What do americans think about european fans?
Posted by darkuyyy@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 220 comments
I think American and european fans are complete different. America has great stadium shows but i think the experience in Europe is way better. Its so much more louder and there are so much more emotions. Americas fans cant compete with ultras from europe. What do you think about them?
My 2nd question is: Is there something like Hooligans in america? I dont mean 2 dads fighting over a Football game. I mean real groups who meet to fight each other, for their club
PhilTheThrill1808@reddit
I'm going to go against the grain a little bit in this thread and agree with you in part. The foreign football matches I've been to (Arsenal, Real Madrid, Independiente in Argentina, Cruz Azul at Estadio Azteca, among others) have all been absolutely incredible. The atmosphere inside the stadium, the constant singing and chanting and passion displayed by fans every single game is something you very rarely see in the US, outside of a very select few environments. You're not wrong there.
However, meeting up to fight over your teams is beyond stupid and is rightfully mocked by us. It's a stain on every culture that participates in it, to be perfectly honest.
IcemanGeneMalenko@reddit
The cultures in the states and in Europe/south America are wholly different in the first place when it’s including football teams. The vast, vast majority of clubs were founded by locals, whether rail yard workers, the local 19th century pub goers or some factory workers- to represent that said town or village or part of the city- and it’s obviously grown since then. The people who attend, given how non-transient we are- the majority would have had their great great grandparents, also attending. So it’s super tribal and very much as “me and my friends and family vs you and your friends and family”. The US simply doesn’t have that in comparison at top level sports if they’re founded by corporate pigs trying to make a Buck.
P.s envious you’ve watched a match in Argentina and I’m quite surprised there was an atmosphere at Arsenal! It’s notoriously dull in England (sorry arsenal fans).
veryangryowl58@reddit
Yeah, you don't really know what you're talking about. College football, for example, is almost as big as the NFL here and a lot of those teams go back to the 1800s, too. They weren't founded by "corporate pigs trying to make a buck."
As for "corporate pigs" - aren't most of your soccer teams owned by either Americans or oil billionaires? All you have to do to be successful in British soccer is to get a rich foreigner to throw money at your team. How exciting.
IcemanGeneMalenko@reddit
You’ve answered your own question, there’s a big difference between “founded by” and “owned by”. Most fans in football dislike their owners in one way or another
veryangryowl58@reddit
So what, you're still better than us because you. even though you sold out to Russian oligarchs, a century ago you were founded by grassroots locals? Lol. Not corporate at all! Enjoy singing for 90 minutes because nothing exciting is happening on the field.
IcemanGeneMalenko@reddit
It’s alright you can keep your sports, the rest of the world will happily keep football. How were the global SuperBowl viewing figures compared to any random Wednesday night Man United, Liverpool or Chelsea game again?
veryangryowl58@reddit
Well, I mean, that would be preferable, lol. I find non-American football fans to be SUPER annoying, they don't know what they're talking about and think they're owed international games which everyone here hates.
Again, how is "popularity" a measure of quality? Do you think Keeping up with the Kardashians is a good show, too? That gets a lot of viewers. I don't really care if the rest of the world likes it, y'all have some weird ideas about a lot of things.
It's funny, though, the corporate accusation. Like, my NFL team has been owned by the same family since the 60s, they're one of the biggest employers in my state. Current owner is a huge fan of the team since she was a kid. Our coach came to the team specifically because he loved the city's culture. Our best coordinator took a multi-million dollar pay-cut to stay here. Our star player is a hometown boy.
Who is your soccer team owned by? Most of your players aren't even English, they probably have no loyalty to the team, probably will go with whomever pays them the most. Same with your coaches, same with your personnel. Which one is more corporate again?
IcemanGeneMalenko@reddit
Indian owner (first foreign owner in our history) whom nobody likes, majority English squad, English manager. Play in a league with majority English players. You do realise there’s more to football than the Premier League?
veryangryowl58@reddit
I don't pay attention to soccer, so no, lol. Played it up through college but watching it is like watching paint dry. Freely admit to not knowing more than the bare minimum, just like you with football.
It doesn't make sense to compare the NFL to anything other than the Premiere League, though; we don't have lower leagues. Anything else is a baseless comparison because even our minor teams don't work the same way.
PhilTheThrill1808@reddit
The only thing we have that's really comparable is college athletics, more so football than basketball but it certainly exists in both to some extent (my alma mater University of Kentucky, for example, goes NUTS over our basketball team). That's because, as you said, we tend to move around a lot more within the country and most pro sports haven't been around long enough to really have that same sense of pride in tradition and "my great grandparents were here too" kinda thing. College sports do, so you'll see the most wild atmospheres inAmerican sports at LSU football, Alabama football, Ohio State, etc.
The Argentinian games I went to were crazy. I went to a few others and San Lorenzo fans are my people. Their song about how everyone says they're crazy but they don't care bc they smoke all the weed and drink wine from the bottle is an all time favorite haha. They also beat up their star striker at the time after training one day while I lived there- apparently they felt his effort in games wasn't good enough 😂.
Arsenal was fun, I'm a fan, but you're not wrong that it lacks in atmosphere compared to some others. I've only been to Highbury though, where it was most certainly at least a little better. Seems to be making at least something of a comeback now that Arteta has them competing at the top of the table again.
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
Well, maybe not in committing crimes.
This is factually incorrect.
Somebody link the Stephen Fry video.
No. We are much more civilized in this country.
darkuyyy@reddit (OP)
Tbh i dont wanna talk bad about American fans. You have also great Fans. But i think its not so factually incorrect. You have go experience it, to rate it. Did some groundhopping and these emotions are so indescribable everywhere in Europe.
iampatmanbeyond@reddit
Aren't most matches in Europe like grown men only because yall become so violent over a game you aren't playing? I've never once seen a camera turn to a crowd in the US and have it be only men
Recent-Irish@reddit
They literally warn you about taking women and small children to games. It’s insane over there.
