Top Five Reasons To Watch An NFL Game Live

My mother and I had the pleasure of attending last night's Patriots-Colts game at Gillette Stadium (Thanks, Sam!) While the result was not what I had hoped it would be, the experience was amazing. I usually swear by watching the game on TV, because of the parking hassles and the crowds and the general discomfort of the stadium, particularly on a cold night. However, I discovered that there are incredible benefits to watching the game in person.

1. Viewing perspective
When you watch the game from the stadium, you are not bound by the confines of what a camera and a 27-inch screen can show you. Being able to watch the whole field at once, you gain a new appreciation for the downfield march of the ball and the swarm of humanity that takes place on special teams plays.

2. Camaraderie
On my list of greatest sports viewing experiences, notice that all of them involve watching the game in public amongst many other fans. That similarity is no accident. When you're surrounded by 68,000 other people, most of whom are similarly rooting for the Pats, the communal aspect is unique.

3. Your favorite players are live and in the flesh
This aspect did not even occur to me until today. The likes of Tom Brady, Tedy Bruschi, and Bill Belichick are like deities to me. By contrast, Peyton Manning is the devil incarnate. Seeing all of them in the flesh is akin to a religious communion.

4. The setting is gorgeous
Gillette Stadium is truly a beautiful work of modern architecture and an incredible feat of engineering. It boggles the mind to consider how the architects managed to squeeze 68,000 people around a 55 x 120 yard field with unblemished sightlines from every seat, club seats and luxury suites with their own private concourses, and a beautiful aesthetic scheme running throughout the stadium. I love my own living room but it is hardly a cathedral of sport compared to Gillette and many of its NFL stadium brethren.

5. Tailgating
With our portable propane grill and burgers and dogs, we were amateurs compared to some of the other tailgaters in the parking lot. Some of the pros bring full-size smokers and set up tents with televisions and armchairs inside while cooking steak or chili or gourmet five-course dinners. While my mother and I have a ways to go before we graduate to that level, hanging out in a parking lot abounding with beer and alcohol was a great way to prepare for the game.