Spectator sports
Spectator sports are those where the players are greatly outnumbered by their audience, often a thousandfold and sometimes a millionfold for the biggest events. These usually involve travel, often long-distance, so there is a distinct experience of sports travel for those crowds, covered on this page.
See Sports for those you participate in yourself, watched (if at all) by a few family members or ex-players. See Activities for the broader sphere of mostly non-competitive pastimes such as bird-watching.
UnderstandSpectator sports have a long history: in the western tradition this is exemplified by the ancient Olympic Games.
Articles about watching sports
Events with multiple sportsThe African Games are held among the countries of Africa.
Events for a single sportAt least five regular season games, with three in London (England) and at least two in other countries. The NFL has contracts with two London venues, namely Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Sports travelThere is no doubt that sports is a huge driver of tourism. Fans want to follow their favorite players or teams to watch them. This especially happens during the playoffs when fans are excited the team could win a title.
Stay safeTake precautions typical for large crowds and major events, with risk factors such as pickpocketing, infectious diseases, drunk brawls and stampedes.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Spectator sports" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Waerfelu, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons