Go to the game? I might rather stay home!

I am reaching a point in my 'sports fan' career that I never thought I would reach. There are times I would rather watch the game than go to the game.

I used to be the guy that wouldn't sell his Badger tickets for anything. Wisconsin versus Ohio State? I didn't care I could get $100 plus dollars for my tickets, I was going. There was always something about being in the stands, hearing the crowd, yelling at B.J. Tucker or the refs, and everything else that goes with being at the stadium. This holds true with my Brewers tickets. There is always something great about being at Miller Park, although the culture at Miller Park is nowhere CLOSE to Camp Randall.

This is all changing now, and I am not completely sure why, but I have a few thoughts. First, the crowds at sporting events have changed, at least at Brewer's games. Gone are the days where fans went to support THEIR team, now fans go to support a winner. Fans don't want to just watch the Brewers, they want to watch the Brewers win. If they don't win that day the world is going to come crashing to an end as the abyss swallows us. I love fun-loving, sports-loving crowds that are happy to be there. If the home team wins, great, if not, at least we had a good time. Joe and I can talk baseball all day, but if we have to put up with more fans telling Doug Melvin how to do his job we might snap. I am to the point now where my favorite part of being at Miller Park is tailgating. Not that I love the Brewers less, I just hate the fans screaming and complaining all game.

Second, people have better televisions. This has more people staying home, inviting some friends over, and watching the game that way. The company is just as good and the beer is cheaper. Sign me up. Why deal with the stresses and cost of the stadium? There are perks, but HDTV is shortening the gap between being at the park or being at home.

Third, I have a life. I don't mean that people that go don't. Not at all. I just find it hard to donate an entire day to a game (in college I could donate an entire weekend!). But I am not willing to give up the 'parking lot' time with my buddies because this is sometimes the only time I get to talk with them.

Finally (although I could list more), I think fans are more rude than they used to be. Fans find almost as much pleasure rooting against a team, as for their team. Cubs/Brewers games are the best example. Fans scream things at each other for no good reason. I would rather cheer for my Brewers than against the Cubs. I know I don't share this view with most fans, but that is my choice (and why I sell Brewers/Cubs tickets if Joe lets me).

One of my favorite sporting events ever was the PGA Championship at Whistling Straights. Golf is great to attend because people don't get negative like they do at team sporting events. People are generally just happy to be there. That is the kind of crowd I can get behind.

So as teams experience a severe decline in revenue and attendance because of the economy, I will be interested to see how many fans come back when the economy turns around. I honestly believe that more people are enjoying watching the game with THEIR crowd, rather at their favorite sports bar or having some friends over to watch the game.

I will always go to games. Opening Day will always be one of my favorite days of the year. Being at Camp Randall will always hold a certain mystique. I am simply saying that I don't need to be there like I used to.