Is watching football better on the telly?

Mr Grumpy

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Is watching a game of football better on the TV, or in the stadium?

I'm not talking about the experience.
Clearly, going to the match is the better experience.

I mean to see the game, watch the action and have a critical view of what is happening.

The days of crappy footage on crappy small TVs is over. I can watch a match in glorious HD on my 65" TV being filmed from multiple angles, close to the action.

I can't see this being worse than stuck in the cheap seats at a game, not seeing what's really going on at the other end of the pitch.
 
It might be better on the telly if you don't have an emotional investment in either team. Otherwise it's far better in the ground.
 
It might be better on the telly if you don't have an emotional investment in either team. Otherwise it's far better in the ground.
Yea, but I'm talking from a technical standpoint not an emotional one.

I struggle to see the action at the other end of the pitch these days, especially if I'm in a crap seat.
 
The angles are the ones the tv director chooses to show you, however big your screen is. So overall patterns of play are so much better to see live.
Is this better than a close angle action view the camera gives?
 
Is this better than a close angle action view the camera gives?
You mean replays of challenges/fouls etc? The tv is better for that for sure, but I really value more being able to see the whole pitch and the position of all the players at all times.
 
I'm an F.O.C. so TV viewing is better for me now. But I would always prefer the live game if practical. Seeing mates, the piss-taking, giving the opposition some serious stick etc. The atmosphere at a live game is a lot better than sitting in your living room, obviously. But then again, it's more comfortable at home, and a lot cheaper.
 
No, and apart from the just being at a game angle. You see the whole pitch and understand the game better. Remember a game maybe 3 seasons ago when we were in the East Stand 3 rd tier I got an even better appeciation of our movement on and off the ball speed of passing from the back through the pitch, it was a thing of beauty that you never see watching on TV.
 
Is watching a game of football better on the TV, or in the stadium?

I'm not talking about the experience.
Clearly, going to the match is the better experience.

I mean to see the game, watch the action and have a critical view of what is happening.

The days of crappy footage on crappy small TVs is over. I can watch a match in glorious HD on my 65" TV being filmed from multiple angles, close to the action.

I can't see this being worse than stuck in the cheap seats at a game, not seeing what's really going on at the other end of the pitch.

From the purely 'watching it' point of view, of course it is. You get close ups, replays, VAR information, and most importantly the best view in the stadium.
As an experience though, it doesn't come close to going to the game.

It's a bit like listening to your favourite band's album - the studio version is very professional with all the errors ironed out, but you can't beat going seeing them live - warts and all.
 
From the purely 'watching it' point of view, of course it is. You get close ups, replays, VAR information, and most importantly the best view in the stadium.
As an experience though, it doesn't come close to going to the game.

It's a bit like listening to your favourite band's album - the studio version is very professional with all the errors ironed out, but you can't beat going seeing them live - warts and all.
This is exactly my point.

I asked because, is it important going forward?
With technology continuing to develop, is there a real reason now to NOT go to the game?

I think so. I think we are witnessing this with stadium attendance.

It's why visitors/tourist numbers are on the up.
Have a day out but if you want a critical viewpoint, stay at home.
 
This is exactly my point.

I asked because, is it important going forward?
With technology continuing to develop, is there a real reason now to NOT go to the game?

I think so. I think we are witnessing this with stadium attendance.

It's why visitors/tourist numbers are on the up.
Have a day out but if you want a critical viewpoint, stay at home.
There is a lot of knee-jerk reaction on here.
 
Excellent blog. As for your question about fans just being part of the backdrop for the TV, it’s a valid point but one that the teams obviously haven’t picked up on, given the relentless rise in prices for the match going fan. If only we’d all get together and boycott the games, there would be a change of strategy, which is probably why the ‘rivalries’ and parochialism are always emphasised.

Of course, what they could also do, is abandon Saturday at 3 altogether, leaving that exclusively for the EFL, with any Friday/Saturday slots reserved for teams playing CL the following Tuesdays.

I suppose if there is one good thing comes out of this it might be that the fixture times and dates should all be known well in advance (much more so than now)?
 

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