(ThyBlackMan.com) Sports do things to us that most other activities just can’t. They get us off our seat for even the smallest of reasons. They give us something to talk about for days on end once the final whistle has been blown. They give us a reason to brag, or they force us into hiding. They compel us. They move us. Because of this, you should most definitely try to indulge yourself in as many sporting atmospheres as you can, while you can. Even if it’s not your team or even your sport, you should take a look at some of the sporting events listen below and try your best to tick a few of them off your check list.
Sports are a huge part of the differing cultures in Europe. Every year (or season), in each sport, teams from their respective countries do battle with each other in the various continental-wide cups and tournaments. The biggest sport in Europe, undoubtedly is soccer, or as it generally known in that part of the world: football (or some kind of variation of that depending on the mother tongue that is speaking it). Because soccer in the U.S. doesn’t necessarily ‘scream atmosphere’, you’d be or forgiven for thinking that the sport, no matter what it is called, isn’t the kind of place you’d visit if you want 
to experience the kind of atmosphere that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
However, you most certainly can find this kind of experience in football stadiums all over Europe, but there are three that are noteworthy. They have been dubbed the ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone Stadiums’ because of the fact that the fans in them partake in a rendition of the show tune from the 1945 musical Carousel before the game. These stadiums comprise of Anfield in Liverpool, England; Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany; and Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland. The former, Anfield, is the most famous of the three and adopted the tradition of singing the song as way back as the 1960s; a Liverpool game, especially one in a continental tournament such as the Champions League or the Europa League, is not one to be missed for sure. And neither is a game in the other two stadiums: Borussia Dortmund’s Signal Iduna is one of the best stadiums in regards to atmosphere that the world has to offer; and Celtic’s aptly named Celtic Park is always rocking, especially when their Glasgow rivals Rangers come to play them there.
And if it’s the atmospheres of sporting rivalries that you particularly want to immerse yourself in, then the plethora of sports teams in the U.S. has you covered there. There are a host of rivalries between teams that predate even time itself (maybe an exaggeration), and these kinds of events aren’t to be missed if you really want to experience the impact that a local sports team has on the culture in the city or state in which it is based. ‘The I-70 Bowl’, the rivalry between the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs, is a sporting event that you should most definitely put on your checklist.
Even if American Football and the NFL isn’t your thing, you can still appreciate the atmosphere of this rivalry that starts in the city in which it is being played as early as a week before the game day. When these two teams come together a ‘big match’ feel is generated and reverberates right around the city. The next game between the two will take place at some point this year, but it is yet to be decided; make sure to find out more here at AllianceT to see when the fixture date is confirmed, and to purchase tickets. However, you should always be aware when attending a rivalry game that the opposing fans of each team can become distinctly heated with animosity on game day, which could then lead to outburst of violence between the two: because of this you should always be vigilant to any trouble to not only make sure that you and yours are able to stay well clear from the trouble, but so that you can report any instances of trouble to the authorities police the event on the day. You’ll see the good, the bad and the ugly during rivalry games, always remember this.
But if a noisy and rocking atmosphere or an intense rivalry isn’t for you, then rest assured that there are a plethora of far calmer sports to enjoy: one of which is tennis. Although attending a tennis match or tournament is not necessarily going to provide you with an atmosphere to remember in terms of the sheer volume of both noise and people, in doing so you will be able to be a part of a far more laid-back and almost VIP type of experience. Attending Wimbledon, for instance, is a day-out to remember in terms of the fact that the complex in which the matches take place is enclosed which means that, whilst the tournament is on, it is buzzing with fans that know how to support their favourite player sensibly. The Wimbledon experience is designed for those that like to be treated like a VIP but still like to show their support for their favourite player or fellow countryman. As well as this, a trip to Wimbledon means a trip to London; for all sporting fans, this is a dream come true as the city plays host to a number of football teams, such as Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.
You can find yourself through travel, and if you’re looking for an excuse to do some travelling, then why not let sports be it? As you can see in the sporting matchups and events listed above, there are a whole host of experiences to be, well, experienced and a whole host of places to be travelled to to find them. So, what are you waiting for? Get your sporting travels on the go today by sorting out your passport and your match tickets!
Staff Writer; Paul Young
