Misconduct | Which sport benefits most from being seen on site rather than on television?

The section where Sports journalists answer a question with pleasure.

Simon-Olivier Lorange

There are two main reasons why I don’t spend my Sundays in front of the TV watching NFL games. First, because by covering our good Canadian from September to April, I try to give priority to my family life as soon as a fraction of my weekends becomes free. Then, quite simply because it doesn’t tempt me. I like football, but I have little interest in the daily life of its leagues, so a few minutes of a Chiefs, Alouettes or Carabins game are more than enough for me. No matter, whenever I have the opportunity to see a game in person, I say yes. I have lasting memories of freezing evenings at the University of Sherbrooke stadium cheering on the Vert & Or. I loved my short assignment covering the Alouettes several years ago. I was struck by the immensity of Neyland Stadium at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. And a Bears game, at the sumptuous Soldier Field in Chicago, under a surprisingly hot sun for a 1^er November, remains one of my greatest sports experiences while traveling. For the atmosphere, whatever the caliber, and for the excess, when it comes to the NCAA or the NFL, it’s never really flat, even when it’s a little flat. And as with outdoor baseball and soccer, attending a game outside remains unique.

Richard Labbé

The most obvious answer would probably be indoor soccer, which gives a much closer view of the action and, therefore, the theater unfolding before our eyes. But having not been able to attend such a quality spectacle for at least 20 years, my answer will then be baseball. On TV, this sport is always a little cold and distant, with the camera focusing mainly on two players, the batter and the pitcher. But on site, and especially in a nice place like the Giants stadium in San Francisco or the Cards stadium in St. Louis, it’s another matter, and you don’t have to be a big ball fan to appreciate the sweetness of a hot summer evening drinking beer, eating peanuts and arguing with friends about whether Metallica’s black album is the best (answer: no, it’s is not that one). That’s a bit of all that we lost with the departure of the Expos 20 years ago and it’s a shame.

Nicholas Richard

I covered the freestyle skiing World Cup in Val Saint-Côme on two occasions and you have to be there to see how this sport is both impressive and terrifying. When I arrive there, each time, I am amazed. The trail is so steep. The bumps are so imposing. The jump stations are so big. The jumps are so high. The maneuvers are so spectacular. No broadcast can do justice to the speed and violence of the sport. Nor even the level of risk and dangerousness these athletes face. I’m a fan of television, especially when the reruns of Me and the other go to ARTV, but mogul skiing must be experienced on site.

Alexander Pratt

Already, college football is exciting to watch on television. On the spot ? That’s the total. Whether at CEPSUM in front of 5,000 spectators, in Quebec in front of 15,000 people or at Ohio State in a stadium of 100,000 seats, it is a tremendous sporting experience, to which television does not do full justice. If you get the chance, try an evening game. Atmosphere and fun guaranteed!

Guillaume Lefrançois

Seems like the question is specifically for me to sell you on the benefits of an in-person wrestling show. You can say what you want about so-called professional wrestling on television and its nonsense stories, it’s nothing compared to an in-person experience. This is all the more true as it is often in the smallest shows, these famous events organized in bars and community halls, that we can have the best experience. It’s the proximity to the wrestlers, the interaction with them, the chance to shout “louder!” » after an atemi shot that doesn’t make enough noise, the chance to shout in unison ” one more time » after a good chair shot to the back. And let’s face it, it’s also a great showcase for observing a colorful audience, with regulars like Christiane, Sylvain and Alain, who don’t miss a single one. For around thirty dollars, there are much worse investments.

Jean-François Téotonio

Anyone who watched the last Summer Olympics will agree that surfing on TV doesn’t do it. So you might as well sit on a beach chair, cold drink in hand, eyes dazzled by the burning sun, but just open enough to watch the daring waves having fun in the distance. Health !

Jean-François Tremblay

Let’s be honest, soccer isn’t exactly the fastest sport on television. It’s not the fastest in real life either, some will say, including Richard Labbé, but that’s not the point. Soccer is a contemplative sport, and the Montreal experience also makes it a family sport. The ticket is affordable, the stadium is magnificent, then there comes a time when the sun sets behind the Olympic Stadium and the weather becomes a little chilly. Watching a match on TV means depriving yourself of having a great evening with your children, and ultimately, beyond the result on the pitch, that’s pretty much all that matters.