The latest news from Cafestudy

Atmospheres at live sporting events - What makes them so special?

The latest news from Cafestudy

Posted by: Caféstudy

20th May 2015 11:57am

We asked our Caféstudy members just what makes the atmosphere at live sporting events so captivating and exciting to experience. Overall, the resounding consensus was that the crowd makes the atmosphere. Spectators have been drawn to live sporting events since the gladiators would battle in colosseums or the ancient Olympics, and have always felt the desire to continue to experience events. So how does the crowd make or break the atmosphere?

Sport allows people of all walks of life to belong to a team. It is through this connection that we see complete strangers singing along with each other to a song that will help cheer their team on.  Caféstudy member 5tevo said a crowd “creates a team feeling even amongst fans”.  It is through this sense of belonging that the fans derive a deep passion for the team they feel is an important part of their lives. Harry1995 suggested that the atmosphere is great because “you have a large amount of people all of who have a deep passion for the game they are watching.”

Australia has a rich sporting culture, which can explain why we are such loyal and passionate fans to our favourite teams. According to studies, the 2014 AFL Grand Final has set the record for the most fans in attendance at a single championship game, with 99,454 fans in attendance. There were almost 30,000 more people in attendance than the 2015 Super Bowl in America.  The 2014 State of Origin series ranked 2nd in average attendance at representative matches with 61,896, less than 1500 behind the NFL Pro Bowl. This coincided with New South Wales’ first series victory since 2005, evident of the fact that Australians will always have a soft spot for an underdog team.

So what draws these massive crowds to these electrifying sporting events? According to MaryP, “It’s the people and the feeling of being part of something bigger than just yourself or your immediate circle. We are social animals who like to belong and are attracted to others who are similar or think similarly.” A part of our nature as humans is to strive to belong to something bigger than us. It is through this feeling of being part of something bigger than ourselves that we feel that we are only able to fully experience a sporting event by being there with thousands of other fans, rather than watching from home. 


frannymanny
  • 23rd May 2016 12:16pm

I have not attended a sporting fixture since my younger son stopped playing football. The kids played with so much more excitement when the corud was urging them on. There was, however, a small but significant ugly parent syndrome.


Cancel