Why US SPORTSFANS ARE NOT REAL FANS

[german 69]

The USA has the best Baseball, Basketball, American Football and Hockey league in the world - but not real fans. I am getting sick from seeing your spectators eating some fastfood or having drinks for nearly the whole game. There is no fan support for their teams (except the lame "DEFENCE, DEFENCE, Let`s go ..... Let`s go .... etc). Why is their no real fan culture in the USA like we have it in Europe or South America. People are singing during the whole match. We have the "Ultras", fans totally living for their club etc etc etc. There is no athmosphere during your games. I mean sometimes there is some noise but that`s it. I am not sure if you ever attended a European soccer or hockey match. It is totally different to the things you know from the USA. When a team plays at home they have a real advantage due to their fan support. I can not see that in the USA. You may have a small advantage when playing at home but not as big as you know it from other continents.
Here in Europe we totally love our teams. We are sad when they lose and the happiest people on earth when they win. People are travelling hundreds of miles for watching their team. I always have the impression that watching a baseball game in the stadium is like taking out the family for a picknick. Can you please explain me why it is so in the USA. Is the mentality so different to ours?
Another question I have is why you don`t have a promotion and relegation system in your leagues. Is it really that interesting to see your baseball team playing for nothing anymore in the middle of the season. Wouldn`t it be more interesting for you to have at least a major league and division b system in your leagues with promotions and relegations. I don`t get that. In sports you should always fight for something. Do you really think players care of their clubs? I don`t think so.

[JDizzel]

Oh boy!.. here we go again...

[shifer]

Good post--I will comment later..but dont like ultras, most of them are braindead people with no jobs or future.

[element1286]

There are people in the United States that love their teams. Why does it have to be displayed the way you want it to? It is a different culture, no one is right or wrong, just different. I am getting sick of these threads. The one was about how Americans are "insert broad generalization here" because they don't like soccer. Now Americans aren't real fans because they don't sing or they eat during the games. Personally I don't want to sing while watching a Basketball/Football/Baseball/Hockey/etc game, I would rather just sit there and talk to whomever I am with at the game about what it going on. I don't tell you how to experience your sporting events, don't tell other people how to experience theirs.

[onlooker]

There is not much scoring in soccer, so you have to sing or dance during the game to make it interesting between scores.

[bettilimbroke999]

Europeans do the same crap they've done for 50 years paint their faces and stands there moving back and forth with the flag big fukin deal, if I hear ole ole ole ole crap one more time I'm gonna fukin put my fist through the screen, they sing that crap for a fukin 2 hours just like they are in a fukin mental institution

[german 69]

You have to understand that I really like watching US Sports. They broadcast the NHL, MLB, NFL, College Football, NBA etc every day live. However I don`t get it why the younger fans don`t group together and try to give their team a real advantage when playing at home (different for College). Do you really prefer a silent (not in the meaning of really silent) atmosphere at the games? I can`t imagine that. A soccer or hockey game without the fans we have here in Europe would be like a ghost match. Ok, in baseball I guess supporters would be of no help but that may be different for other sports.
Has anyone of you ever attended a match here in Europe? I would be interested in hearing what you think about it and how you describe the difference to the USA. I was at a hockey match here in Germany with some friends from Canada. They couldn`t believe how loud it was and they matched it to the Montreal Canadiens atmosphere during the playoffs. They loved it.

[german 69]

There is not much scoring in soccer, so you have to sing or dance during the game to make it interesting between scores.

I never thought about that - lol. Now it all makes sense.

[pavyracer]

Americans take a fence and put a big D in front of it so that their overpayed 400 lb gorillas can get motivated to move two feet and fall on top of someone. They call it a tackle for God's sake.

Then they take a stupid sock monkey, they call it rally monkey, so that their overpayed players swing the big stick through the strike zone and get a hit so they can start running around in circles like the merry go round.

[bettilimbroke999]

In Knoxville when the opposing teams offense is on the field you couldn't hear a jetplane if it was taking off right next to you, but in pro sports you're right it is fairly quiet, I guess Americans just don't like to hold each and sing ole ole ole with other men as much as yall do

[german 69]

Europeans do the same crap they've done for 50 years paint their faces and stands there moving back and forth with the flag big fukin deal, if I hear ole ole ole ole crap one more time I'm gonna fukin put my fist through the screen, they sing that crap for a fukin 2 hours just like they are in a fukin mental institution

I am not sure if you got it. The national team is maybe more important for a nation than anything else. Polititians represent the country but no one really cares about them. It is the national team everyone cares about. It was a national shame for England that they failed to qualify. The greater tourneys (Euro and WC) are like great parties now. Remember, a couple of years ago 98 in France there was so much violence in the towns (Hooligans etc.). I am happy that that changed. For example the WC 06 teached us Germans that patriotism is not a bad thing. It was the first time since ww II that we were proud of our colours, that people had a flags on their cars, that you saw flags on balconies etc. Some of you don`t understand that a nation can stand united behind their national team. For example there were 500.000 people watching the Final together in the fan mile in Berlin. There were millions of Germans watching the game at public viewing parties. I guess it was nearly the same in Spain, Russia, Turkey (as long as their teams were involved in the EURO).

[ZXCVBNM123]

Good thread, about time someone talked some sense.

[element1286]

I am not sure if you got it. The national team is maybe more important for a nation than anything else. Polititians represent the country but no one really cares about them. It is the national team everyone cares about. It was a national shame for England that they failed to qualify. The greater tourneys (Euro and WC) are like great parties now. Remember, a couple of years ago, 98 in France there was so much violence in the towns (Hooligans etc.). I am happy that that changed. For example the WC 06 teached us Germans that patriotism is not a bad thing. It was the first time since ww II that we were proud of out colours, that people had a flags on their cars, that you saw flags on balconies etc. Some of you don`t understand that a nation can stand united behind their national team. For example there were 500.000 people watching the Final together in the fan mile in Berlin. There were millions of Germans watching the game at public viewing parties. I guess it was nearly the same in Spain, Russia, Turkey (as long as their teams were involved in the EURO).

The national team might the most important thing for people in Europe, but most Americans don't really see it that way. We have the best sports leagues in the world for the most part. So we see the best players on a daily basis all year. Some of those guys are from other countries, and will be competing against the United States in an international competition. Most Americans wouldn't root against the guys they are used to cheering.

For instance, I am a hockey fan. So when I watch Olympic hockey, I don't really care how well the US team does. But I do care about Gonchar and Malkin and Crosby do. If Crosby scores the game winner against the United States so be it.

[german 69]

The national team might the most important thing for people in Europe, but most Americans don't really see it that way. We have the best sports leagues in the world for the most part. So we see the best players on a daily basis all year. Some of those guys are from other countries, and will be competing against the United States in an international competition. Most Americans wouldn't root against the guys they are used to cheering.

For instance, I am a hockey fan. So when I watch Olympic hockey, I don't really care how well the US team does. But I do care about Gonchar and Malkin and Crosby do. If Crosby scores the game winner against the United States so be it.

That is another difference. We really love the players of our favourite teams but when it comes to international matches they are opponents for that match. We make a difference between playing for our club or playing against our national team. It is not the way that we root against them or so but we totally support our national team in that case. Remember what problems Ronaldo had after the WC06 when he played together with Rooney again in Manchester. People simply hated him in the beginning and even Rooney wanted to smash him in the days after the match England vs. Portugal. There is so much pride involved in the national team that american maybe don`t understand it.
However why don`t you have a relegation and promotion system in your leagues?