I think back to my dad taking my brother and I to A&M games and thinking that kids in Europe never get to experience that because they lose their shit over soccer.
veryangryowl58@reddit
Seriously?? That's insane. My friends brought their two year old to a Lions game this year and they only thing they were worried about was the crowd noise.
Recent-Irish@reddit
I hate the Lions but their fans are so friendly lmao. Never felt unsafe there.
veryangryowl58@reddit
How can you hate us?? Are you a Cowboys fan?
But seriously, I don't think anyone here would be a dick to opposing fans. Friendly trash-talk as they hand you a tailgate beer, maybe. Ford Field is loud AF though.
Recent-Irish@reddit
Chicago fan by marriage! Gotta hate divisional rivals, though you’re a lot less offensive than Minnesota and Green Bay.
But yeah, trash talk is chill. Violence is not.
veryangryowl58@reddit
FTP indeed.
It's funny, I think everybody but the Packers are indignant about how good the NCF North is. Like, hey, this was supposed to be MY year! Williams shaping up to NOT be a bust, which isn't good for us but must be a relief for you!
Recent-Irish@reddit
Everybody who was calling him a bust after two games was just overreacting. He’s a rookie QB! Peyton Manning didn’t look great his first year and he turned into one of the best QBs of all time. People have to be more patient.
veryangryowl58@reddit
Oh for sure. I think the Sam Darnold Renaissance is proving that as well. We're going through a very mild version with our new CB, he's a great talent and clearly sticky but he's picking up some PIs and it's like - well, yeah, CB is hard! He's a rookie!
darkuyyy@reddit (OP)
I started to go to the stadium when i was 6... Never got hurt
Recent-Irish@reddit
Good for you.
darkuyyy@reddit (OP)
I think you have a complete wrong picture of european fans. There is not every Game violence. And when there even is something like violence, nobody gets really hurt..
Recent-Irish@reddit
There’s no worries of someone getting hurt in any American game and we don’t have to be separated by barriers.
Just face it- your fans suck.
darkuyyy@reddit (OP)
You dont exactly understand why they are getting seperated.
They wanna Support there club in a sector in the stadium. They cant just buy tickets in the home sector. Thats why there is a guest sector. And ofc, the guests dont want the home Fans in the sector and the home fans dont want the guest fans in the sector.
Btw, we have clubs where the Fans Love each other. And they are still seperated :) Has nothing to do with violence, its an ez concept. But you're right, it's not my fault that your fans suck
Recent-Irish@reddit
Imagine needing sectors to have peace. Just let people buy seats lmao.
darkuyyy@reddit (OP)
Have you eben read my comment? The Fans want the sectors to have unity to sing and chant Idiot. Btw standing places are better than seats
Recent-Irish@reddit
I did read your comment, I just think you’re wrong because you can’t accept Americans being better than you at something.
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
Well, you might have have been dropped once, but that was unrelated to a sporting event I assume.
GF_baker_2024@reddit
Geez, that's horrible. I've been attending Detroit Tigers games since I was a toddler. The worst I've ever witnessed was some trash-talking.
Recent-Irish@reddit
I’ve been to European soccer matches, South American soccer matches, and American football fans.
Your fans suck. They’re rude, drunk, violent, and need to be physically separated by barriers at times. I was so disgusted by any of the matches I saw in Europe that I intend to never go again.
Sports are family friendly events, not an excuse to get into fights like animals.
StatementOwn4896@reddit
I don’t like how mundane American fans are. Give me the drunkards any day.
Recent-Irish@reddit
“You’re not fighting someone over this game? Ugh you’re so mundane!”
darkuyyy@reddit (OP)
You dont even need to fight someone... But you americans are just really boring. You like "great, my Team lost! Hah i dont even Care, its just sport! Just spent 50 bucks for the Game! But i dont Care"
stoicsilence@reddit
I'm surprised no one here has told you about our University Sports system.
Its the one thing we have you do not and its exactly what you are talking about. Not in terms of hooliganism, that shit is stupid. But in terms of crowd energy, pagentry, regional loyalty, and team rivalries.
Check Steven Fry's first time at a University Football Game.
DUSpartan@reddit
Tells me you've never been to a college football game or interacted with college football fans... but even they don't (generally) assault other fans for no reason
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
You have absolutely not idea what you are talking about and with every comment it becomes more apparent.
Come visit here bud rather than spouting nonsense.
Attend a divisional NFL game or a Saturday Night SEC game or a white out night as Penn State and then we can have a talk. Until then, you just sound silly. 0
Recent-Irish@reddit
Even then, American sports fans don’t really get violent all the time. A Giants fan at AT&T Stadium isn’t going to get fucking stabbed.
Grunt08@reddit
Yeah going to stab a fan of the opposing team after I throw a banana at the other team's star player is way cooler.
StatementOwn4896@reddit
It’s way more entertaining
Recent-Irish@reddit
No, it’s not. Sports are family friendly events, not impetuses for riots.
StatementOwn4896@reddit
Let’s not kid ourselves. The only reason American fans don’t riot is because their police state will literally ruin their lives if they’re being loud and drunk
Recent-Irish@reddit
As they should. You’re an adult, not an animal.
StatementOwn4896@reddit
It all sounds nice until they come for you
Recent-Irish@reddit
They won’t, I don’t fight people at sports games.
StatementOwn4896@reddit
You don’t have to be doing anything. Eventually they’ll just get you
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
Maybe they will come after you, you sound drunk already.
