Anyone else not understand the appeal of watching sports?

[Freewave 1,145]

I feel kind of the same way. I can enjoy a baseball game when i'm taken TO one and make it through part of a soccer or football game but i have a hard time really seeing why so many guys make it such an important part of their lives.

[Abstract 832]

I actually find it much more entertaining to watch sports rather than play them. Not to say that playing isn't fun, but I enjoy other people doing the hard work and getting to see the results.

[Scootaloodle 1,622]

I hate sports, never liked watching don't play them either. I find blokes running round in grass with a ball mind numbingly boring

Edited March 8, 2013 by Asherdangerdash

[hawkflame 3,310]

@@AegisReflector, 

 

If a somalian sprint runner joined the US olympic team do they represent america?   Like someone a few posts earlier said quoting seinfeld, you're rooting for the laundry.

 

Then I think you missed the point I was making when I made the Seinfeld quote.  The Somalian sprint runner there is representing the US in that case, so yeah, he *is* a representative of America.  Once someone joins a team, he *becomes* a representative of that team.

 

But the biggest difference is that the Olympics don't inspire the kind of fan passion that professional teams do, for a number of reasons- It's only once every four years, mostly with sports that don't draw a lot of attention otherwise, etc.  With pro sports, they're pretty much a part of your life as a fan year round, so it's much easier to attach yourself to the team. 

 

And furthermore, what about fans who never lived in the city/state associated with their favorite team?  I know of a lifelong Dallas Cowboys fan who never lived outside of New Jersey.

[Titan Rising 2,156]

Then I think you missed the point I was making when I made the Seinfeld quote.  The Somalian sprint runner there is representing the US in that case, so yeah, he *is* a representative of America.  Once someone joins a team, he *becomes* a representative of that team.

 

But the biggest difference is that the Olympics don't inspire the kind of fan passion that professional teams do, for a number of reasons- It's only once every four years, mostly with sports that don't draw a lot of attention otherwise, etc.  With pro sports, they're pretty much a part of your life as a fan year round, so it's much easier to attach yourself to the team. 

 

And furthermore, what about fans who never lived in the city/state associated with their favorite team?  I know of a lifelong Dallas Cowboys fan who never lived outside of New Jersey.

 

I understand that he would represent the team, but the point was a United States citizen rooting for their countries team they would really only be rooting for their country's colors if the team was composed of athletes from different countries.  You'll say "YEA! GO USA!" as if you want your country to win even if the athlete was truly representative of another country - in this case Somalia.  Then the medal he wins goes towards USA's medal count despite the athlete being born, raised, and trained in another country.  This analogy works perfectly with pretty much every professional sport

 

If I didn't get the seinfeld quote maybe it was lacking context, because it seems to mean exactly what I'm saying it means

 

For fans of teams that don't live in the same city as their favorite team...  I dunno, seems like this just applies even more.  It seems to me like in this case the only reason to like the Dallas Cowboys would be because you like their uniform or their teams name.  Or more likely their family has been fans of that team.

[AegisReflector 886]

@@AegisReflector, 

 

If a somalian sprint runner joined the US olympic team do they represent america? 

 

Yes. Yes they are. Because they are a part of the team. Once they commit and don the uniform, they are running for the Americans. Culturally, maybe not. But for sport, they do.

 

So, from what I understand, if a team like Syracuse was structured so that every player was from the Syracuse area, then it becomes "meaningful" to root for the team? Head coach Jim Boeheim, who has currently 911 wins (2nd most in NCAA history behind Coach K of Duke), has been coaching the college team for 37 years now and calls Syracuse his home, but he was originally from Lyons, NY. So, is it really "meaningless" to root for a team that has been coached by a dedicated individual who basically is giving his life up for the game in our community? Your home is what you make of it, and what you do there is planting more seeds that evolve into roots. This is why "rooting" for a team is special to some of us, because it shows love to our community and the dedication these athletes have put into whatever game they are playing.

Edited March 8, 2013 by AegisReflector

[Titan Rising 2,156]

@@AegisReflector, If the coach is living in Syracuse and is part of that community then its fine.  I'm talking about the players that join a team only because the teams offering them money and have no interest in actually being part of the community that the team is supposedly representing.

 

And again, I'm not saying theres anything wrong with a player playing for another team, it's just..  dumb.. for a fan to have so much pride in their city's team [because it's their city's team] when it's composed of people that don't actually represent their city.

Edited March 9, 2013 by Hollowshield

[AegisReflector 886]

@@AegisReflector, If the coach is living in Syracuse and is part of that community then its fine.  I'm talking about the players that join a team only because the teams offering them money and have no interest in actually being part of the community that the team is supposedly representing.

 

And again, I'm not saying theres anything wrong with a player playing for another team, it's just..  dumb.. for a fan to have so much pride in their city's team [because it's their city's team] when it's composed of people that don't actually represent their city.

