For a long time I have wondered the importance of stadiums to society. Not the mumbo jumbo of whether tax payers should pay for there own cathedrals but more the use we have for these massive Giants that litter skylines across America.
We go to larger than life domes and stadiums to watch sports why exactly? A field and bleachers won’t do? No we have to live in larger than life houses of sport to enjoy the product on the field. A good stadium can make or break a tv viewing. When did we put such importance into where our games are played?
Whose to say what makes a good stadium, is it the acoustics? The lighting? The jumbotron? We just don’t have that many answers the American sports stadium is a church to fans but we know very little about them logistically. It would be interesting to do research on which stadium has the best sight lines, or the loudest crowds. We value stadiums more than we value critical elements of our life, why?
My thought is this. Stadiums symbolize an oasis, where we are free from the clutter of every day life. They create a miniature society in which all that matters is the game being played. It is away to throw ourselves back to our primal behaviors where are only concerns are to stay alive and watch the game. The Stadium is a place where we are surrounded by those we do not know yet are connected deeply with them. You can make a friend that will die for you for 60 minutes if you are wearing the same jersey and that you will never see again once you leave.