StatementOwn4896@reddit
https://youtu.be/E8ygQ2wEwJw?si=C2MtJM1U4t236Twk
Recent-Irish@reddit
I’m not breaking any laws, so no, they won’t.
StatementOwn4896@reddit
You don’t have to be. Your dude John Oliver was talking about it this week.
https://youtu.be/E8ygQ2wEwJw?si=C2MtJM1U4t236Twk
darkuyyy@reddit (OP)
You dont need violence. But sometimes you americans are just to soft... You always talk about violence in europe. But what do you say when your Team looses against your rival? "Grrrr, nice that you won!"
With all this "hate" and "Love" there are so many emotions in europe.
Its so boring in america. All these softies.
prettylittlelondon@reddit
Why are Europeans so proud of being alcoholics? I don't drink (health reasons) and it's bizarre people need alcohol to have fun. I go to hockey games and scream and cheer my head off completely sober. There have been many days where I've lost my voice the next day.
darkuyyy@reddit (OP)
Drinking and watching a soccer Game is really fun
DUSpartan@reddit
Yeah, a couple of beers at a baseball/ football/ hockey game is great. Not drinking to the point that I forget how to function in society.
Recent-Irish@reddit
It’s because they have such a superiority complex that even when we do something objectively better they cannot admit to it.
IcemanGeneMalenko@reddit
Of course the fanbase are going to be different.
There’s a big difference in football clubs that were founded by the locals, that are supported by generations of generations of the locals and are an integral part of their community they are in, compared to franchises founded by billionaires with no ties to community, for no other reason than to create money.
That’s even before tribalism, socioeconomic aspects, politics and region that influences clubs.
Rbkelley1@reddit
I’ve experienced it. Your fans aren’t as loud in support of their team because they’re too busy trying to fight the other team’s fans. Go to a big time college football game and tell me it isn’t as loud as a game in Europe. It’s significantly louder.
MacFromSSX@reddit
Tell me you’ve never experienced college football games without telling me. I love when Europeans come into this sub to try and eurosplain how their culture is better and we just don’t understand while at the same time they have no idea what they’re talking about regarding American culture.
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
I have. It's pretty great. Europe and Mexico.
Its no better than a saturday afternoon at The Big House (which no European stadium can compete with on size) or a Sunday night at Arrowhead or a January blizzard at Lambeau.
That's because you speak from ignorance.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
We've all seen your murder rate.
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
Sorry I don't see somebody in the wrong colored scarf and think committing a violent felony is a reasonable response.
At football games?
Recent-Irish@reddit
Remember kids, violence is okay if you’re an Englishman doing it over a soccer match.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
Or a policeman doing it over race, right?
Recent-Irish@reddit
That’s not okay either, tf?
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BranchBarkLeaf@reddit
We’ve all seen people being murdered over ~~soccer~~ football in Europe.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
https://www.google.com/amp/s/metro.co.uk/2018/02/05/here-are-five-american-cities-which-rioted-after-sporting-success-and-defeat-7289493/amp/
BranchBarkLeaf@reddit
And yet zero murders
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heysel_Stadium_disaster
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
At least give me a link with actual murders that was a wall collapsing it's manslaughter.
BranchBarkLeaf@reddit
https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2024/02/14/why-is-football-violence-on-the-rise-again-in-europe/
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
Still no murders, it's all about a rise in violence.
BranchBarkLeaf@reddit
Simon Dobbin, 48, was left brain-damaged in the assault after a match in Southend, Essex, five years ago.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-54633785
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
And people died in these routes, if you read it instead of defensively throwing it random links.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/metro.co.uk/2018/02/05/here-are-five-american-cities-which-rioted-after-sporting-success-and-defeat-7289493/amp/
BranchBarkLeaf@reddit
This is murder, but you’ll deny it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsborough_disaster
Recent-Irish@reddit
Of course he will.
Americans are objectively better at this but he cannot accept it.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
You don't know the first thing about the Hillsborough disaster do you?
Recent-Irish@reddit
I’m not too familiar with mass deaths at sporting events, I’m American.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
Wasn't murder, people tried to get into a stadium for free is all.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
It definitely wasn't football fans murdering each other, they were supporters of the same team FFS. Strange grasping at straws, this is why they got rid of standing sections at football games though.
AnalogNightsFM@reddit
The UKIP appealed to the innate and inherent xenophobia of a majority of Britons and manipulated them into voting themselves out of the European Union. It’s interesting that you still haven’t learned why xenophobia is problematic.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
Lol wtf linking ukip to any of this is so weird, get a grip.
AnalogNightsFM@reddit
Mentioning murder rates when discussing sports isn’t at all weird though. It’s perfectly reasonable, apparently.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
It was under the quote I was replying to, gtfo lol fucking redditors.
Recent-Irish@reddit
Oh someone’s salty
HippiePvnxTeacher@reddit
Honestly it’s kinda weird to me how serious Europeans take sports. A bunch of adults watching other adults play children’s game isn’t something anyone should be fighting over or joining cult like support clubs for.
Divertimentoast@reddit
Nah your fans blow, I like ours better.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
American chants suck, in writeups, particularly the UK fans make whole songs that are poetry, in the US chants go as far as 'defence, defence!'.
flp_ndrox@reddit
We play actually interesting and exciting sports; we don't need to make up ways to entertain ourselves in the stands.
IcemanGeneMalenko@reddit
That are only watched…by Americans? Football is more watched than all of your sports combined
flp_ndrox@reddit
IDK, the Canadians watch our sports. Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Latin America have century long love affairs with baseball. Basketball has been taking the world by storm. Even American football, the most expensive and dangerous of our team ball sports, has had an international presence for decades at the scholastic, amateur, semipro levels.