 

Well, then I guess I'm dumb then.

 

I mean, the money part I can agree with like NFL and NBA teams, but since I'm more of a NCAA guy, I think that if the players genuinely express interest in getting a scholarship from a university that they do want to represent that team and the community. That's what students do when they look for colleges anyways, the environment (community) and whether or not they can afford the change.

 

And think about this, when athletes graduate from high school, it's not like every city/town in the country has a college they can play in. And again, when people move up to the NBA or NFL, it's not like every community has a professional team. People are gonna have to move around in order to play. There's nothing wrong with cheering on a team that's in your community with that logic, because if these athletes are interested in playing for that area then they are trying to dedicate something to them.

[Envy 6,162]

Yeah I enjoy dancing in the stands myself since I'm in highschool(And I intend to enjoy every minute of it While I can of course) However I actually kinda enjoy playing the music in the stands, idk why maybe I'm a freshman and that contributes to that, who knows really. Still I dunno if I can really find that dancing around in the stands gets old, however I normally forget the games going on and before I know its over and i'm like :/ Darnit Xd.

 

 

I don't know. It's just the dull repetition of the songs. Some of them were very fun to play, others - such as the fight song - were just going through the motions and it got old really fast. Still, I liked the dancing and the songs that were fun. Especially when I had my friend who played the baritone saxophone. I always got to sit by her and there was this one song where most of us sang, but she got to solo (at least in that section) and it was great fun. Probably because she was awesome, and the instrument is awesome. xD

 

*sighs* The Good Ol' Days. lol. It has been quite some time now. o_O

Edited March 9, 2013 by Envy

[Zygen 6,066]

I don't know. It's just the dull repetition of the songs. Some of them were very fun to play, others - such as the fight song - were just going through the motions and it got old really fast. Still, I liked the dancing and the songs that were fun. Especially when I had my friend who played the baritone saxophone. I always got to sit by her and there was this one song where most of us sang, but she got to solo (at least in that section) and it was great fun. Probably because she was awesome, and the instrument is awesome. xD

 

*sighs* The Good Ol' Days. lol. It has been quite some time now. o_O

I'll admit I've kinda grown tired of the fight song, Expecially after stomp out games Xd that said we usually play different songs each year besides those, so idk I don't really get tired of them, we still play them even though marching seasons over .

 

Bari sax solo eh haha that must be pretty cool

 

Yeah I guess they'll be my good ol days in a few more years. That's why I'm trying my best to enjoy it now

[hawkflame 3,310]

I understand that he would represent the team, but the point was a United States citizen rooting for their countries team they would really only be rooting for their country's colors if the team was composed of athletes from different countries.

Then to you a team is nothing more than a name and a bunch of players. A team is more than that. A team is its history/ legacy, tradition, - that's what makes teams like the Yankees, Lakers, Cowboys, etc. who they are. And community is a part of it too- maybe you don't think the players are a part of it, but the team itself certainly is- that's where they play.

 

A team is about more than just the players. You have to understand that. It's about who you identify with for a million little reasons, most of which we probably don't even realize ourselves.

[Jinx 2,292]

 

For fans of teams that don't live in the same city as their favorite team... I dunno, seems like this just applies even more. It seems to me like in this case the only reason to like the Dallas Cowboys would be because you like their uniform or their teams name. Or more likely their family has been fans of that team.

 

It's also possible to latch onto a single player, and then build a love of that team through them. Of course you could also swing the other way, and just follow that single player through their career.

[Bhending the Rules 697]

The discussion of whether sports is worth watching is kind of pointless. There isn't a correct answer. If you can get into it, it's definitely rewarding. If not, it isn't. Kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy, but it's really as simple as "different strokes for different folks".

 

I'm a huge sports fan, and part of the appeal for me is knowing just how spectacular the feats are that some of these athletes are performing. It is, in some cases, performance art. And I appreciate it on that level, as well as being an unflinching supporter of my teams. Sports fans appreciate the dedication and hard work that goes into an athletic career. It's easy to say, "just play the game yourself", but if you actually want to be any good at it the way the pros and college athletes are, it isn't nearly that simple.

 

So yeah... appreciation of a unique combination of talent and dedication, to oneself and to a larger group. That's what I'd say a lot of the appeal is.

[Kamil 315]

I can see a few reasons to watch sports:

1) Some common ground to talk to friends about later (e.g. "Hey, did you see that X in the game last night?").

2) Unpredictable excitement when something unexpected happens, to an extent that (maybe?) can't be matched by scripted twists.

3) The same reasons people watch anything else (getting attached to certain "characters", pretending to live out fantasies, being part of some larger group of appreciation, etc.)

4) You're in the Marching band (or other group related to the sport, but not participating) and are forced to.

