London Football Nights
Sports are an integral part of global culture. Without sports, the world would be very different than we currently know it. Different sports are more or less popular in different areas of the world, and the atmospheres and crowds vary across sports and countries. Tales of legends have come and gone through sports; tales that bring ordinary fans together in support of their club or national team.
In the United States, baseball games make up the majority of sporting events that I attend. As a diehard fan of my hometown Atlanta Braves, I have the most experience attending these games. The MLB, NBA, NCAA, and NFL provide the best atmospheres in the world for their respective sports; however, soccer's best atmospheres are across the pond, in countries like England, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Europe is where the world's best footballers showcase their talents, whether it be in a domestic league like the Premier League, or in continental tournaments like the UEFA Champions League, the most historic competition in soccer.
Over spring break, I was fortunate to be able to spend a few days in London, England. During my time there, I went to my first two European football matches and was immediately blown away by the incredible atmospheres of the two stadiums I visited. While making my way around the concourses and watching some of the world's biggest clubs square off against each other, I noticed a few differences between the matches I was attending, and matches I have attended in the United States.
The biggest difference, one that I noticed well before I was on my plane to Heathrow Airport, came with getting tickets to the matches. For many European clubs, tickets are only available to club supporters, or those with a club membership. These tickets are available on resale websites such as Stubhub, but are sold by club members themselves. Getting a ticket for a Manchester United match at Old Trafford is not as easy as getting a ticket for an Atlanta United match - it's a little trickier than just logging onto Ticketmaster and selecting which exact seat you want. Nonetheless, getting my tickets through Stubhub was fairly easy, thanks to the members who sold them to me.
The first match I attended was Arsenal vs. Sporting Clube de Portugal, the second leg of a UEFA Europa League matchup, at the Emirates Stadium in Islington, north London. From my hotel in the City of Westminster, I took the London Underground up to Arsenal Station, which was then a short walk to the venue. Of course, public transport varies by city, but one benefit of attending matches in such a big metropolis is the ability to take buses or trains quickly and easily to get to the stadium. As is the case with many sporting venues around the world, the short walk between Arsenal Station and the Emirates featured a moment where upon turning the corner, the stadium awaits in its splendor and grandeur, lit up with beacon lights under the dark night sky with the club's logo featured big and bright on the building's side. The first thing I noticed about the venue was the specificity of entrance. Depending on where your seat is, there is a designated entrance to get into the stadium, whereas at a sporting event in the US, one can enter through any gate they desire. The gates in question are also very narrow vertical turnstiles, which require a bit of squeezing through to get into the stadium. With my seat being on the Clock End of the stadium, I entered through Turnstile M to get to the concourse.
The concourse in question was very spacious, just like an average venue in the US. However, access to other sections is limited, as going back down to the main level concourse and accessing them through there is required. During the match, the biggest difference I noticed was the popularity of chants during the match. Whenever an Arsenal player made a pass or won a free kick, the fans would start chant after chant. This is something that I have never seen before at any sporting event in the US, and there is no doubt that these chants are part of what makes European football so special. The match was one for the ages, as Sporting ended up advancing on penalties, sending Arsenal fans home dejected.
The second match I was in attendance for was Chelsea vs. Everton, a Saturday evening Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, in the Hammersmith & Fulham borough of west London. Once again, transport to the stadium was easy, as the Fulham Broadway Station is just a short walk from the stadium, which is also located in the middle of town, with urban housing surrounding it on all sides. Like Emirates Stadium, fans must enter through a designated gate, and in this case, I entered through the 60s turnstiles on the East Stand. One thing that Stamford Bridge lacks is a full-scale concourse like that of a baseball stadium in the US - the "concourse" in question was a small waiting room with two beer counters and TVs set to Sky Sports so fans could keep up with scores and standings from the rest of the league. Another thing that surprised me a bit was the fact that alcohol is not allowed in the sections - if a fan helps himself or herself to a beer, they must savor it in the waiting room while they can before going to the seats. The match itself, again filled with chants and incredible footballing talent, resulted in a 2-2 draw between the two clubs.
Overall, my first two European football matches were experiences that I will never forget. While these differences may not seem big on paper, they certainly caught my eye during my first ever experience at a sporting event outside the United States, and I cannot wait for my next football match in England.