Of course most of those eyes on soccer are on a couple dozen European squads that are propped up by questionable owners and we're made fat on a century of unequal competition. I'm not sure that's worth bragging about.
IcemanGeneMalenko@reddit
And after all that growth, an FA Cup quarter final match would have more global viewers than the global viewership of the SuperBowl, World Series, Stanley Cup and NBA finals combined.
flp_ndrox@reddit
Gonna need to see the citation on that.
veryangryowl58@reddit
Why is this always the argument? Just because a lot of non-Americans fall in line and watch the same thing doesn't make that thing exciting.
McDonald's is really popular too, that doesn't make it a quality food.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
Ha ha yeah with your 2 hours of stoppage time in American football and baseball which is, well it's boring AF.
flp_ndrox@reddit
But yet somehow we don't get so bored we make up and sing songs and do silly chants while the ball is in play and think we are the height of wit and team spirit.
waka_flocculonodular@reddit
Some soccer clubs like Seattle Sounders and San Jose Earthquakes have Ultras that have chants, make lots of noise, and have huge banners. And some sports that look boring, like baseball, do have their fair share of violence. An example I think is the fan from San Francisco, Brian Stow, who was beaten into a coma by opposing LA Dodgers fans
https://abc7.com/bryan-stow-giants-fan-attacked-dodger-stadium-beaten-at-the-ballpark/13756451/
This was a wakeup call for sports violence. Not to say that it doesn't happen.
But also, baseball is great and relaxing, why would you need to be riled up for that I don't understand. I also don't understand why you think baseball has stoppage time. There's time between innings, but besides a new pitching clock there's no set time for baseball games.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
The stoppage time was about American football, clearly.
I imagine baseball violence happened due to drinking throughout the day's play.
waka_flocculonodular@reddit
Violence happens for many reasons, not just drinking, but being a hardcore fan for one team.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
Definitely a volatile mixture though.
waka_flocculonodular@reddit
Agreed there. I like drinking a little for games, but prefer small doses of mushrooms for fun stuff like that
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
Yeah I'm generally a really chilled happy drunk and never a fabric around sport so never understood all this bullshit.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
Lol imagine downvoting this, can definitely believe this is an American sub.
FlyUnder_TheRadar@reddit
Baseball isn't supposed to be wall to wall action. You should be able to go to a ball park, have a few beers, eat a hot dog, shoot the shit with friends, and hang out in the nice weather while the game is going. Or throw the game on TV/radio and listen to the play by play while doing other stuff. Then you tune in when things get tense. Baseball is a game of eb and flow where tension builds and breaks. There is nothing in sports like a big moment in baseball.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
I prefer cricket.
darkuyyy@reddit (OP)
Watching NFL: 20 minutes Game time 3 hours of advertising
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
Ha ha exactly! Imo rugby has much better flow.
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
That will happen when the game itself is extremely complex and every single engagement is a highly rehearsed set play that is far more complicated and technical than a corner kick.
SterileCarrot@reddit
Yeah, but you have to watch soccer, so we still win.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
There's rugby too.
veryangryowl58@reddit
If possible, rugby is more boring than soccer.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
😂 not enough ads for you?
veryangryowl58@reddit
Looks like a bunch of little kids playing hot potato, tbh. I've seen harder tackles in girls' powder puff games.
SterileCarrot@reddit
Better than soccer, I'll give you that. But not as good as American football.
Aussie football is the only thing I've seen that makes me go, "okay, I can see why they might choose this over our version."
prettylittlelondon@reddit
That's because soccer is so boring lol. When I go to a hockey game, why would I want to be chanting whole songs? I'm there to watch the game
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
Are you trying to own a Canadian game?
Arleare13@reddit
Given how long it's been since they won the Stanley Cup, I'd say we already do.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
Poor Canadians.
Divertimentoast@reddit
Ope guys did you hear that swoosh?!!
Almost like the sound of a fan blade.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
Roll tide...
kingoden95@reddit
The entire city of Philadelphia erupted into a riot when the Eagles won the Super Bowl, to say sports fandom here isn’t as passionate is a terrible take. Though we’ve had incidents of violence like the one I mentioned, we aren’t nearly as violent as other countries when it comes to sports, and I am thankful for that, it’s not something you should be proud of.
Dmbender@reddit
I've had my greatest fan experience standing in the Nordtribüne at Westfalenstadion.
But I'm glad we don't need police escorts for opposing fans here. Violence over sports fandoms and clubs that don't give a fuck about you is the most pathetic shit imaginable.
IcemanGeneMalenko@reddit
Violence at football is exceedingly rare. People have the assumption because they’ve seen vids online of people fighting that it’s the norm. Of the hundreds and hundreds of games played every weekend in Europe (if not thousands seeing how every there’s football clubs representing communities in every nut and cranny around the continent), the vast majority are fine.
It’s like us Brits saying mass shootings this, mass shootings that- when they’re very rare going of frequency + population.
Arleare13@reddit
It is true, though, that opposing fans have to be separated at European soccer games? Like, I've been to a couple, and the visiting fans were walled off, with their own entrance and exit, surrounded by security guards. There must be a reason for that, right?
IcemanGeneMalenko@reddit
Yes, to stop potential for fights and flare ups- hence why they are rare. They are almost non existent in stadiums anymore because of it
Arleare13@reddit
Well yeah, that's what I'm saying -- if violence between fans is rare, it's because you've resorted to physically separating the fans. That's honestly unthinkable here. Even in the most heated rivalries, we don't need to physically separate fans from each other to prevent violence. Even at a championship game between bitter rivals, you'll find opposing fans sitting next to each other and yet somehow not attacking each other.