[Limey 524]

I can't watch sports like football (soccer) simply because of the frankly unacceptable attitudes of the players involved. They're cocky, rude to the referees, seem to be swearing most of the time, and whenever somebody SO MUCH AS TOUCHES THEM, they fall to the floor, crying in agony just so they can get a free kick or something like that.

 

And these people earn millions of pounds every year, or even month for essentially just kicking a damn ball around, while brave men and women serving in our armed forces risk their lives on a daily basis for a basic wage. It frankly disgusts me, and I want no part in it.

Edited March 9, 2013 by Spess

[Bhending the Rules 697]

Everyone watch this:

 

 

The drama and suspense. The incredible moment. The sheer level of energy shared by everyone in the building.

 

Wanna know why I watch sports? THAT.

[SailorCardKnight 85]

I get why people like it, but I just can't get into it myself.

 

My dad is a huge fan of Nascar and football, he would always tell about both (like what a certain player did when he made a touchdown, what some driver did, etc.) While I'm not a fan personally, I always find myself having to defend Nascar fans. I always run into people saying that "Nascar is nothing more than just cars going in circles" which it really isn't just that, theres surprisingly a nice amount of strategy and skill involved. Like fine-tuning the vehicle, and some drivers get other drivers into wrecks on purpose (they have to position their car just right or they can be taken out too). Also, when other high paying sports players keep their money, many well-known Nascar drivers end up giving most of their money to charity.

[Bhending the Rules 697]

@@AegisReflector, If the coach is living in Syracuse and is part of that community then its fine.  I'm talking about the players that join a team only because the teams offering them money and have no interest in actually being part of the community that the team is supposedly representing.

 

And again, I'm not saying theres anything wrong with a player playing for another team, it's just..  dumb.. for a fan to have so much pride in their city's team [because it's their city's team] when it's composed of people that don't actually represent their city.

 

When we're dealing with major college athletes, as the Syracuse fan above has said, this argument doesn't make much sense to me. The roster for Syracuse (and my favorite team, the Wisconsin Badgers) mostly consists of players who had scholarship offers to consider from SEVERAL major universities. Those guys wearing Badger red or Syracuse orange are on that team because they could have played for whoever they wanted to... and they chose MY team. They chose to commit themselves to that team for four years of their young lives, and playing division 1 basketball is a HUGE commitment of time and energy. (Basketball players miss a lot of classes in both semesters for travel time, making the juggling of athletics and academics even more difficult.)

 

Whether those Badgers players stick around and become fixtures in the community or not, they give a lot of themselves for those years that they are with the team so they can represent that university and have my support. And they didn't do it out of obligation... again, they could have gone anywhere they wanted. They joined my team because they wanted to. Is that worth cheering for?

 

I say heck yes it is. 

[GrimCW 658]

One thing I could never understand is why people enjoy watching sports so much. I find watching sports to be ungodly boring, both on TV and in real life.

 

I mean, isn't the fun of athletics all in the rush of competition, self exertion, teamwork, and the joys of victory? Wouldn't people rather be doing that themselves, instead of simply watching other people play? I don't see the point in it.

 

Athletics seems like one of those things you need to be doing first hand to find the fun in it.

 

TL;DR - Sports are fun, watching them is not.

 

 

agreed.

I enjoy a good game if i'm AT the game, or PLAYING in the game. But watching it on TV bores me to no end...

maybe its my ADHD, i dunno, but i can't get into it and usually wander off.

[Broccoli 127]

I have never felt excitement watching sports before, so I know how you feel. However I guess I can understand how people enjoy watching sports. Think of it like a large video game. Fans choose one side to win, and the tides change all the time, and that is probably what they find exciting about watching sports. And yeah, a lot of the times playing a sport can be more fun than watching it~

[Aaramus 449]

I know this is pretty poor quality but I think it represents why people watch sports pretty well

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aXaBQT4RMc

 

I was there myself watching this game and the intensity was astounding, everybody is on edge with excitement. During this exact moment of the game the section I was in was dead silent, we were all watching the ball on the edge of seats hoping that we would be winning the biggest prize for European Club Football. To a lot of people a ball crossing a white line means nothing but within the second of it happening thousands of people are cheering, I don't think you can replicate that kind of excitement and adrenaline rush anywhere. 

[DokiNaku 31]

While I've never actively watched sports, I have and still do watch on a regular basis watch Professional Wrestling! I find the stories and athleticism to be so engaging and wonderful. I love the lights and the sound and going to live events are even more fun than watching it on TV!

[Bardock 139]

I dislike sports in general. I remember how my parents would always force me to play sports as a kid, so maybe that might have something to do with it.

[Derplordsnuffy 28]

I was never one to watch sports, seeing as a kid I was more focused with stuff like pokemon (Still am...) to really give a damn about a bunch of sweaty people running around. Now a days I've at least warmed up to the Olympics.

[Skrinky 25]

I despise watching sport... but it does give me a better excuse to snuggle up to my BF and fall asleep :3. But then again I also hat playing sports... so...