Prospector Sam - The Top 9 Sports To Watch In Person

After what has felt like an eternity, we're finally allowed to go and watch live sports again, so it's time to decide what the best sports are to see in the flesh!

CLICKBAIT HERE I COME! When it comes to “Ranking Articles,” I’ve found myself stuck between two competing interests; on the one hand, they usually have very little analytical value and are just meant to suck people in or create unnecessary controversy, but, on the other hand, I really want people to read my articles and I’m totally fine with selling out to serve my own ego. After trying to fight the good fight, the latter interest finally won out and I’m caving to get more people to click and to build the fanbase.

Now, these aren’t going to be your typical boring rankings where I tell you why MJ is better than LeBron or where every team currently stands in the #ProspectorPowerRankings (but Trademark pending, just in case). I’m going to mess around with some weird ideas that still get people riled up but have enough ingenuity so that I can hold on to a bit of self respect (if I even have any left). Basically, I’ll be putting my own Prospector spin on this exercise with some rankings that are fun but still drive enough interest to get people to check in and tell me exactly why I’m stupid and wrong (to be fair, that pretty much applies to all of my work, but I digress).

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Today, I’m going to start with a basic topic that seems relevant as we make the transition out of Covid and back into the stands. Arenas have begun to open up again, which means we all need to prioritize which sports we should spend our hard earned money on to watch live. Some of that decision will be dictated by season and what teams you have access to geographically, but let’s ignore all those insignificant details (actually very significant, but they get in the way of my premise) and focus on what sports are best experienced at the stadium. Naturally, this will all be relative to the option of watching at home because a high quality TV product lessens the need to leave your couch. Here are the Prospector’s definitive rankings of the best American sports to watch in person (apologies to cricket, but I have no fucking clue if I can even find a place to see that here):

9. Tennis 🎾

The ball goes over the net, then back over the net, then back over the net until someone fails. Will seeing that little green blur with my own eyes or hearing the grunting make things more interesting? I highly doubt it, though I’ve admittedly never bothered spending my money to find out.

8. NASCAR 🚗

Setting aside my complete lack of understanding about the sport, NASCAR doesn’t seem like it would be all that much better in person (but, again, I haven’t been). Sure, the flash of the cars as they go by you might impress as far as the true speed these vehicles are moving at, but I’m struggling to find any other real benefits here. On top of that, while I’m trying hard not to make any unfair stereotypical statements about the fans and the type of people that go to races, I’ll just say NASCAR stands probably aren’t a hotbed for analytical knowledge or interesting conversation. If you like drinking outdoors and loud noises, this wont be a bad time. But that doesn’t really require going to a racetrack, so maybe just throw a lawn chair down out back and blast your speakers.

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7. Soccer ⚽

I love soccer as much, if not more, than any other sport. There’s also something to be said for the differences between live soccer in America (which is fairly boring) and live soccer in Europe (which is a blast) or South America (where you could possibly die). Sticking to home turf, because a flight across the Atlantic is a big ask right now, watching the MLS or NWSL is just not all that exciting live. The play isn’t very good, the fans are usually few and far between, and the best places to watch tend to be weird places that have nothing else going on (think Columbus, Portland). America has spent the last 20 years pushing the idea that soccer is on the cusp of blowing up, but the reality is that it will always play second fiddle to other American sports and to soccer in other countries. A live match wont be a bad way to spend an afternoon, but neither is going to spend a few hours with your grandma.

6. Golf ⛳

Watching golf live is somehow the best and worst way to watch a tournament. On the one hand, seeing a course in person is the only way to really appreciate how difficult and beautiful some of these loops are. On the other hand, its pretty hard to actually follow what’s going on or any of the best shots because you don’t have the benefit of broadcasting. Basically, it’s a win-win or a lose-lose depending on how much of a curmudgeon you are. More likely, it probably depends a lot on which day of the tournament it is. Go on a Thursday, and you’ll be fine because the outcome won’t be decided for another 3 days anyways. But the fact that its not as great to go on the most important day probably isn’t a good thing. Basically, get drunk at the course early in the week, then go get drunk on your couch Sunday. That’s a real win-win.