IcemanGeneMalenko@reddit
I think you need to bare in mind the “type” of people who attend football matches too. A typical away section of 2000 people will be 95% made of up men age 16-50, the majority of these will have been drinking in some capacity so a bit “loose”, drunk or high on drugs, especially cocaine. Regardless of “sport” you wouldn’t want to be around that crowd in the first place in a bar or some function.
There’s never any issues or violence at Rugby or Cricket over here.
Dmbender@reddit
Op explicitly mentions groups of people meeting to fight one another though. My comment is in regards to that. I've been to Football matches abroad so I'm kinda familiar with the atmosphere and setting.
thatsad_guy@reddit
Ok. Good for you
When did it become a competition? We understand it's just a game and treat it as such.
No. That's ridiculous and generally would.not be tolerated.
Mata187@reddit
So I’ve been to sports events both in the US (baseball, soccer, college/pro football, and college/pro basketball and Europe (mostly soccer and one or two basketball games), the two cannot really be compared. Even with similar sports like soccer and basketball.
Europeans mostly only rely on soccer as their only outlet or identity. For almost 3/4 of a year (sometimes 5/6 of the year depending on what tournament is happening), thats the only thing happening that you hear about in Europe. Meanwhile, there are other team/club sports too but it doesn’t get much attention: basketball, volleyball, cricket, and rugby. And sometimes, other club sports only get attention when they play a rival club. Such as when the women’s volleyball team for Fenerbache played against Galatasary, the arena was packed. But when they played anyone else, it was silent.
Americans have many more outlets than just one local team, but on top of that, we also have other entertainment outlets. Not saying you don’t have that in Europe, but it was kinda boring at times on the weekends.
Let me break down pro and college teams in the US:
In the US, pro teams are a business organization and at anytime, the owners can uproot the team and move, regardless of the local fanbase loyalty (San Diego Chargers became LA Chargers, Seattle Supersonics became the OKC Thunder). And the pro sport season rotates non stop, baseball to football to basketball/hockey, repeat. Yes you can identify with the team, but…do you really want to?
As for college sports, a lot more Americans identify more with their college team (or in remote areas of the country, their high school team) than the pro teams. The college sport season is predominately football and then basketball, with some parts of the country following the baseball season and hockey season as well. Since the majority of college fans support the college they attended or graduated from, that’s where the identity portion comes to play. You spent money, time, and energy at your college. So, It will hurt that your school just lost to another school in your division/conference.
Now getting to the loud factor. Europeans can get loud, there’s no question about it. But your crowd is a mix of older generations and younger generations at matches.
Pro sports in the US get loud, but just like the European crowd, it’s a vast mix of young and old.
But college sports loud factor destroys European crowds! Here you have a vast majority of young (some drunk) fans screaming at the top of their lungs! And they are cheering on their fellow classmates.
Now we get to the Ultras. This by far, is pretty fucking stupid! No seriously, it is! Your whole thing is to support a team that: a) doesn’t care about you b)won’t be there to support you when you are down c)doesn’t pay your bills d) (unless you’re a super fan) won’t attend your funeral. So…why bother wasting your time and energy being an Ultra for 90 mins once a week?
Arleare13@reddit
Neat, this question again.
Your "fan culture" is ridiculous. It's just sports. One should be able to enjoy it and cheer on their team without letting it become their entire identity. I've been to a few European soccer games, and it's just shocking to me that opposing fans have to be physically separated because of the likelihood that violence will occur.
I think we cannot and absolutely should not compete with "ultras." The fact that they exist at all shows what's wrong with European sports culture.
No.
darkuyyy@reddit (OP)
"its just sports" "It shouldnt be your entire identidy"
It hurts so much. You stabbed every european Fan. I get your point and i get that your different but its hurts so much haha
Ofc understandable, violence is bad but Ultras doesnt always mean violence btw
Arleare13@reddit
No, unlike in Europe we don't stab opposing fans.
mcsmith610@reddit
Unless you’re in Philly but then again, Philly fans aren’t safe from each other either! 😂
Arleare13@reddit
Nah, I've been to plenty of games in Philly wearing opposing gear. Never had an issue.
mcsmith610@reddit
It was a joke because that’s what Philly is famous for. Used to live there myself.
harlemjd@reddit
Philly fans are famous for being assholes, sure, but the fact that the favorite examples of this are from decades ago show that they are not assholes at anything like the level of European sports hooliganism.
mcsmith610@reddit
All I got to say is Gritty isn’t to be fucked with.
Conchobair@reddit
raiders fans have left the chat
MacFromSSX@reddit
There’s a Dodgers fan joke in here somewhere
Recent-Irish@reddit
So Europeans have no identity other than sports? That’s just sad.
darkuyyy@reddit (OP)
Tbh i never said that? We're talking about Ultras. When your a ultra, your entire identidy is soccer. If you say no then you just dont understand what an ultra is
Cheap_Coffee@reddit
In America that would be described as a mental health issue.
Bitter_Sir_4993@reddit
From my American perspective: Professional sports exist as a form of entertainment. Most of us either look down upon or pity people who devote their entire life to their passion for their preferred form of entertainment-- whether it's a sports team, a movie franchise, a card game, whatever. It's an extremely high level of commitment to something that is ultimately of very little importance, and it implies either a lack or neglect of more meaningful items in one's life.
Recent-Irish@reddit
Yes, Ultras are sad. They’re literally something we make fun of in America. They show up in movies and TV as being idiots with nothing better to do.
darkuyyy@reddit (OP)
I accept your opinion but please tell an ultra how funny and stupid he is and see what happens. Idk maybe he will shake your hands or something
Recent-Irish@reddit
Again, the fact that you have people that will literally get violent over being told that they’re being ridiculous is not a flex.
