By crstein1
This past weekend I went to my first football (soccer) game. It’s so interesting how different the fan culture is between the United States and here in Spain. The game was between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, at the Atlético stadium. I’m a Real Madrid fan and I assumed that since both teams are from Madrid, there would be fans there from both teams. I showed up to the game naively wearing a Real Madrid scarf. A moment after entering the stadium I realized that there were only Atlético fans. Fans started criticizing my friends and I for wearing Real Madrid gear. I very quickly and discretely put the scarf in my bag. In New York, if there was a Mets-Yankees game, regardless of the stadium, there would be fans present from both teams. Apparently, here in Spain, fans only go to their team’s home stadium.
The game was so much fun. They get so into it here, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I told my friend that I was jealous we didn’t have this type of fan worship for sports in American culture. She told me that Americans are huge fans of baseball, and that’s our cultural gem. It’s different here though, I think. First of all, baseball tends to attract older fans. At this football game, many of the fans were in their 20s, which seemed younger than the majority crowds at most baseball games. Also, it’s interesting the way the fans bond here. They create hooligan gangs, or groups of fans that worship the teams together. It’s not an individual devotion. It’s also just more intense here; it’s one of the most important things in the lives of many people. Our seats were the cheapest available, and they were almost $100 dollars. Yet the stadium was packed, regardless of the dismal state of the Spanish economy. Maybe it’s just a Spanish thing, because they seem to be so passionate about everything in life. Or perhaps it’s because there aren’t many other popular sports to follow. It was quite the experience. Oh, and Real Madird won, the perfect icing on the cake. =]