What's the appeal of watching spectator sports?


PrinceofLight2000
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I have a lot of fun playing when I get the chance, but I never understood the appeal of watching someone else play and getting all anxious about events you can't control which go on behind a TV screen.

Obviously there is appeal in going to a live game because half of the entertainment is in the atmosphere and social aspects of it, and not just the game itself.

So why exactly do all you sports buffs love to sit behind the tube and root for a team to win, to the point where it's so melodramatic that it appears as though life and death are hanging in the balance?

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To each his own. I've never understood those that can spend a day playing golf either. Scheduling T times at 6 a.m. etc.

I can sit and watch a sport that I really enjoy. One being football. While it's more exciting watching in person, I like watching a variety of teams. Obviously I can't go to all of them.

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I have a lot of fun playing when I get the chance, but I never understood the appeal of watching someone else play and getting all anxious about events you can't control which go on behind a TV screen.

Do you find the concept of enjoying television shows or movies at home equally alien?

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but I never understood the appeal of watching someone else play and getting all anxious about events you can't control which go on behind a TV screen.

I have to disagree. There have been many times I've yelled out "DEFENSE" and a team was kept from progressing. So I can control it. :P

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I enjoy the competition and seeing true talent as well as miraculous plays. I have favorite teams and/or players that I enjoy watching.

I enjoy the miraculous plays as well, but we've got youtube and the highlight clips for that.

Do you find the concept of enjoying television shows or movies at home equally alien?

No, because those can actually keep my interest since there's always something going on that's pre-planned out. Most of the time with sports there aren't any huge plays, and it gets to be quite boring. I find this is especially true with soccer, where goals are few and far between.

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No, because those can actually keep my interest since there's always something going on that's pre-planned out. Most of the time with sports there aren't any huge plays, and it gets to be quite boring. I find this is especially true with soccer, where goals are few and far between.

To each his own. I enjoy watching the fundamentals of a play as well as the actual scoring.

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No, because those can actually keep my interest since there's always something going on that's pre-planned out. Most of the time with sports there aren't any huge plays, and it gets to be quite boring. I find this is especially true with soccer, where goals are few and far between.

So your issue is not about watching something you don't have control over.

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I find this is especially true with soccer, where goals are few and far between.

No argument there. Watching soccer is like watching bowling or baseball on TV. I'd rather watch paint dry, at least the fumes would make me feel somewhat euphoric for a while.

Football or the other hand, is a sport where a team can score on just about every play no matter where they start on the field. It's much more exciting and watchable than most other sports on TV. I think if I understood rugby better, I could probably say the same thing about that sport.

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No argument there. Watching soccer is like watching bowling or baseball on TV. I'd rather watch paint dry, at least the fumes would make me feel somewhat euphoric for a while.

Football or the other hand, is a sport where a team can score on just about every play no matter where they start on the field. It's much more exciting and watchable than most other sports on TV. I think if I understood rugby better, I could probably say the same thing about that sport.

Honestly I'm not a great sports fan (I'll sit down and watch the occasional game, but mostly only if someone else is watching) but I find football nice as some of the plays, score or not can be exciting to watch. Same with basketball. I've seen passes, or jukes or what have you that make me want to laugh (as in delight).

Don't get me wrong, not every play is exciting in the two sports but enough so to keep it interesting. And of course, one get's the argue with the ref without being thrown out of the game. :D

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No argument there. Watching soccer is like watching bowling or baseball on TV. I'd rather watch paint dry, at least the fumes would make me feel somewhat euphoric for a while.

Football or the other hand, is a sport where a team can score on just about every play no matter where they start on the field. It's much more exciting and watchable than most other sports on TV. I think if I understood rugby better, I could probably say the same thing about that sport.

I agree about football being the most tolerable.

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