Why are Germans incapable of functioning in a society without violence?
darkuyyy@reddit (OP)
Your a funny guy. People all over the world get violent when you tell them how ridiculous they are?
baalroo@reddit
Here in America, the vast majority of sports fans would be embarrassed if someone had to tell them they're taking things too seriously and going too far. They might get angry, sure, but it would be an irrational anger born out of that embarrassment.
There are essentially no American sports fans who take pride in getting overly aggressive and/or violent about "supporting their team." Not that it never happens, sometimes people get carried away of course, but almost any American that gets into a physical altercation at a sporting event will feel shame for doing so after the fact (once that adrenaline wears out).
You are very unlikely to ever hear an American bragging about getting violent or aggressive with a rival team's fans. Hell, it's common for rival (American) football fans to hang out and party together in the parking lot before games.
Recent-Irish@reddit
If someone told me I was being ridiculous over sports game my first reaction would be to just not talk to them.
It’s literally just Europeans that get this violent this consistently over sports. Y’all are just weird, we are objectively better than you in this regard but your superiority complex does not let you accept that.
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
This is not the brag you think it is.
FishingWorth3068@reddit
We don’t care enough to tell them anything. I’m not going to get in an argument with a grown ass man whose entire identity revolves around men running around kicking a ball. Players don’t even have the same loyalty, that’s why they bounce teams depending on who pays them more. Or better yet, can get traded by their own teams and loaned out like property.
Grunt08@reddit
Lol...imagine being so insecure that you can't handle an insult without starting a fight.
That's how children act. You're telling us your fans are adult children.
Arleare13@reddit
Yeah, they'd get angry and violent. We know. That's the problem.
Arleare13@reddit
And that's sad as hell.
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
I am probably the most obsessed sports fan anyone in my circle knows and even I find hooligans to be a joke.
They aren't actually fans of the sport, or team, they do hooliganism as a distraction from the actual competition.
darkuyyy@reddit (OP)
Yup your right. Hooligans arent always (even in the most cases) not there for the most games. Mostly criminal organisations. The more east you come to Europe, the more criminal organization behind it.
azjza@reddit
I fucking love football but getting violent over sports is for massive fucking losers, and that includes all of those cringe soccer fans that beat the shit out of people. This Ravens fan over the weekend made national headlines for assaulting two opposing fans and was immediately fired from his job, while this is just normal in soccer culture.
Its bad enough assaulting sports fans in general, but I can't imagine getting that violent over a sport as soft as soccer. Pathetic.
WaltKerman@reddit
You read it so terribly wrong.
There are some Europeans who burn cars or have given other people permanent injuries like knocking their teeth out over their soccer team. You referenced this yourself.
When you entire personality is this, it's pathetic. He didn't say all Europeans are like this. He is specifically referencing those type of people.
darkuyyy@reddit (OP)
These people are Hooligans. Not Ultras. Ultras dont burn cars and usually dont fight.
WaltKerman@reddit
But still need to be separated at games yes?
ColossusOfChoads@reddit
They seem to in Italy.
eyetracker@reddit
Europeans invented sports violence a long time ago. See Nika riots
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Lugbor@reddit
If you're that devoted to a sports team that you're moved to violence, then you need to seek professional help, and maybe stop watching sports altogether.
PPKA2757@reddit
Louder is subjective. Quick Google search shows that the average soccer stadium in Europe holds ~40k fans. That’s ~30% smaller than the NFL’s smallest stadium (Soldier Field in Chicago) which holds 60k fans. I’m no mathemagican but an extra 20,000+ fans is bound to make more noise, even without the constant buzzing of vuvuzelas.
As to the hooliganism:
I for one am happy that our fans don’t physically assault each other as a matter of routine. Imagine going to jail or worse because you got into a spat over your sports fandom. “Sorry honey I lost my job and I won’t be able to see the kids any time soon because some guy was wearing the opposing team’s scarf near me, of course you understand I had to punch/stab/jump him, my lawyer says I’m facing six+ months for assault”. Embarrassing.
I straight up judge fans here who are so overly obsessive with their teams that they’re willing to get into physical altercations over it. There is nothing more embarrassing than two grown men (usually drunk) fighting over baseball clubs or football teams. I’ve been heckled and heckled, never in my life have I been worried about my physical safety at a sporting event, even at the most heated rivalry games in opposing team territory.
GF_baker_2024@reddit
What the hell is an ultra?
kaka8miranda@reddit
As an American I love European sports culture well at least the good ultras.
Go watch the Curva Sud roughly 30k people in San Siro cheer on the team nonstop with no violence for 90 minutes.
Go watch the Madrid Ultras do the same.
That’s the kind of passion American sports are missing and why I don’t go to games it’s just boring chants every now and then.
Also OP I see you saying that ultras whole identity is soccer and that’s just wrong. It’s there identity on game day for sure tho.
The only fight I’ve ever seen was ac Milan vs Zagreb in the CL in Milan. Zagreb lost and after the game they started attacked the food trucks saw about 40 of them get arrested. That’s not cool or acceptable, but standing, jumping, chanting for 90 minutes should be and idk why Americans are against it just block off a stadium section for them
Current_Poster@reddit
No. There is absolutely nothing comparable to people who, having been banned from venues for being thugs, still arrange to meet other groups of thugs to have a fight "for their club" at some other location (not near the venue) on days that aren't game-days.
There are people who think they're like that, but they really really aren't.
cherrycokeicee@reddit
this is one of the funniest and most random stereotypes people say on this subreddit.
different sports produce different fan cultures. singing and chanting in soccer games is a cool tradition, but football has different traditions. football stadiums in general, especially college stadiums, are huge (much larger than soccer stadiums in Europe) and extremely loud. each team has their own fan culture. colleges have marching bands. NFL teams have all sorts of traditions involving fans - like the Lambeau Leap.
