On March 9, 2023, I attended my first live basketball game at Madison Square Garden Arena in NY city. It was a Big East men's basketball tournament quarterfinal between the two arch-rivals, UConn and Providence. I prefer to watch games in the comfort of my home on my TV screen. I attended some college football or gymnastic tournaments in New Haven and attended some tennis matches when CT Open was a thing, but nothing like a basketball match where there is a highly charged environment on and off the court. This was very unlikely for me to attend this game on a working day, but I am glad that I did it, this was one of the best experiences in my life.
It was my daughter's idea that I should go to this game. She insisted that as I like basketball and UConn is playing, I should go and watch this game with my son who is studying at UConn and is one of the top fans of both UConn basketball teams. I decided to give it a shot to this proposal. I bought a train around noon and reached Grand Central around 2pm. I met my son a few blocks away from the Grand Central Terminal and we both walked to the Madison Square Garden arena. The atmosphere there was electric, it was a full house with more than nineteen thousand people in the arena. Fans of both teams were supercharged and singing songs or chanting slogans in support of their respective teams. I sat with UConn supporters. Some students came with face paint and costumes matching their team's jersey. They asked if I wanted some paint on my face, so I went ahead and got my face painted. The game did live up to its expectations. I was one-sided at the beginning with UConn leading by 25 points at one point, but in the last ten minutes, it got really tense. The lead was cut down to 5 with some amazing defense and flawless scoring NY the Providence team. UConn managed to hold on to their lead to win the game with a 73-66 final score. I enjoyed the thrill, ups and downs, and other aspects of the game. In the entire game, there was no dull moment. Even during the breaks and halftime, there was some entertainment either on the court or among the audience that was showcased on the big screens of the arena. Fans added extra flavor and color to that electrifying atmosphere. UConn winning the game made this an unforgettable experience for me. Sitting with the students was extra special, their enthusiasm and energy was infectious. We were standing most of the game, and for the last five minutes or so the entire stadium was on its feet. Watching the game along with my son made it extra special, I could witness his joy and involvement in enjoying the game and supporting his university team. College sports are very special in the USA. Many college teams have a huge and very loyal fan following. Witnessing all this is an enthralling experience. I would still prefer to watch games on my TV as I really get anxious when games get really close, in your home, you can choose to mute the volume or switch off the TV and follow the score on the internet and rejoin whenever you want, but in the stadium, you don't have that option. However, if you are a sports fan, I would advise you to go and watch a live game in the stadium at least once to experience the magic of a sports arena full of passionate sports fans. Sports teach us to compete intensely while the game is on, but once it ends shake hands and move on to the next game. Go and enjoy that experience at least once, I didn't regret it and I am sure you also won't regret it.
Thank you for reading and please share your views on this topic.
©Vinay Thakur, Vinay can be reached at thevinay2022@gmail.com
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