At the heart of a Bostonian’s pride for their city is an undying love for the many championship teams that call Boston home. From the Bruins to the Red Sox, the Patriots and the Celtics, Boston sports fans have plenty to be excited about. Of course, if you had asked me about the community of sports fans in Boston just one or two years ago, I probably would have rolled my eyes to express my extreme level of disinterest in any kind of sport.
Yes, I was one of those girls. I went through a phase where I would scoff at my peers who got excited about March Madness and claim that I only cared about the Super Bowl for the commercials. I would often dismiss professional sports as barbaric displays of toxic masculinity, refusing to even try to understand why so many people found them enjoyable to watch.
Credit: Morgan Clark
And while, yes, professional sports leagues definitely have their fair share of issues to be dealt with, when I started attending sports games in Boston I was able to finally let go of this cynical view.
The energy at any Boston sports game is electric. Even going to a Red Sox game — which many people are skeptical of because of the slow-moving nature of baseball — is so much fun when you embrace the sense of community that Boston fans have built around that team. When Sweet Caroline plays during the seventh-inning stretch and the whole crowd belts out the words, I feel like I’m home.
Credit: Morgan Clark
And with great sports teams playing year-round, it’s easy to see why Boston has rallied around its pro teams. No matter what time of year it is, you can find a game to go to if you want to cheer on your city. Even events like Marathon Monday have become a staple of Boston, bringing the community together to cheer each other on and enjoy coming together as a city.
The night of a big win for Boston has to have been the most surprising, but also best part of embracing the sports culture in my new home. Both after the Red Sox won the World Series, and after the Patriots won the Super Bowl, my friends and I walked from BU’s campus all the way to the Boston Common so we could join our fellow Bostonians in celebrating our victory.
Credit: 617images
The excitement of these gatherings is insane, and although they infamously get a little out of control, it’s so fun to see everyone go crazy after a big win. It really makes me feel like I belong in this city.
Although I don’t expect everyone to enjoy going to pro sports games, I highly encourage you to keep an open mind and go to a game before deciding if it’s for you or not, because Boston’s sports culture might just surprise you.
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