I don't hold it against Europeans when I see British people calmly applauding an awesome sack in an NFL London game. they're not accustomed to attending football games in person, so they're a little awkward. I don't make a post about how "European fans can't compete with American fans."
ruggerbear@reddit
Honestly, we think about your Hooligans just what we think of the people that riot here after a championship win: what a bunch of freaking childish idiots. Anyone that is that emotionally invested in being a fan of a group to which they have zero stake are losers.
Rbkelley1@reddit
You’ve never seen a college football game, have you? Plus we can be emotional and into the game without fighting each other, unlike the clowns in Europe.
xxxTHICCJOKIC420xxx@reddit
college fans can compete but any major sports league is wayyyy too corporatized to come anything close to that
Bitter_Sir_4993@reddit
Nothing wrong with passion and excitement for your team. Occasional rowdiness can be fun. Violence and destruction are not okay.
MacFromSSX@reddit
My favorite part about the 2026 World Cup is going to be watching scumbag “ultras” try their antics in front of American police.
liberletric@reddit
What on earth are you talking about? Have you been to an American sporting event (excluding baseball which tends to be more chill because there are 162 games in a season)?
Gallahadion@reddit
Exactly! You took the words right out of my mouth. . .er, off of my keyboard.
Recent-Irish@reddit
It’s Europeans, they have fights and fans from two different teams have to sit in different sections.
Americans have passion, but it’s a normal passion because it’s a game at heart
Konigwork@reddit
Watch College Gameday on ESPN on Saturday mornings (or the Stephen Fry Auburn video) and you’ll see what our most “insane” fans are.
Outside of Philadelphia Phillies/Eagles fans, Los Angeles Dodgers fans, and Alabama Crimson Tide fans, we don’t really get physically violent over pro sports.
Arleare13@reddit
And even Philadelphia fans get a bad rap. I've been to Phillies and Eagles games, in Philadelphia, in opposing gear. Never a single problem, I always have a great time. And reciprocally, I went to one of the Phillies-Mets NLDS games in New York last week with a Phillies fan friend -- again, absolutely fine.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
https://www.google.com/amp/s/metro.co.uk/2018/02/05/here-are-five-american-cities-which-rioted-after-sporting-success-and-defeat-7289493/amp/
Recent-Irish@reddit
The fact you can find a list of individual occurrences versus it being a relatively common event like it is in Europe is hilarious.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
Full on riots in Europe around sport are rare.
Recent-Irish@reddit
Of course, you just have to be physically separated to stop fights and have police escorts lmao.
Gullible_Tune_2533@reddit
I can only speak to the UK where it's only a minority that are that bad, it's improved a lot.
Arleare13@reddit
Do they still have to wall off opposing fans?
Recent-Irish@reddit
Of course! Everyone knows that people from Bumbledumpleshire and Unicornpissedon are incapable of functioning together!
Recent-Irish@reddit
Oh I’m sure.
WaddlesJP13@reddit
To me, Europeans have the same reaction to their favorite sports team losing as Americans would if they elected Hitler as president
Judgy-Introvert@reddit
I love sports. I enjoy most of them including soccer and rugby. I like to cheer, yell and have a good time with other sports fans, whether they support the same team or not. What I don’t want is to have violence erupt around me over a game. One that we are doing nothing more than watching. We aren’t the players, we aren’t the coaches. We’re just spectators. Nothing more. Fighting over sports is stupid. Keep that.
Conchobair@reddit
Most top tier college football stadiums are twice the size of Ultra stadiums. I don't think you know what a crowd sounds like until you get tio that kind of level. There are stadium sell out records going back 62 years that could fit multiple ultra stadiums inside of it.
To answer you question is, most people don't think about it. We hear about hooligans and it's really not the way we do it around here. You come as an opposing fan and beat our team and we'll probably buy you a beer, but not a shot. We're known to welcome opposing fans and treat them well, instead of being criminals and assholes to each other.
LazHuffy@reddit
Our ultras are the ones who set up in the parking lot 3 hours before the game and shame an opposing fan by giving him the best damn bratwurst he’s ever had, letting him know whose grilling skills are superior.
Swimming-Book-1296@reddit
Virginia Tech football games are so loud they trigger earthquake detectors. They just don't commit violence on each other.
honbeee@reddit
it's just a game boss
flp_ndrox@reddit
European fan culture seems to be a holdover from the old days when you all fought wars against the next town and/or church over and you use soccer as an excuse to keep doing it. But you added stuff to entertain yourselves while things may or may not develop in the pitch.
In America we treat it as what sports really is: entertainment. We yell when the defense needs it. We shut up when the offense needs it. We eat and drink in the parking lots hours before game time. We tap our signs, sing the old songs, and ring our bells. We have prank wars not organized gang brawls. Our marching bands dance on the field at half time, our pep bands rock the gym during time outs, and the cheer teams dance while the mascots high five the kids you can bring to the games without fear.
We invented the Wave.
Hotwheels303@reddit
Go to a Tennessee Florida game in Neyland stadium and I guarantee it will be louder than anything you ever experienced. Fans are just as passionate if not more and can get rowdy without fighting each other (might not be to safe if your a goal post though). Combined with the tailgating experience and American fans and sports events are way better that other countries. I was fans literally riot and destroy pubs during the Euros and the storm the stadium in the Copa tournament. Americans have all the passion and enthusiasm while keeping class.
zugabdu@reddit
I like going to sports games and seeing families and fans of all ages and not feeling like a fight is going to break out any second. I like knowing racist taunts aren't going to be tlyelled at players from the stands and that if a player is injured, but side's fans will cheer encouragement as they leave the field. So yeah, I prefer ours.