5. Baseball ⚾

I like baseball a lot, and its undoubtedly in its “purest form” when you go watch it live. Tossing peanut shells on the ground, throwing back a few beers in the stands, and getting to hear the actual crack of the bat are all a crucial part of the baseball experience that don’t exist if you aren’t at the park. The problem is, baseball is shooting itself in the face with the length of the season and how long games take to play. Everyone has heard that games are taking longer to finish, which is a legitimate problem. Its hard to hold people’s attentions in the 21^st Century, especially with the amount of downtime in baseball, but the average game length is about same as an NFL game (3 hours). The real issue is that regular season games are really fucking hard to care about because each is 1 of 162, which dilutes the product. Combine that with the length of the game, and it makes showing up and giving up a bunch of time to be there in person way less desirable. I’d rather throw on the last few innings or bounce back and forth as I get stuff done around the house, unless we’re talking games in September or the playoffs. Baseball live is still great, and I make an effort to go to a couple of games a year, but I rarely find myself on the edge of my seat when I’m there.

4. Football 🏈

The atmosphere at a football game is probably unparalleled. Contrasting it with baseball, every football game is extremely important, and crowds are loud pretty much throughout. Having been to a slew of NFL games and some top level college games (I’ll let you decide whether my Alma Mater, BC, counts), I feel pretty confident that atmosphere holds across the sport. The issue is, TV broadcasters have also gotten incredibly good. First down graphics, instant replay, and high quality commentary do a lot to add to watching football on TV (excusing the Nickelodeon NFL playoff disaster). On top of that, most football games are played at the same time. Why the hell does that matter? Well, if you go see a college or NFL game live, you’re choosing to miss most of the other games played during that slot. As someone who is absolutely addicted to the modern drug known as Red Zone, that’s a pretty big fucking deal. You probably won’t be too upset about going to see a football game live, and it’s usually a blast, but there are drawbacks to making that choice.

3. Basketball 🏀

In terms of viewing the game (ignoring fans/atmosphere) there’s no sport where watching lives matters more. In my expert opinion (just humor me), I can say one thing definitively about live basketball that generally doesn’t apply elsewhere; you cannot really appreciate the skill and freakish athleticism of these players unless you’re there in person. I watch a fair amount of basketball on TV, both at the pro and college level, but every time I show up live I’m floored by how impressive these players are in a way that doesn’t come to life on the screen. Maybe its sizing up these athletes with your own eyes (7ft is scary in person) or maybe its being able to see more than the zoomed lens of the court, but watching some NBA player run 92 feet in 8 steps and then dunk while almost hitting his head on the backboard wows me every damn time. If you haven’t been to a game, I highly encourage it even if you don’t have a huge passion for basketball. It will give you a greater appreciation for the sport, if nothing else.

2. Hockey 🏒

Hockey is my favorite sport to watch live. That is heavily influenced by the fact that I believe NHL fans are the best in American sports. Go up to the top level of any NHL stadium and I challenge you to find a more fun and knowledgeable group of people. Everyone is hammered and possibly looking to fight, but can still tell you who’s playing Left Wing on the fourth line of either team. They’re just a different breed in the best way possible. While the live viewing may not be all that different, the electricity when a home team scores is about as good as it gets too. Add in some bone crunching hits or fights that are much cooler in person than on the TV, and you have about the best in person experience you can get. Its hard to beat a live NHL game, especially for the average person who has more access to hockey than they do my number 1 pick.

1. MMA 🥊

Considering boxing is more of a spectacle for Youtubers and influencers now, I’ll stick to just MMA. I have personally never been to a live fight, but I have complete confidence that it's the pinnacle of in-person fan experience. Watching two psychos battle to beat their opponent’s brains in, with thousands of people watching around you, has to be incomparable to watching on a TV. I’ve been at bars for big fights before, and even there the atmosphere was through the roof in a way that it wouldn’t be if I just watched at home. Going to a big UFC night is a bucket list item, and all indications are that it would be a wild fucking ride, even as someone who doesn’t have a huge interest in the sport generally. For that reason, I give it the top spot.

Have a different order? Want to tell me how much you love me? Go find @Prospector_Sam on Twitter and drop a line!