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Do you know why people go to sports stadiums instead of watching from home? A variety of media like TV or mobile services carry almost all games live. When watching sports at home, you can feel even more comfortable and see the action closer than by attending in person. As you can see in the pictures below, it is hard to know who a player is without his uniform number, by contrast, we can see even their facial expressions when we watch on a screen. Although it is so easy to watch from home, many people are still visiting the sports stadiums during the Covid-19 situation. Therefore, colleagues and I have attended baseball games to get to know the reason why they do this.
Location: Gocheok Sky Dome (430 Gyeongin-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea)
Price: 17,000 won (Weekdays, Dark Burgundy standard seats)
The way of watching sports games
The number of spectators is restricted because of Covid-19 now. I went to the stadium during social distancing stage 2, it was an indoor stadium and so only 20 percent of spectators were allowed in. They were supposed to sit two seats apart. To enter the venue, we needed to register with phone call certification. Also, we checked our body temperature with a ‘thermometer sticker’ while watching the game. It is normal when its color changes from black to white, but if it changes to red you should go home immediately because it means your body temperature is over 37.5 degrees.
A few years ago, we used to chant and sing player’s song in the stadium. But for now, singing aloud has been absolutely banned, so the game was done in a quiet mood. In addition, eating inside the stadium except for water or drinks is not allowed. It was a shame that we couldn’t eat because I think eating chicken is a necessary part of watching baseball.
Experience Review
As I mentioned, we couldn’t sing sports songs loudly and we could cheer only with applause and cheering tools. We communicated with difficulties because we sat two spaces apart, but we didn’t need to talk to each other because we felt same emotions while watching game. There were a lot of events like quizzes for prizes at every break time, so we never felt bored. Below are comments of other reporters who visited with me:
<Choi Seh-min> It was easy to figure out the flow of the game when watching it in person and I felt a sense of belongings just like participating in the game while listening to player’s songs. It meant a lot to me beyond just watching.
<Kim Si-Heok> The experience of watching game in person rekindled my interest of baseball that I had forgotten, because I had watched baseball games just on TV for about 3 years. Every moment including minor things made me feel special.
It was not easy to watch sports in person because of the virus. We could not eat, say aloud and many other things, either. However, I think the reason people visit the stadium despite difficulties is to make a memory. Regardless of the outcome, they cherish the time sharing their enjoyment while cheering together with friends or families. It makes them visit the place again.
About 10 years ago, I visited a baseball field for the first time. On a sweltering summer day, my
parents took me even though I was not interested in baseball at all. On that day, I found the attractive points of baseball and still I love it. Now, I could understand the reason why they went there with me even though they really hated the summer heat. My parents wanted to give a precious memory to their daughter and wanted me to experience various things. Thanks to them, it was the most exciting and unforgettable day in my life.
Although we can’t just enjoy our life now, let’s keep in mind that there are various ways to make memorable things with your loved ones.
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