Sunday, September 11, 2011

Live Vs. Live on Tv


Which is better, watching a game live in the stadium or watching it live on your TV? This has been an argument that has been debated for years ever since the beginning of television. It appears that their will never be a clear winner, but that won’t stop me from trying my best to answer this timeless question.
            There are some great things that come with watching a game in person at the stadium. You get to be surrounded by hundreds of thousands of fans that like you are there for one purpose, to make sure your team wins. The fan is the ultimate bench player and can very easily decide the outcome of the game and when your there, your in the game yourself.
            Another reason why being at the game in person is so great is that there really isn’t anything quite like hearing a drunken fan scream random stuff. I had the privilege to attend this weeks Michigan State game and I was in awe of what some of the “looser” fans were saying. While I won’t get into any specifics lets just say that this wouldn’t be something you would want your mom to hear you say. I’m not proud to admit this but the rants from these guys increased the greatness of this game by such a large margin. I can honestly say that you can’t get any better commentary than those men (and a few women).
            While going in person does have it perks, it also has some drawbacks. While watching the game in person is enjoyable, paying a butt load of money the whole day is not. To start, depending on what ticket you want you could be spending anywhere from $20 to $200 for just one ticket. After that then you have to pay for gas down to the game, pay $5 for a $1 hot dog, and money for parking. With expenses like this it might ruin the game for some and probably their wallets.
            Now a plus for watching a game in the comfort of your own home is that you have a big screen TV, HD channels, and all the food you could want. With the big screen and HD you wouldn’t even realize that you’re at home in a nice comfy chair instead of at the stadium in the hard seats they provide. You get the best seat for the whole game and you don’t have to sit there for timeouts or half time! The food can only make it better with you deciding what you want when you want it compared to hot dogs and pop at the stadium.
            Another advantage from watching the game at home is you being able to control what you are watching. If your team is absolutely destroying or getting destroyed you don’t have to watch it, just flip to the other game. While everyone at the stadium is watching each teams third string trying to score one measly point, you are watching the night game on ABC or ESPN.
            One disadvantage from staying home for the game is that you’re not in the big crowd. Sadly most people find themselves watching the game with a small group of friends or worse… their mother. Things like this could ruin the full game experience for some as well as end their passion for the game.
            As you can see there is no clear winner, as each has its ups and each has its downs. It seems researchers will be working on this problem for years until they find a solution. Until then the decision is up to you, go to the stadium or stay at home.

1 comment:

  1. Nothing like being there at the big game...unless the weather stinks! How did I know sports would be your topic...good theme to write about!

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