What's with it with live sporting events?

[Rube E. Tewesday]

Last Saturday I took my wife, my kid and my kid's best friend to a Toronto Maple Leafs game. For those of you not from Canada, I should mention that Leafs tickets are not exactly easy to get, and cost a fortune, even for not particularly good seats, and even without paying Stub Hub prices.

So, you would almost think that people who paid for those tickets would arrive on time and sit down and watch the game.

Not so much.

People were arriving late and constantly going in and out. Two girls who had apparently bought two single tickets caused all kinds of trouble as they tried to find ways to sit together (Leafs games are always sold out, so good luck.)

The guy behind us was so drunk that security kicked him out. (No idea that was possible at a hockey game.) We had to listen as security (very responsibly) found his buddy and told him what was going on.

OK, it's a hockey game, not church. I got no problem with people having fun. I got no problem with people drinking beer. But really, why pay a lot of money and then do what you could do a lot cheaper in your own rec room watching TV?

(And while this was probably the worst, it's not all that exceptional. At Yankee damn stadium we spent half the game getting up to let the guys next to us make beer runs.

If anybody has any insight, I'd appreciate it.

And if the insight is "You're no damn fun, Rube", I can take it.

[What Exit?]

1) As sporting events have gotten more expensive it seems to have drawn in a newer crowd that did not use to go that are going to the "EVENT" rather then going to root for their team.

2) Let's face it, today's generation have a short attention span compared to prior generations. Starting even with us post-Boomers.

[Elendil's Heir]

All true. And there's more to do at most modern stadiums and ballparks, so people with the attention span of hummingbirds are often up and down, taking advantage of it all.

[The Original An Gadaí]

Gigs are like that too, and the worst crowds are often at the most expensive gigs. My friend paid something like $80 to go to a Simple Minds concert and it was ruined by a very rowdy, drunk, middle-aged crowd. I think it's partly because venues are bigger, and events less special. How many times has The Wall been toured? Or how many one-time only comebacks can Leonard Cohen do before he shuffles off? Granted the crowd differs depending on the gig. Mrs. Gadaí was shocked and annoyed when I picked up some rather expensive (about $200 a piece) tickets to a U2 show here in 2009 that the people around us had very little interest in the gig, some were singing along, but most were fidgeting, getting drinks, looking at their phones, talking on their phones, nobody seemed to get caught up in the moment. It was sad to see, especially having paid so much, I wanted the show to be special and it wasn't even in my top 5 that year.

[CatInASuit]

I get the feeling that for many people, having bought the tickets and gone, they are taking part in "The Experience" of being at a match. Then when they get there, they find it isn't the same as thought it was going to be and wonder what they are missing. It also means they are the worst attendees because they have no idea what they are supposed to be doing, which is enjoying the action.

[Muffin]

Last Saturday I took my wife, my kid and my kid's best friend to a Toronto Maple Leafs game . . . .

If anybody has any insight, I'd appreciate it.

What else could you expect from anyone willing to pay good money to watch the Leaf's play following Stafford Smythe's departure?