Shouting, replica jerseys, cheerleaders, and tailgating are all staples of American sports culture. Anyone who has grown up here knows to expect at least one of those four while attending an event. Combine that with digital platforms such as fantasy sports and opinionated talk shows and you’ll get a comprehensive environment of a multi-billion dollar industry in the states. We’ve gotten so accustomed to American sporting traditions that seeing a massive bull on the sidelines of a football field (looking at you, Texas) doesn’t even make you think twice. It’s just another component of a game that goes so far beyond the players on the field.
If a foreigner were to visit America without any prior knowledge of our sports world, they’d be baffled. Why are dozens of women using pom-poms to dance during the game? What is the point of chanting De-fence with people holding up signs of actual fences? Is it really necessary for horses to run across the field each time someone scores?
The same questions could be asked of an American visiting Europe for the first time and attending a football match. Why is everyone singing instead of chanting? Why is everyone at a pub and not tailgating?
I’ve never attended a European football match (my deprived ass hasn’t even ever been to Europe, but you know I’ll attend as many games as humanly possible when I do visit), but I’ve watched enough to get an understanding of the culture. There’s a degree of being proper that American sports simply don’t have.
Which culture is better?
We could sit here all day and debate this topic - at the end of the day, it’s only going to be my opinion vs someone else’s. I do not believe one culture is better than the other. Rather, there are pros and cons, and instead of comparing one to the other, we should appreciate the differences with each culture and embrace the variety.
The biggest downside of American sports culture is the sheer amount of distractions associated with the game. I went to the University of Oklahoma, and I had numerous friends that could’ve cared less about the football games, but they loved to tailgate. It was a huge party that brought people together because of a sport. Between that and the numerous cheerleading performances and a halftime show and all the other nonsense, it’s easy to take the focus off the game itself. On the flip side, these “distractions” may be selling points to attract others to watch a sport they otherwise wouldn’t have if it were solely a game being played.
The biggest downside of European football culture could be the complete opposite of American sports - the lack of distractions could make the games boring or could make things feel too “serious”. At the end of the day, it’s just a meaningless game no matter how passionate about you are. The degree of seriousness and lack of extracurriculars may lead to a fanbase or group of people that simply aren’t as happy as they could be. However, the majority of fans are able to recognize it’s only a game and make the most of what should be a fun and enjoyable experience. Additionally, it would be an amazing experience to sing with an entire fanbase who is likely more passionate about their team than any American fans.
Author: Living in Southern California, Robert Sweeney has been a fan of soccer since he played as a young child. Since then, he’s become a diehard Tottenham and US National Team fan. Rob enjoys writing about the impact soccer has had on his life in hopes that it betters others as well. Twitter: @robsweeney11