentially a much more cumbersome way of watching a game on TV.
On top of that, the physical seats themselves are often uncomfortable to sit in for hours on end. The only types of comfortable seats are the ones that no average person could ever dream of affording, such as courtside seats in basketball or skybox seats.
The price of the tickets aren’t the only purchase that’s expensive. Refreshments are notoriously overpriced and of low quality. That is true of literally every live event, be they sports, concerts or plays. However, the food and drinks at games feel especially poor-quality. To give an anecdotal example, when I was last at a football game, I spent nearly $20 on a hot dog and a drink that tasted like cheap cafeteria food.
Souvenirs are also not worth the price. Even if you had a good time at a game and want something like a piece of clothing to remember the event, you’ll end up spending an arm and a leg.
The core of what makes watching sports engaging is to see athletes in peak physical condition compete against each other. The sports that they are experts in are the same ones you love to play yourself. That fundamental appeal is not lost when watching a game in the comfort of your own home.
[one_half]Underrated – Prem Naik
Regardless of whether or not a team does well, there is a certain charm present when seeing a live game that cannot be dismissed. Something about the presence of a unified cheering crowd and the liveliness from the court or field makes live sports a great form of entertainment, and a great way to do something as a group.
In today’s tech age, it is getting harder and harder to get people to pay attention to something other than their phone. Often, this is the case when watching a game on TV, be it with or without a group. However, when in a group and seeing players try their best on the courts or fields live, people tend to become more invested in the game.
You can overlook the ticket price when you see how entertaining a live game is. Be it a hockey player skating their way to bash into another player, or a soccer player heading a ball straight for a goal, seeing the players live is a way to draw people in, as audiences can see them in action and feel the tension that just does not translate onto a living room TV set.
The stakes of winning or losing are more real, and in this way everyone can feel for the players on the field. This is a great way to bring people together, as they are able to connect with each other over a shared team, in either jeering or cheering. A perfect example of this can be found at our very own NJIT soccer field, where the crowds jumped over the rails to cheer on the soccer team following their win back in November.
The sights, sounds and vibe of a stadium have their own merits regardless of the sport being played. Even if you are not a sports fan, it is too easy to enjoy a live game. For a first experience, any NJIT game is sure to excite.