Practical-Ordinary-6@reddit
We don't want to compete with them. They're pretty tacky.
jjr4884@reddit
I gotta say - when Charlie won the Monza gran prix this past year I seriously thought the whole place was going to go absolutely mental. Maybe its just where I was during the race but I really thought the tifosi was going to go absolutely bonkers when a Ferrari won the race. With that being said, i'm sure most european fans (especially futbol) are more devout than americans.
EspressoOverdose@reddit
I don’t think about your fans and I encourage you not to think about ours. I don’t see the point in this question besides trying to shit on the U.S. to make yourself feel better about your country.
BPC1120@reddit
Glorifying violence over a game is pretty pathetic
Cutebrute203@reddit
European fans have gotten a reputation for being drunk and violent as soccer has grown more popular in the United States. Stadiums and law enforcement would not tolerate that sort of behavior here and rightly so.
Plantayne@reddit
European soccer fans are a lot more hardcore because that fandom is tied into one’s identity much more than it is in American sports.
If you’re from a fan of Real Madrid, then chances are your family literally fought on the other side of a legit civil war than Barcelona fans.
Rangers vs. Celtic is as much a battle of national and religious identity as it is a soccer game.
Those fandoms are handed down from generation to generation and are linked to family values and political affiliations in ways no sports in America come close to.
As for hooliganism, no, nothing like that exists in America. I suppose you have Raiders fans and Cowboys fans traveling the country getting drunk and making a ruckus but they aren’t violent really, not in the same way as the hooligans and ultras are in Europe.
Conclamatus@reddit
I love multitudes of different sports and I have all my life. I'm someone that can sit down and enjoy watching nearly any display of athletic prowess. I'm always looking to expand my horizons too, I've really been exploring Rugby lately after a trip to Wales and I watched the Cricket World Cup recently as well.
That said, I find anyone engaging in violence over sports fandom viscerally disgusting and utterly shameful, and I actively appreciate that I get to enjoy watching sports in person amongst a culture that is far far less tolerant of that kind of anti-social behavior.
Confetticandi@reddit
The songs and chanting can be fun, if not a bit creepy at times lol. I’ve been to some sports games in Europe and I have a friend in town who takes me to a soccer pub that always has European expats in it doing their fan thing.
But ultimately a lot of it seems silly. It’s sports. It’s not that serious. Physically fighting over it is so dumb. I feel like it just seems that way to Europeans because they tend to live in the same city their entire lives and so it’s a self-reinforcing identity.
European sports culture seems less sportsmanlike overall in my opinion because all that seems to matter is how much money a team has to buy talent. There’s relatively little championship turnover and the teams are owned by Russian oligarchs and Saudi princes and stuff which seems gross. They also don’t really respect the fans. They won’t turn out for showcases or anything like that because there’s too much money in it and they’re terrified of any injury risk.
At this point, you’ve lost the plot on the point of a game.
I enjoy watching premiere league with my friends, but the culture of it keeps me from being a bigger fan.
RingGiver@reddit
Yeah, this is definitely something that's way better in America.
yensid7@reddit
There are certain American sports environments that are more like what you think of as European fans. College Football comes to mind. People painting themselves, screaming loudly, etc. In general, though, I'd say those who actually think about it (we mostly hear about this stuff in passing, unless maybe you're a soccer/football fan) our though is along the lines of, "those fans have no chill." Honestly, we have so many spread out major league and college level sports, and even people that are way into high school athletics, I don't think we could ever get to the intensity of some European fans, especially of soccer/football.
We don't have hooligans like that in the USA. Informally, there are some teams who have fans known for getting in fights (like the Philadelphia Eagles), but it's not nearly so organized, and it's pretty overhyped. It's a far cry from hooliganism.
prettylittlelondon@reddit
I'm so happy that Americans fan culture is nothing like Europe. Being passionate is fine and what American fans do. European fans take it over the line to insanity. I don't know how Europeans aren't embarrassed that they act like that over a game.
Recent-Irish@reddit
Your fans objectively suck.
AnalogNightsFM@reddit
I think many are obnoxious and racist.
I think we can agree here.
Of course, you’re exceptional. This is a great example of German exceptionalism.
We’re not trying to.
Ultras? I think they’re obnoxiously extreme.
Nope
OceanPoet87@reddit
We don't think about you, but hooligan activities are frowned upon here. We save the insane activities for politics.
mustachechap@reddit
You think European fans are better, but don't know if we have hooligans here or not?
Dinocop1234@reddit
They blow.
Soundwave-1976@reddit
Went to a Manchester United game when I was in England, found it just as boring as an NFL game here in the states.
Laiko_Kairen@reddit
We don't think about them at all
tungFuSporty@reddit
It was Tuesday.
RioTheLeoo@reddit
I don’t even think about American fans, let alone European ones lol
I assume fans in general are always going to be a little over the top, especially with drinking in the mix, but like as long as everyone is having a good time and no one is getting too injured or destructive. Then it’s all good
EvaisAchu@reddit
The stereotype of European fans is negative here. Sports fans get loud and emotional here as well; I've witnessed it many a time at Football/basketball/baseball games. We have really passionate fans but drunken hooligans are not ok here.
Grunt08@reddit
Yeah all the pointless violence over scarves and regular overt racism against black players are so cool. Super civilized. Definitely not profoundly embarrassing.
We're not generally that fucking stupid.
queenchristine13@reddit
Uh not really. I mean people get drunk and fight but the idea of a football ultra and what that entails is kind of unseemly to most Americans imo.