Beyond The Nosebleeds
Manchester City are still alive here.
Balotelli.
Agueroooooooooo.
I swear you’ll never see anything like this ever again!
Goosebumps. That is the feeling I get when I think about that moment. Any football, sports, or even a general fan of unbelievable moments will know the exact goal I am referencing. A last gasp goal to seal Manchester City’s first-ever Premier League title. Looking back, even several Manchester United fans I know have admitted to getting chills when thinking about that sequence of events. While I certainly can replay the goal with clarity in my imagination, what appears with even greater focus and fondness is the memory of spending that late-night watching the match with my father on our living room couch. Growing up in Indonesia, a fair share of matches went into the late-night due to the time difference and this one was no exception. In addition to being a fan of the sport, I am an avid Everton fan. I meet other Evertonians around the world and sometimes know more facts about the team than they do despite having never been to an Everton match myself. I grew up an Everton, Knicks, and Mets fan. These teams I adore are not only mediocre at best in their respective leagues but they are also teams I learned to support from afar without having really attended their games.
While we face uncertainty about the near-term future of sports, I believe that a return to sports without attendance can be successful. This isn’t to deny the financial reality of sports properties that rely heavily on gate revenue (that is a separate conversation) nor the special moments that, albeit oftentimes romanticized, are enjoyed when attending a live sporting event with your family, friends, or significant other. Those moments are to be cherished in their own right. That being said, I would never trade anything for the moment I got to witness the goal with my dad, late night, on our couch.
When sports return with or without fans, it might be strange for some. But either way, it can and will be special for everyone. We might just have to get used to watching from beyond the nosebleeds for a little bit.
